FitSugar

The Lowdown on Hydrating Recovery Drinks

Heather Dale — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 02:51:54 PDT

Use this nutritional comparison chart the next time you go grab a thirst-quenching low-cal drink, and you'll be better informed about what selection to make. I've pitted the biggest brands against one another to see how they deliver in the nutrients and low-cal department. Labels can often be confusing, so hopefully this chart will help!

Sports Nutrition by Numbers With Gatorade G-Fit Series

Susi May — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 02:42:55 PDT

I grew up chugging orange Gatorade on tennis and basketball courts after hours of sweaty play. Since my workouts are considerably shorter these days, regular ol' Gatorade just seems like too much: too much sugar, too much color, too much flavor. The sports drink pioneer realized that many fitness fanatics and weekend warriors felt the same way, so Gatorade created the G Series Fit, a trio of products that are toned-down versions of its more hardcore G series.

To energize your workout, Gatorade created Prime ($2). It's a 200-calorie energy bar divided into four separately packaged, 50-calorie pieces - meaning no more half eaten energy bars floating around you gym bag since you can easily customize your portion size. The thin outer wafer is super finger-friendly - it's so not sticky. The Prime bar comes in three flavors: Banana Nut Chocolate, Cranberry Pistachio, and Raisin Cinnamon Flax. My fave is the Cranberry Pistachio; it reminded me of a marzipan treat. Trainer Gunnar Peterson thinks the raisin flax flavor tastes like Raisin Bran, which he thinks is a good thing.

Forget Gatorade, Beer Is the Next Big Sports Drink

Michele Foley — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:30:38 PST

Forget Gatorade; some fitness enthusiasts are turning to beer to rehydrate. Erdinger Alkoholfrei, a nonalcoholic Bavarian brew, is becoming a favorite amongst European athletes. The beer even has a team of reputable athletes that it sponsors consisting of triathletes, biathletes, and championship skiers.

Positioning itself at many of Europe's top sporting events, the company claims that unlike sports drinks, the carb-rich beer is free of additives and unnatural ingredients. And because it's nonalcoholic, there's no chance of getting wasted after running a 26.2-mile course. The company is now setting its sights on the American market. While there's nothing satisfying like a good beer after a long run or bike ride, my experience with nonalcoholic brews is less than noteworthy. Although, it might be better than one of the alternative sports drink offerings: pickle juice.

Source: Flickr User paul-simpson.org

Do You Drink Sports Drinks When You're Not Working Out?

Kristen Hawley — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 04:30:18 PDT

During a race or intense workout, I really, really enjoy drinking Gatorade, especially red Gatorade. When I'm not working out, I can't stand the stuff. My best friend, on the other hand, absolutely loves Gatorade. She loves it so much, in fact, that as soon as a new flavor comes out in her local grocery store, she buys a couple bottles and has a tasting party. Seriously.

Sports drinks are actually engineered for sipping during workouts every 10 to 15 minutes to maintain your blood volume. In my mind, Gatorade, Powerade, and the like are made for working out, not for sipping. I try to avoid caloric drinks as it is, and don't enjoy the taste of sports drinks enough to seek them out when I'm not working out. What about you?

Source: Flickr User randomduck

Gatorade Gives Big Nod to Young Athletes

FitSugar — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:00:13 PDT

To warm up for the ESPY Awards, Gatorade honored elite high school athletes at a luncheon yesterday afternoon in LA. For the last 25 years, Gatorade has honored the top up-and-coming athletes from the wide world of sports. Our fave Kerri Walsh won for volleyball back in '92, as did LeBron James in 2003 and more recently WNBA star Candace Parker.

Listening to the accomplishments of the nominees for Gatorade Athlete of the Year award is inspiring (and kind of makes you want to reclaim your misspent youth). Along with amazing stats in their respective sports, the athletes all have done an impressive amount community work and have high grade-point averages (something I haven't thought about for years). Gatorade selects the best high school athletes in 12 different sports, divided equally between the sexes. The dozen athletes, yet to enter college, make a roster of who to watch in the coming years - think major league sports and the Olympics. From these 12, one top female athlete and one top male athlete are selected as the ultimate athlete of the year.

To meet the winners

read more. This year's top award winners are both amazing basketball players. Top female athlete Chiney Ogwumike will be headed to Stanford to play hoops with her sister, and male honoree Brandon Knight will play for Kentucky - but look for him in the NBA in year or two. Incredibly articulate and self possessed for her 18 years, Chiney told me she was on cloud nine after winning. Already at Stanford, taking summer school classes to get a jump-start on her academics, she looked up to Marion Jones as a child since track and field was her first athletic passion, then later idolized WNBA great and four-time Olympic gold medalist Lisa Leslie, who was on hand to present Chiney her award. After the luncheon I was able to interview Lisa; check back soon to read what she has to say about hoops, motherhood, and makeup. I will definitely be headed down to Stanford to watch the Ogwumike sisters. In the meantime, I will keep working my agility drills to get my game on.

What's Cooking at Slashfood

partysugar — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 04:00:51 PST

We love Slashfood so much that every Thursday we round up their most delicious stories. Here are this week's finds:

The secret to making super aromatic tea is ginger.
Tips for pairing wine with Winter fruits.
The FDA is investigating the fake "unfaithful" Tiger Woods Gatorade campagin.
A stray pig was found at a Quiznos drive-thru window.
Anthony Bourdain discusses the new season of No Reservations.
A cheese recall has hit the national markets.

Stone Fruit Variety or Snack Food Flavor?

YumSugar — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:50:44 PDT

Today Party and I were talking about Summer stone fruits, and she remarked that she thought many of the season's fruit varieties had funny-sounding names that reminded her Gatorade flavors! I have to agree - some of the fruit names bear a striking resemblance to names that you might come across in the snack-food aisle. Are you able to identify whether the name is a stone fruit variety or a snack food flavor?

Take the Quiz

Celebrity Trainer Gunnar Peterson Says Get More Sleep

FitSugar — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 04:30:00 PST

Celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson is no stranger to pet projects. Not only did he help Jennifer Lopez train for her triathlon last Fall, he also teamed up with Molly Sims to help the canine set get some more exercise with the PetFit Challenge. These days he is teaming up with Gatorade to spread the fitness word, which he did at the G Gym during the Sundance Film Festival. Recently, I was able to do a brief interview with him - he is a busy man. More a man of action than words, I went right to the heart of the matter and asked about core work.

FitSugar: Let's get down to business - what is your favorite core exercise?
Gunnar Peterson: I’m a big fan of the wood chop, whether it’s standing with a medicine ball, kneeling with a cable, or on a stability ball with a dumbbell.

FS: If I only have time for one strength training move at the gym, what multitasking move should I do?
GP: Squat with bicep curl and overhead dumbbell press, all in one.

FS: What do you recommend for a post-workout snack, after a 60-minute training session of cardio and strength training?
GP: This is what I would consider perfect eating after a workout: salmon, a yam, broccoli and Gatorade.

FS: Speaking of Gatorade, what is your favorite flavor, and when do you think sports drinks come in handy?
GP: I am a lemon lime lover! The original G (Gatorade) for the original G (Gunnar)! You should drink Gatorade during a vigorous workout and post vigorous workout, sports drinks are best.

To hear what Gunnar has to say about training celebs,

read more. FS: Tell us one thing we don’t know about celeb fitness. What is your typical day like? When do you work out? GP: My typical day starts at 4 a.m. I train before my clients, and I work with seven to nine people between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. While that may not sound like a great day to some, it’s a great day to me. Celebrities work out a lot harder and a lot more consistently than they’re given credit for. They do what they do as well as they do it in peak condition under a microscope. That’s a tall order to fill. FS: If we could change one thing to live fitter/healthier lives, what would it be? GP: Get more sleep. FS: What do you think of reality weight loss TV shows, like the Biggest Loser? What about Jackie Warner’s Workout? GP: Any show that motivates people to do more for health and fitness than they’re currently doing is a success in my book. FS: Any advice for folks making New Year’s resolutions to lose weight? GP: Don’t make a big deal out of the resolution. Of the three “D’s” involved - decide, discuss, and do - eliminate “discuss.”

What's the Big Idea Behind This Sneaky Gatorade Ad?

GiggleSugar — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:00:00 PDT

I watched the following vid and was overjoyed to see a chick finally kick arse at a male sporting event. But a little research later revealed that our bat girl never made this Spidey-inspired catch; the vid is actually a staged advertisement for Gatorade. The illegitimacy of the play makes me wonder if the Gatorade folks are mocking women's athletic potential with this ad, or on the flip side, if they're seeking to unsettle established gender norms and advance the girls-can-do-anything message. Or a bit a both? Tell me what you think.

Sodium: Fat Free Skim Milk vs. Gatorade

FitSugar — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:30:00 PDT

I seem to have a couple of new obsessions lately: sodium and sports drinks. I thought this little quiz comparing these two common beverages would be enlightening for you. Take it and see if you know which drink has a higher sodium content.

Take the Quiz