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.
on Yahoo! |
You might think that drinking a sports drink is just like drinking any other drink; you open the bottle when you are thirsty and drink up. You would be wrong. If you drink one of these scientifically-engineered drinks when you are already thirsty, you have missed many of its benefits.
on Yahoo! |
Staying hydrated when exercising in hot, humid weather is really important. However, if you are exercising, at a moderate level, for longer than an hour you should probably reach for a sports drink.
Unlike water, sports drinks contain electrolytes and carbohydrates to help your body absorb and retain fluid lost during exercise. Because of this, sports drinks do a better job of preventing dehydration and maintaining proper electrolyte balance, especially in warm, humid conditions when you sweat out more fluid and sodium.
I don't know if you experience this but I typically spot someone eating while working out at least once every few weeks. I get the theory behind it, but for most of us, it's not necessary.
Unless you're working out for longer than two hours per day, you really do not need to supplement with high-energy (aka high calories) bars and drinks during your workout (or at all really). If you're worried about thirst, take along some water or even a sports drink (though keep in mind that most sports drinks are very high in sugar). RSS Feed 
