Could this be the most stupid question about Energy Drinks?

Clockworkmark31

Some good informative replies thank you all.

The caffeine and glucose etc has me confused too, as someone mentioned on a previous reply. I too can drink something like a garden variety energy drink like monster before bed or a coffee and not have a problem sleeping. I usually drink these before a ride too, but the Xtreme had a bigger affect on me. As I understand the monster and a few cups of coffee have the same if not more caffeine levels.

So where did the energy boost come from? I don't eat on rides, only consume water, but pre ride a bacon butty or similar and energy drink and coffee. Post ride, I just eat when I feel hungry.

As I mentioned I want to loose my fuel tank, I understand foods and drinks play a massive part like exercise. I just dont understand how I can build muscle and get defined muscle but not loose the tank, could using something like this or a different product allowing me to excuse the pun ride harder faster and longer kick start my metabolism.

Or should I explore different avenues.

Maybe reflecting with the higher carb or protein intake from the drink, this fueled me more? Could having the right food before or during a ride be the key for harder and longer workouts? I just seem to be at a plateau.

Anyway watching tour de yorkshire tomorrow try get some hints from the guys or try follow on mt HT haha

njee20

So where did the energy boost come from? I don't eat on rides, only consume water, but pre ride a bacon butty or similar and energy drink and coffee. Post ride, I just eat when I feel hungry.

You drunk a drink full of glucose and fructose, designed specifically to give you energy, and you're wondering why you had energy...?

Angus Young

Clockworkmark31 wrote:

I just dont understand how I can build muscle and get defined muscle but not loose the tank...

Clockworkmark31 wrote:

... but pre ride a bacon butty ...

BloggingFit

View food as energy sources and caffeine as a stimulant so the energy is a fuel source as in calories and the stimulants increase hormone levels (adrenaline mainly in this case) which primes the body ready for action.

There are also neurotransmitters which sit along side stimulants but work differently but can amplify or piggy back on top of the effects of caffeine which is where the likes of Red Bull sit. That's as basic as I can describe it really.

Vascular ours can also run in conjunction with caffeine and these effectively increase blood vessel diameter and increase blood flow which in theory translates to an increase in efficiency of transporting oxygen and energy to muscle.

PH buffers like Citralline Mallate and D Ribose work in conjunction to help buffer PH levels in the muscle with the idea to reduce the build up of Lactic Acid.

There are natural forms of caffeine that are less taxing than synthetic forms. These are usually less harsh, less of a sharper up and down and less likely to desensitise the adrenal system (increase in tolerance). Green tea, Guarana and Theobromine are the more common sources.

Clockworkmark31

Njee, thanks think I was confusing myself or convincing myself monster was similar hence I didn't understand the extra energy. Think I have got it now. And think the Xtreme should be limited in my case to a beast of a long ride.

Maybe I could change the bacon butty, but it's a one time a week pre ride treat , seriously though I think maybe I should re-evaluate in food consumption. Usually have one meal a day or two depending on work (shift work). Don't eat fatty foods or over consume, maybe I am just eating the wrong types of foods. I can quite easily have pasta 2-3 times a week as I love pasta.

Example weekly food intake would be chicken fillets or pork loin steaks with either potatoes or rice, different combinations of pasta, roast sunday dinner with chicken. Could be taking in too many carbs or something like that.

cooldad

Please don't turn into Cody.

Clockworkmark31

Slightly confused, the only cody I can think of is with the cube............please for all religious sakes don't compare me to that.

Clockworkmark31

All I want is to ride have fun, enjoy what I enjoy and if I can loose some weight bonus.

Clockworkmark31

Maybe I should also add that I love the devils liquor or elixir or the banned substance from the prohibition.

To get back on track, one thing I was taught by my grandma was to enjoy everything but do it in moderation. Within the past few years my rides have been going up (longer harder and further) but the weight has remained the same.

I couldn't care if I weighed 150kg or 80kg so long as all is in proportion.

njee20

So what's the question...? :?

You won't lose weight if you start complementing your diet with High 5 Source (and its derivatives), unless you are already - it's all extra calories. If you want to ride harder/further/longer/faster then there's no reason you can't use it, and still lose weight. Personally I use H5 for racing and rides over 3 hours or so. You can get the energy from 'normal' foods, but it's very easy to consume as a drink.

Clockworkmark31

Here is the question.

How do you loose weight consuming energy drink or various other forms of the drinks.

I ride daily and drink a monster daily still I am the same weight as I was a few years ago.

My way of thinking has always been more energy the more you burn. But after two years of the same I am not so sure.

The Rookie

To lose weight, energy in < energy exerted - simple (and slightly simplistic I know, but broadly as a principle is true).

I'm with NJEE, anything less than 3 hours you can fuel from what you have in your body (unless you haven't eaten for a while when a small top up before starting may be needed for if you are going over about an hour).

I do my 7 miles to work at a fastish pace (ave 15mph on a hybrid) after just a normal breakfast, same on the way back when I'll have had a banana and yoghurt mid afternoon. If I'm riding I have one extra snack (Muesli bar) a day than if I'm not riding and that seems to be about right for my body.

You seem to be eating more extra than you are burning, and to make it worse at the wrong times and the wrong sort of food, forget the power meter and Di2 shifting, buy some decent fuel and exercise better self control!

njee20

Yep, nowt more to it than that.

I ride to work most days, 10 miles direct, try and do 15 on the way in and 15-25 on the way home. Don't even take a drink unless it's super hot when I'll take some water. Speed varies from 16-21mph. I have a small bowl of muesli in the morning, a modest lunch of 500 calories or so and nowt else, other than a few cups of tea through the day.

poah

njee20 wrote:

Yep, nowt more to it than that.

I ride to work most days, 10 miles direct, try and do 15 on the way in and 15-25 on the way home. Don't even take a drink unless it's super hot when I'll take some water. Speed varies from 16-21mph. I have a small bowl of muesli in the morning, a modest lunch of 500 calories or so and nowt else, other than a few cups of tea through the day.

ooo so not the right diet

Ferrals

plus I'm sure fat burning requites a specific type of excerise otherwise you will just use up your carbs, run out of energy, but not burn fat (or at least not burn fat efficiently)

njee20

ooo so not the right diet

To be fair, that makes me sound like a bit of a monk, which I'm not, and I make up for it by eating shit in the evening. Need to lose a couple of kilos after a couple of weeks not riding and eating and drinking too much. Nearly got up to 70kg! 8O

plus I'm sure fat burning requites a specific type of excerise otherwise you will just use up your carbs, run out of energy, but not burn fat (or at least not burn fat efficiently)

Basically yes, hence the 'fat burning zone' people talk about - you don't actually use more calories, but you use a higher proportion of calories from fat, and can sustain it more easily than if you go flat out, use up all your glycogen and die a horrible death!

BloggingFit

If you are looking to ramp up your metabolism then you can change eating habits to more frequent meals, drink more water, eat clean through the week and have an off day over the weekend, do some resistance training a couple of times a week or do combinations of these.

It's all a balancing act and working out what works for yourself and figuring whether your priority is with riding the bike or how you look.

Clockworkmark31

Thanks blogging defiantly wanting to ramp up my metabolism.

My younger brother had a problem when he did PRMC he passed fine but was advised to drop some weight think he dropped 2 stone really quick after seeing a physio/PT and most of that was from food. But seeing what he ate and drank I can't see this working for me, green tea (not tea drinker) sweet pots etc etc. Urgh the devils food haha.

But I am interested to hear what you call clean eating. Maybe my views of clean eating are way off. Example I love one pasta dish, that consists of some broccoli (folic acid etc), onion, garlic veg stock, single cream, handful of pancetta and some king prawns along with the pasta. To me it seems a balanced meal but thats my view and maybe it is way off haha.

Have to agree with previous comments frequency and more energy going in rather than out.

I know everyone mentions frequent water intake, but is that pure water or eg a coffee? I am still consuming water its just floured different .

The Rookie

Clockworkmark31 wrote:

Example I love one pasta dish, that consists of some broccoli (folic acid etc), onion, garlic veg stock, single cream, handful of pancetta and some king prawns along with the pasta. .

Replace the single cream with something much lower in fat like Creme Freche, low fat natural yoghurt or Fromage Frais and that's a meal you'll find in many of the 'non faddy' diet eating plans such as Slimming World etc.

I quite like a roast sweet potato in with regular ones, add a Garlic clove in the roasting dish as well and it's even better.

As for just water or with 'added minerals' to drink, in the UK I usually just use plain water, when it's very hot (like when I'm riding in India) I definitely am more cramp prone if I've been sweating a lot on plain water versus one with added salts.

Clockworkmark31

Thanks rookie,

Tried a variant today with salmon rocket spinach and some other greens and used creme freche instead divine.

My brothers PTI has give me a list of main meals for a month to try and they all sound tasty and look well balanced so looking forward to trying it and convinced the other half to try it with me, this took lots or persuasion as she is a really fussy eater.

Can't remember where I got the pasta idea from that yo mentioned but been using it for years and still not bored.

Anyway energy drinks think I am going to kick them and if I am on longer rides then use a specific one rather than my daily intake of monster. Though I could have used a monster today after locking my bike in town with the kryptonite lock and when I went to unlock the key wouldn't turn fully to unlock fun 20 minutes of screaming at the lock and trying to figure out what to do if it didn't unlock. Thankfully one of the cylinders realigned again.

BloggingFit

Clockworkmark31 wrote:

Thanks blogging defiantly wanting to ramp up my metabolism.

My younger brother had a problem when he did PRMC he passed fine but was advised to drop some weight think he dropped 2 stone really quick after seeing a physio/PT and most of that was from food. But seeing what he ate and drank I can't see this working for me, green tea (not tea drinker) sweet pots etc etc. Urgh the devils food haha.

But I am interested to hear what you call clean eating. Maybe my views of clean eating are way off. Example I love one pasta dish, that consists of some broccoli (folic acid etc), onion, garlic veg stock, single cream, handful of pancetta and some king prawns along with the pasta. To me it seems a balanced meal but thats my view and maybe it is way off haha.

Have to agree with previous comments frequency and more energy going in rather than out.

I know everyone mentions frequent water intake, but is that pure water or eg a coffee? I am still consuming water its just floured different .

Clean in it's basic form is staying off processed foods, ready meals, bad fats, refined sugars and artificial sweeteners. A really easy guide is looking at the ingredients and if you can't pronounce it you don't consume it. You can extend the clean foods by staying off gluten rich sources like bread while others like pasta, potatoes and grains just restrict a little.

Plain water is best and you can add pink or Himalayan salt for an electrolyte source. Coconut water is an excellent alternative but expensive. Flavoured water tend to have some sugar and sweeteners so not ideal.

Clockworkmark31

Hi bloggingfit.

Based on your advice I eat clean anyway, no processed foods no ready meals no bad fats in food as I can tell, the only fats is from the natural food itself. As far as processed foods go it would be dried pasta other than that its all fresh. I like cooking so I am not lazy about it (maybe thats my problem haha). Bread is only a weekend thing for breakfast. And 1 day a week is takeaway.

Drink might be another story, lots of coffees maybe 4-6 one or two monster a day and four peronis on an evening and although I drink 2 liters of water a day its the volvic flavored variety.

poah

BloggingFit wrote:

Clean in it's basic form is staying off processed foods, ready meals, bad fats, refined sugars and artificial sweeteners.

:?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?:

BloggingFit

POAH wrote:

BloggingFit wrote:

Clean in it's basic form is staying off processed foods, ready meals, bad fats, refined sugars and artificial sweeteners.

:?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?:

Stuff like aspartame and polyols are bad news.

Natural ones like stevia are generally ok.

poah

BloggingFit wrote:

POAH wrote:

BloggingFit wrote:

Clean in it's basic form is staying off processed foods, ready meals, bad fats, refined sugars and artificial sweeteners.

:?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?:

Stuff like aspartame and polyols are bad news.

Natural ones like stevia are generally ok.

absolutly nothing wrong with aspartame or poIyols*, I think someone reads too much internet.


*except for a laxitive effect in large doses

Chunkers1980

In your professional opinion

BloggingFit

POAH wrote:

BloggingFit wrote:

POAH wrote:

BloggingFit wrote:

Clean in it's basic form is staying off processed foods, ready meals, bad fats, refined sugars and artificial sweeteners.

:?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?:

Stuff like aspartame and polyols are bad news.

Natural ones like stevia are generally ok.

absolutly nothing wrong with aspartame or poIyols*, I think someone reads too much internet.


*except for a laxitive effect in large doses

Hardly...

If you want to put artificial chemicals into your body with potential carcinogenic properties then go knock yourself out but nor for me. I personally think that the increase in bowel cancer vs the increase in artificial ingredients added to food is too compelling to be coincidence.

I don't need the internet to tell me that.

poah

Chunkers1980 wrote:

In your professional opinion

yip

poah

BloggingFit wrote:

Hardly...

If you want to put artificial chemicals into your body with potential carcinogenic properties then go knock yourself out but nor for me. I personally think that the increase in bowel cancer vs the increase in artificial ingredients added to food is too compelling to be coincidence.

I don't need the internet to tell me that.

hahahahahahahahahahahaha - utter complete tosh. The only people that should avoid aspartame are people with the genetic condition phenylketonuria.

while aspartame is syntetically made the break down products, aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol arn't. The methanol is rapidly removed from the body and aspartic acid & phenylalanine are amino acids used in protein synthesis.

Angus Young

POAH wrote:

I think someone reads too much internet.

It's the wrong kind of internet that's the problem...

http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/goodfood/pag ... rtame.aspx