Sports Drinks?

meruz2008
meruz2008 Posts: 10
edited January 2010 in Road beginners
I am currently training fo the C2C in May/June and have now begun my training in earnest. I have been recomended using some energy drinks for my training sessions to stop myself running out of steam half way around my weekly long ride.

The trouble is that I would also like to shed a few pounds before the big day (14 st to 12 1/2 st). Given my need to lose weight it seem possible to me that loading my body with carbs would be counter productive.

Any advice regards using sports drinks given my circumstances would be reatly appreciated.

Comments

  • bobtbuilder
    bobtbuilder Posts: 1,537
    Try NUUN electrolyte tablets. They have all the electrolytes in them that you need to replace the essential vitamins, etc lost in sweat but are not a carbohydrate drink. They also come in a handy sized tube which you can stick in a jersey pocket. You can get them from Probikekit.com.

    Bear in mind that you will still need to eat on a long ride (carbs) to maintain enough energy to complete the ride. Anthing 2hrs or more and you will need to take food on board or you will still bonk.
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  • Gatorade US not the stuff imported to tesco is low in carbs compared to loucozade etc. You can buy gatorade powder on eBay. Has a decent salt conten as well. Otherwise look at SIS powders as well, they do a good electrolyte one.
  • I go for Lucozade body fuel... no idea if it has the composition your looking for, but for steady rides that test your endurance, I swear by it...

    http://www.lucozadeshop.com/products/fuel/4.html
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  • RichTL
    RichTL Posts: 133
    Hi
    The problem you have is that on long rides you need carbs to stop you getting the bonk.
    However you need to make sure you dont over do it and take too many carbs.
    My experiance is that during a long ride its actually quite hard to consume too many calories. The real problem usually occurs afterwards when you feel really hungry and probably over eat. So trying to stop over eating after the ride is likely to be more productive than worrying about carlories comsumed during the ride.
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    Even if you want to lose weight, going out on long rides without much fuel will lead to an energy crash. Although your body will burn fat during a ride, it's an inefficient fuel source and not suitable as the sole source of energy. I tend to eat bananas on shortish rides of up to 40 miles, anything more I make up my own drinks with a mix of maltodextrin, electrolyte salts, protein powder and choline and/or caffeine powders. You can buy the individual ingredients from myprotein (on the web), or just buy a ready mixed energy powder, however most of the commercially available powders are 95% maltodextrin with added flavour and sweetener so it's much, much cheaper to make your own. A few months back someone posted a website of energy drink recipes which I use, haven't got the website to hand though so you need to do a search.
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  • Thanks for all the tips guys. I think the key thing is to save the energy drinks for the longer rides. TBH my biggest issue has been cramps on my way back from longer rides where I have been giving it some welly so some electrolytes have found their way in to the basket as well.

    Will be trying a few different combos over the next few weeks to see what works. I quite like the idea of making my own drink up so will be having a look on myprotein and will have a look for some recipes. If anyone hears a large explosion in the sheffield area then it may be that my experiments have gone to far :shock:
  • adrian4224
    adrian4224 Posts: 6
    edited March 2010
    Hi,

    I would strongly suggest you try elete - a sports drink concentrate specially created for the purposes of achieving optimum hydration and for preventing cramping which also has the benefit of zero calories. An independent trial has shown that if elete is used with water, 40% less water is used to hydrate the body effectively when compared to drinking water alone.

    It comprises the four electrolytes in charged ionic form (sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride), plus 70 other trace and ultra-trace minerals, which are necessary for optimum hydration. Nothing else is added.

    I have to declare an interest as I am involved with the company that makes elete and has the European distribution rights for the product. However, I am absolutely convinced elete is the most effective hydration product on the market.

    I would very much like to send you a bottle or two to try free of charge if this would be agreeable to you, just contact me at adrian@ikonassociates.com with your details and will have some sent to you.

    elete sould be added to water, any drink (hot or cold) and can also be added to food.
    It is 100% natural with no calories, sugar, carbs, sweeteners, proteins.

    You can learn more by looking at the elete website at http://www.eletewater.co.uk . It’s also excellent value - only 32.5p to make a 500ml sports drink.

    I hope to hear from you.

    All the best

    Adrian Shaw
  • jibberjim
    jibberjim Posts: 2,810
    adrian4224 wrote:
    I would strongly suggest you try elete - a sports drink concentrate specially created for the purposes of achieving optimum hydration and for preventing cramping which also has the benefit of zero calories. An independent trial has shown that if elete is used with water, 40% less water is used to hydrate the body effectively when compared to drinking water alone.

    Thanks for declaring your interest rather than simply the same post only without it ;-)

    An interesting study ( http://www.eletewater.co.uk/pdf/study-f ... r-full.pdf )

    Given the OP is concerned about bonking, and failing to have the energy to complete his rides, why does he want a zero calorie drink?

    Not that taking an electrolyte drink in addition to calories from gels or otherwise wouldn't be a reasonable approach, but as others have said he is certainly going to want to take some calories.

    Personally I use Hammer's endurolytes for electrolytes - as I see elete also provides - food and sports drinks recipes are available on my site - http://jibbering.com/sports/
    Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/
  • sampras38
    sampras38 Posts: 1,917
    meruz2008 wrote:
    Thanks for all the tips guys. I think the key thing is to save the energy drinks for the longer rides. TBH my biggest issue has been cramps on my way back from longer rides where I have been giving it some welly so some electrolytes have found their way in to the basket as well.

    Will be trying a few different combos over the next few weeks to see what works. I quite like the idea of making my own drink up so will be having a look on myprotein and will have a look for some recipes. If anyone hears a large explosion in the sheffield area then it may be that my experiments have gone to far :shock:

    I use Nuun's occasionally but don't forget that sometimes you cramp just because you've pushed the muscles harder than they are used to, and no magic potion will help that. There are so many different causes of cramp and preventions (lack of electrolytes in just one), but a lot of it is simply that you are pushing too hard. Once you get fitter and the muscles adapt you will find that you cramp less.
  • jibberjim wrote:
    adrian4224 wrote:
    I would strongly suggest you try elete - a sports drink concentrate specially created for the purposes of achieving optimum hydration and for preventing cramping which also has the benefit of zero calories. An independent trial has shown that if elete is used with water, 40% less water is used to hydrate the body effectively when compared to drinking water alone.

    Thanks for declaring your interest rather than simply the same post only without it ;-)

    An interesting study ( http://www.eletewater.co.uk/pdf/study-f ... r-full.pdf )

    Given the OP is concerned about bonking, and failing to have the energy to complete his rides, why does he want a zero calorie drink?

    Not that taking an electrolyte drink in addition to calories from gels or otherwise wouldn't be a reasonable approach, but as others have said he is certainly going to want to take some calories.

    Personally I use Hammer's endurolytes for electrolytes - as I see elete also provides - food and sports drinks recipes are available on my site - http://jibbering.com/sports/

    Hi,

    Thanks for your thoughtful reply and I agree with what you say.

    I took a look at your recipes which look very good and well researched - indeed it would make sense to add elete to some of them. The benefit of elete is that it puts you in control of the ratio of electrolytes to carbs you have. One other benefit that we have found with elete is that it can also improve one's endurance and concentration and so reduce the total amount of carbs you need.

    I have also looked at Hammer's endurolytes and believe that the magnesium and potassium are not in electrolyte form but in chelated form. In order for optimum hydration to take place both the magnesium and potassium should be in a wholly ionic form (as electrolytes) as is the case with elete.

    Also elete is 100% natural which is becoming of greater importance to more and more people as they wish to avoid any synthetically produced ingredients where possible (not suggesting this is the case with Hammer as I do not know - I totally accept that Hammer is a very respectable and well regarded brand).

    Indeed, if the Hammer product works well for you that is great but I would like to suggest you try out elete and see what you think first hand. (I am very happy to have some samples sent to you which I can arrange if you e-mail me your details). I would be most interested in your feedback as well.

    The other great benefit of elete is that it is really excellent for cramping - again a combination of the sodium, potassium and magnesium in electrolyte form plus the other 70 trace and ultra-trace minerals in the product.

    All the best

    Adrian