Is it in you? We have all seen the commercials advertising electrolyte drinks showing athletes being able to work harder and longer. They’re jumping over 10 feet of blocks, biking Everest and throwing footballs halfway around the world. However, most of us are not training to win gold medals or championship rings. Yet, it would be nice to enjoy the same recovering advantages as a pro athlete. Therefore, let’s dive into the world of electrolyte drinks and see if as well as when us girls should be drinking them.
Electrolyte Drinks – When Should I Consume Them During My Workout
When you are trying to get into shape, which is why we are sure you are reading this, it is important to eliminate any unnecessary calories. Easy ones to spot would be unhealthy snacks and soda. Empty and unnecessary calories get you absolutely no where near your fitness goals and can even derail you.
Gatorade and Powerade-esqe drinks can be tempting for a number of reasons. Maybe you are not so fond of drinking water in its pure form and appreciate a little extra flavoring in order to get your chug on. Or perhaps maybe you really do like the idea of having additional electrolytes aiding you in your workout.
Electrolytes are a chemical substance found within your body. They have several vital functions that enable your cells and body in general to function properly. These include helping your muscles to contract so there’s movement as well as regulating your heart beat. Some examples of electrolytes or nutrients in your body would be: potassium, calcium, sodium, chloride, magnesium and phosphate.
Moreover, as their name highlights, electrolytes have an electric charge. As they dissolve in your body fluid they take on either a negative or positive charge. The big problem arises once you start working up a sweat. These minerals leave the body as you perspire. Basically, this means when water goes out of your body so does electrolytes. This is why it is important to replace any lost electrolytes so that you keep a nice balance.
Electrolyte Drinks and Your Workout
So all of this begs the question, “Do I really need to consume electrolyte drinks after exercising? It has been shown that dizziness, muscle fatigue as well as nausea can occur when electrolytes have not been introduced back into the body.
However, there are a few factors to keep in mind. It largely depends on how much you sweat, intensity of exercises or what was weather while you were moving about outside. As a result, not everyone will need to gulp down a Gatorade after expending some energy.
Actually, reaching for such a drink may just be empty calories you don’t need. Of course, it is important to stay hydrated during any workout session. Nevertheless, drinking water is usually fine and will do the trick.
Hold up though, there is an exception. If you plan to workout for more than an hour then feel free to reach for electrolyte drinks to replenish any lost lytes. The beauty of it all is now there are lower calorie sports available now so that can replace without the waste… of calories.
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