Sports drinks and gels are marketed as products used by the worlds best sports stars. Seeing this level of athlete using these products is inspirational and the use of these products generally filters down to the weekend gym go-er or recreational athlete for that reason.
But are these products actually helping or hindering our goals?
Well it turns out that context is always key!
If your goal is weight loss….
Commonly people work out to lose weight or to alter their physique in some way or another. Let’s look at a case study. I recently had a conversation with a guy who was enjoying a weekly cycling challenge with the aim of losing weight. He was cycling roughly 20k as a weekend activity and was pretty consistent at doing this weekly.
After a certain time period, he said he was “hitting the wall” and wanted to know how he could keep going for longer without this feeling kicking in.
He wanted to know if he needed to take a gel or sports drink at this point to allow himself to keep going?
This raises an interesting issue - what exactly are you trying to get out of your training, in this case, cycling?
If the goal is solely weight loss, why are you worried about performance?
The concept of hitting the wall in endurance is defined as the sudden onset of fatigue and loss of energy which is caused by the depletion of glycogen stores. Once this happens the body is forced to utilise fat stores for energy.
So if you are training for weight loss, we should be celebrating this feeling of hitting the wall, not looking to override it with the use of gels or sports drinks. By using a gel or sports drink you refuel the body’s glycogen stores, meaning the body does not need to burn fat for fuel. So whilst aiding your performance, you aren’t really meeting your training goals. Many of us see elite athletes using these gels and sports drink products and assume that they must be doing some good so should work for all recreational/weekend warrior athletes as well, when that simply is not the case.
However, if your goal is performance....
Elite athletes we see running marathons and performing endurance events on tv have one goal in mind - performance. They want to win that particular race and need to use any legal means to maximise their chances at that goal.
Once they feel that onset of fatigue, it makes sense for them to use a glycogen rich gel or sports drink to replenish their glycogen stores and keep them working optimally and efficiently for as long as possible.
Using something like PHIZZ - the Rehydration + Vitamins and Minerals in an effervescent tablet for water can improve energy, hydration & health during workouts.
Around 60% of your body & 75% of your brain are made up of water. Your body loses 2-3 litres of water during an average day, which must be replaced to maintain normal function. Even mild dehydration (1-2%) can have significant effects on the body. These include headaches, dizziness, irritability & both physical & mental fatigue. Dehydration is not just a summer problem!
Plane cabins, sport, alcohol, or office environments can cause dehydration & leave you feeling run down. so PHIZZ is a good solution as it helps more water get where it’s needed, and quickly.
PHIZZ contains the right balance of sodium & glucose in a hypotonic solution, so you can get the most out of your water. PHIZZ is packed with vitamins & minerals to help unlock your body’s energy, reduce tiredness & fatigue, support mental performance, combat muscle fatigue, recharge your electrolytes & maintain a healthy immune system.
An Informed Sports tested product, PHIZZ supplies sports teams around the world in Premier League Football, Premiership Rugby, County & International Cricket, so you know its a great choice for your active lifestyle.
So think carefully before you carry a sports drink with you to your next training session. You have a great little suggestion from us with the PHIZZ Rehydration + Vitamins and Minerals tablets for water - so use this when you most need it.
