Rev It Up Baby - Bring On The Power Drinks |
Ok, so we’ve all seen the ad for those slick power drinks and energy bars.
You see the healthy and toned bodies promoting the drinks and the bars like they are the answer to everything you need to get the body you want. So the question is power drinks and energy bars the answer? Well, it depends on who you are and what you need. 
Are you the average Joe?
You want to eat healthy so you feel great and look great. You don't work out too often or maybe not even at all. You occasionally take a walk around the block and then call it exercise and call it good lumbering back to the couch.
If that’s the case, do you need power drinks and energy bars for your health?
Often times the folks that buy these items don’t realize that they are not designed for the inactive and they are not designed to be a snack in between full meals. But we buy into the marketing hype, seeing the sports stars guzzling the power drinks and munching on the energy bars. Well, guess what, these guys are burning a ton of calories a day through extensive exercise and to keep the pace they have to replace the calories. These are not couch potatoes or even people that are exercising just a little.
Do you need power drinks and energy bars?
Here’s the catch, if you are going to drink power drinks or eat energy bars then you should be doing it so that you have more “power” and more “energy” to work out harder and longer. That’s really the plan…otherwise it is a total waste. If you’re not going to use them for the purpose of working out harder and longer then frankly it is a waste of money and you should just keep your cash in your pocket.
So why do people who don’t work out spend the money on these products? Good question and there is one good answer and that is the power of superb marketing! We respond to marketing that shows the strong and beautiful bodies and the super star athletes eating and drinking this stuff and think, “Well if I do the same then clearly I will look like that too”. Fat chance! But if you use these products to increase your workouts then perhaps they are not all that bad.
Are you aware that you shouldn’t eat up to two hours before you work out and make sure that you give yourself at least 30 to 60 minutes to allow that snack to digest? Now this is where the energy bars come in handy. If eat a power bar one an hour before you go into the gym then you won’t get hungry while you are working out.
There’s a good general rule of thumb that says to drink about 16 oz of sports drink for every half hour that you plan to work out.
It takes about 40 minutes for your body to absorb the sports drinks, so drink it before you work out. But if you don’t really push yourself and really workout then again these things are a total waste of money not to mention the extra calories that you will be packing on. You absolutely do not need power drinks and energy bars if you aren’t doing anything that causes your body to burn up the extra calories and other goodies they provide.
Don’t get swept away in all the hype. These marketing gurus are slick. Be honest with yourself, and then decide if you really need these energy boosting products.
Regardless of what you decide, don’t short change your overall diet. You have to make sure that you are focusing on an overall healthy life style approach. A diet that includes fresh fruit and vegetables and lean meats is a smart choice. And guess what, these things are a whole lot cheaper than all the energy bars and the power drinks. Be smart with your money and do not fall for the marketing hype. Power drinks and energy bars are not for everyone.
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