Sports Drinks May Be Derailing Your Weight Loss or Fitness Plan

So you finally bought that gym or fitness club membership and you're on your way to the gym to work out. The fitness plan you have developed with a fitness trainer is going to be your ticket back to a healthy, thinner you. That's great, good job. Just make sure you don't mess up your plans by drinking a sports beverage that's sweetened with sugar or corn syrup. Fact is, most folks think that because these sports drinks are associated with professional athletes, then they must be good for you right? Well, let's take a closer look at sugar sweetened sports drinks and weight loss.

Healthy Eating Habits Include Dumping that Sugary Sports Drink

Sports drinks are defined as carbonated or non-carbonated beverages that contain added caloric sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup or sugar and are marketed as being synonymous with athletic activity or sports. The Michael & Susan Dell center for Healthy Living located at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, Texas have issued a warning about these so-called healthy sports drinks. Assistant professor of behavioral sciences and principal investigator at the UT Health School of Public Health, Dr. Nalini Ranjit states, "Children and parents associate these drinks with a healthy lifestyle despite their increased amount of sugar and lack of nutritional value." These sugar-sweetened sports drinks are not good for folks trying to maintain or lose weight.

Sugary Sports Drinks Inconsistent with a Healthy Lifestyle

Over the years, these sugar-sweetened sports drinks have been heavily marketed to consumers as being consistent with a healthy, active lifestyle. In the mind of the consumer, the perception of these sports drinks is offered as a healthy alternative to sodas of other beverages sweetened with sugar. The fact is, most of these sports drinks don't have much nutritional value at all and are loaded with empty, sugary calories.

Sports Drinks May Threaten Weight Loss, Health

Even people at a healthy weight level who consume a lot of these sports drinks may potentially gain weight, and indeed, may be derailing any attempts at weight loss. To give you an idea of just what sugar can do, drinking just one single can of soda each day could add more than 10 pounds in extra weight in just 12 months. Simply put, sports drinks will not normally help if you're trying to lose weight. These drinks should be used by those folks who are engaging in extreme exercise, like professional sports. Water is still the best fluid to replenish fluids lost through exertion or exercise.

Health officials recommend that folks take a close look at what they are consuming and what effect that is having on overall health and weight loss. So, take a second look at just what that sugary sports drink is doing to your body. You probably paid a lot for that gym or fitness club membership. I bet you're also working pretty hard at your exercise or fitness program, especially if you hired a personal trainer. Don't make it any harder on yourself by adding empty, sugary calories from a sports drink. Unless you're engaging in some sort of superman triathlon, take water to the workout instead and you'll be better for it.

Sources:

To Drink a Sports Drink (or Not)

Sport Drinks Hinder Weight Loss

Sports Drinks and Exercise