Energy Drinks

aj_31

What's your thought on zero cal energy drinks. I know a lot of people say they haven't hindered their weight loss but I was wondering what your take was on them.

stroutman81

What's your thought on zero cal energy drinks. I know a lot of people say they haven't hindered their weight loss but I was wondering what your take was on them.

I don't have experience with them, so take it for what it's worth. But how do you think a zero cal concoction would screw with weight loss? At the end of the day, it's still calories that are the overwhelming factor in mass gain or loss.

jacksonpt

Additionally, if they are truly zero cal (which not all of them are), then they have no protein or carbs, which means the only "energy" you're getting is from added vitamins/minerals (usually B, from what I've seen). Depending on what you need the energy for, cals might actually be the better option.

aj_31

Yeah I don't really know how it would make a difference. I was just wondering what you and the others thought. I heard one guy say he drinks 4 a day and hasn't had any weight loss issues. I heard some people say you really don't know whats in them and if they are zero cals so they don't like to use them. I like to have at least 1-2 a wk so I wouldn't think it would make a difference with weight loss but who knows.

stroutman81

I wouldn't screw with an energy drink unless one of the primary ingredients was caffeine.

tameko2

I'm a big fan of 5 hour energy (1 cup of coffee's worth of caffeine + B vitamins, although how they decided what that amount of caffeine is beats me as coffee varies by roast) in general, for when I need energy, because I find its very effective for mental alertness.

I don't find that it does much for me exercise wise, at least not more than a shot of espresso will do. Good in general, when you're tired and can't nap for whatever reason, but pointless as a way to try and push yourself harder. You'll *feel* like you're working hard but your HR won't go up and your lifts will still suck. It will just *feel* super hard.

I have them every so often (probably once every month or two, at most). If you feel like you need them really often, then something else is wrong and you need to address that rather than trying to self medicate with vitamin B and caffeine.

AnvilHead

As Steve said, I don't see how something zero calorie could screw with your weight loss. With that said, I've tried several of the energy drinks and can't stand any of them. I'm not "Sweet Polly Purebread" when it comes to avoiding artificial sweeteners, chemicals in food, etc., but the energy drinks all taste like a bad chemical bath to me - I feel like I'm going to glow in the dark after drinking them. I drink a lot of coffee so I have a pretty strong caffeine tolerance, but some of those energy drinks have left me absolutely jittery and sweating after drinking them. I'm sure that was compounded by the fact that I was borderline hypertensive when I was heavier, too. I'll take a good old cup o' joe (or three!) anyday instead!

jacksonpt

Hopefully this doesn't hijack the thread too much, but what's the difference between a caffeine free energy drink and a caffeine-free pre-workout supp?

Most caffeinated energy drinks make me jittery and tense, which a lot of times is a detriment to my workouts. I've been using no xplode for about 6 months now and am really liking it - both before I lift and during long cardio sessions.

aj_31

As Steve said, I don't see how something zero calorie could screw with your weight loss. With that said, I've tried several of the energy drinks and can't stand any of them. I'm not "Sweet Polly Purebread" when it comes to avoiding artificial sweeteners, chemicals in food, etc., but the energy drinks all taste like a bad chemical bath to me - I feel like I'm going to glow in the dark after drinking them. I drink a lot of coffee so I have a pretty strong caffeine tolerance, but some of those energy drinks have left me absolutely jittery and sweating after drinking them. I'm sure that was compounded by the fact that I was borderline hypertensive when I was heavier, too. I'll take a good old cup o' joe (or three!) anyday instead!

I never liked the taste of them either until I found Monster and NOS but the ones I like from NOS have calories in them so I try not to take them. I also keep 5 hr energry shots on hand. I've alway been a person is is tired more than not. I always just delt with it or went to bed by 9pm - even on weekends. I decided to try the drink and liked it. Now I love how I am away but not jittery from them. I also have caffeine pills. On the bottle it says 1 pill is equal to 1 cup of coffee but I found that I have to cut it in half because it is too strong for me if I take the whole thing at once.

I was told that maybe I need to go to the doc and have all of my hormones tested because I might have an issue with one of them that causes me to be tired as much as I am.

jacksonpt

Something to consider... if you're always tired, maybe there's a reason why? I'd try to figure out why (which maybe you already know) before I started band aiding the issue with energy drinks and the like.

aj_31

Something to consider... if you're always tired, maybe there's a reason why? I'd try to figure out why (which maybe you already know) before I started band aiding the issue with energy drinks and the like.

Yep I think it is time to get it checked out. I always chalked it up to a boring desk job but I think it might be more than that.

tameko2

Something to consider... if you're always tired, maybe there's a reason why? I'd try to figure out why (which maybe you already know) before I started band aiding the issue with energy drinks and the like.

Yep I think it is time to get it checked out. I always chalked it up to a boring desk job but I think it might be more than that.

Do you already take a regular multivitamin? One with iron in it? Plain iron anemia can cause that and its not that uncommon.

aj_31

I have them but I don't take them on a regular basis. I am so bad at that. I will put it on my calendar though and that will remind me to take them. I will try that first. Thanks for the suggestion.

sweetheart03622

I have them but I don't take them on a regular basis. I am so bad at that. I will put it on my calendar though and that will remind me to take them. I will try that first. Thanks for the suggestion.

I struggled with it too... then I started keeping them at work. With a bottle sitting on the desk that I'm at for 40 hours/week it's much harder to forget. I've gotten a few others in the office doing it as well. Super simple way to help make sure it happens!

tameko2

I have them but I don't take them on a regular basis. I am so bad at that. I will put it on my calendar though and that will remind me to take them. I will try that first. Thanks for the suggestion.

I struggled with it too... then I started keeping them at work. With a bottle sitting on the desk that I'm at for 40 hours/week it's much harder to forget. I've gotten a few others in the office doing it as well. Super simple way to help make sure it happens!

I run so low that even missing a day or two in the week really impacts me. (which reminds me, I've been forgetting too).

I used to keep them next to my home PC, because I used to ALWAYS sit down there after dinner, but lately I've been doing other stuff and that kind of messed me up. But just think - you ALWAYS eat dinner right? or breakfast? So just think of your multi as part of that meal - you always eat food, and take a multi.

aj_31

I have them but I don't take them on a regular basis. I am so bad at that. I will put it on my calendar though and that will remind me to take them. I will try that first. Thanks for the suggestion.

I struggled with it too... then I started keeping them at work. With a bottle sitting on the desk that I'm at for 40 hours/week it's much harder to forget. I've gotten a few others in the office doing it as well. Super simple way to help make sure it happens!

I run so low that even missing a day or two in the week really impacts me. (which reminds me, I've been forgetting too).

I used to keep them next to my home PC, because I used to ALWAYS sit down there after dinner, but lately I've been doing other stuff and that kind of messed me up. But just think - you ALWAYS eat dinner right? or breakfast? So just think of your multi as part of that meal - you always eat food, and take a multi.

Good point! Taking one now. I have them at home and at work so there is really no reason I shouldn't take them.