Energy Drinks and Bars
What do you do if you have to exercise to lose weight, or maintain your weight, but you have no energy? Lots of people turn to energy drinks and bars. But how healthy and beneficial is this really?
While the claims made by advertisers can be convincing it is important for you to understand the differences between products and how that affects your health.
Commercial for energy drinks are very tempting. Can Redbull really give you wings? Might this be the thing that can give you the energy you need to accomplish all your goal, including your weight loss goal? Energy drinks have become a three billion dollar business in the US. However, the popularity of these drinks does not mean that they are all created equal or even good for you.
Sports drinks, like Gatorade, are created for athletes to replenish carbohydrates and electrolytes. Water alone cannot provide these nutrients to hard working bodies. These additions, along with flavor enhancement which encourages more drinking, can help with re-hydration which will increase energy if lack of hydration is the cause of fatigue. However, there is no substitute for hard work and don’t get fooled into thinking that an energy bar or drink will make you a better athlete.
Energy drinks that are advertising a herbal energizer are not always using enough of the herb to create any noticeable effect. On the contrary, if too much of the potent herb is present it could even cause adverse reactions with other medications.
Many of the marketed energy drinks rely on caffeine as a stimulant. They are also very high in sugar. While this may give you an initial boost it will also lead to sharp drops in sugar levels which will create a cycle of dependency. The caffeine can also lead to addiction – a special danger to children who may regularly choose energy drinks without understanding the health risks of caffeine.
Meal replacement drinks can also improve energy in that they provide optimum nutrients which may otherwise be lacking in the diet and causing fatigue. Did you know that some energy bars and drinks contain hundreds of calories? That may be OK for athletes who burn lots of calories in high-intensity activities, but not for a regular person.
Energy bars seem like a smart choice when a hungry guy or girl just doesn’t have time for a meal. However, choosing wisely will prevent you from making unhealthy selections or adding unwanted calories to your diet.
Energy bars have the same precautions as energy drinks. While some may provide you with a quick lift they may also be high in things which are not very good for you – like sugar and hydrogenated oils.
Soft textured bars are more likely to have high levels of hydrogenated oils. Choosing a bar with whole grains and fruits that is harder in texture is more likely to give you the proper source of energy producing carbs that you want without the less desirable additions.
Again, meal replacement bars are just that – designed as a full meal replacement for weight loss or calorie restriction. The down side to this: It doesn’t fill you up like a meal, and most people tend to keep eating even if they had an energy bar, so it’s not really a good meal replacement, even if it’s advertised as such. It can actual in the long run cause you to gain weight because you don’t feel satisfied.
There’s probably nothing wrong with the occasional energy bar or drink, but if you are doing it on a daily basis you might want to reconsider. It can increase you calories, decrease you health (lack of nutrients) and give you a sugar and caffeine addiction which in turn can leave you sleep deprived and irritable. So don’t believe everything the media tells you about these products. They are not a tool to help you in your struggle with food.
So what do you do with the energy problem. In my course mentioned below I talk specifically about things you can do to have more energy. People who eat well, eat the right things, exercise, get enough sleep, keep their stress levels down and take good care of their bodies have lots of natural energy!
Please Note: I tried to give an unbiased review of the above mentioned diets.
However, I do not endorse diets that promises “quick fixes” or diets that restrict certain food.
In fact, according to research and my own experience these diets are extremely dangerous for a person with food addiction and can even push you further into eating disorders.
I compiled an online Christian eating disorder program for women struggling with food. In one of the weeks we deal specifically with food and all the different diets out there. I give you my own experience with different diets, as well as those of the ladies I’ve encountered in support groups. Hearing personal stories and testimonies will give you a better idea of the pros and cons of some of the above reviewed diets.
Come find out how to make an educated decision and lose weight safe and permanently. Weight gain is only one of the components that needs to be addressed to permanently leave food addiction behind. In this program of 12 Weeks we deal with all the other causes of eating disorders and areas of your life that may have been affected by your eating disorder.
I offer the first Week of this program free so that you can get an idea of what to expect.
You can get help for yourself or a loved one through my 12 Week Online Study Course. I’ve compiled this course from my own experience with food struggles, insight and understanding I’ve gained through counseling ladies in my support groups, Biblical principals, as well as material I’ve gathered by well-known Christian authors, counselors, and doctors. This study is jam-packed with information, practical guide lines and honest testimonies.
Click on the image below to learn more about the 12 Week Online Program
Read my story. Click on the image below to download my ebook for free
