Energy Drinks and Bars
What do you do if you have to exercise to loose 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 rehydration which will increase energy if lack of hydration is the cause of
fatigue. However, there is no subsitute 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 ocasional 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 caffiene addicition 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 loose 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. Click here to find
out more about this 12 Week Online Program
Sonoma Diet - Biggest Loser - Jenny Craig vs Nutrisystem - Slim fast
Special K diets - Atkins diet -
South Beach diet - Six Week Body
Makeover Weight Watchers - Energy drinks
First Place
Eating Disoder Videos
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