I am a huge fan of energy drinks. I know they are "not healthy" to drink all the time (some say not healthy to drink at all), but when I drink one, I feel awake, alert and ready to go.
I do not feel the same, however, when I immediately workout after drinking one. Then I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack.
Energy drinks' magic ingredient is caffeine, and they typically are loaded with much more caffeine than your regular coffee, and typically tons of sugar also, unless you get the sugar free ones (my favorite is sugar free Rockstar).
But as energy drinks contain the same ingredients as diet pills and other weight loss supplements, it is only fair to ask if energy drinks can actually help you lose weight.
Well according to this article in Best Syndication News, a study found that they do not necessarily aid in weight loss. Researchers found that the caffeine in energy drinks does have a motivating factor and boosts metabolism. However, all of the other ingredients do little to nothing to help the person drinking the drink lose weight.
One interesting thing the researchers found was that if a person drinks an energy drink immediately before working out, they do tend to lose more body fat than those who workout without drinking an energy drink. As I said before, this does not work for me because my heart goes on overdrive. As with any exercise, you should be careful and stop if you ever do not feel good.
What do YOU think? Do energy drinks increase your chances of weight loss, especially when drank before a workout?
Check out the article here: http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=20100818_do_energy_drinks_help_in_weight_loss_and_boost_athletic_performance.htm
As sad as it is, Summer is almost over and it soon will be time for "back to school" and leaves falling off the trees once again. But hey-let's not jump the gun...there are still a few more weeks of summer. Which means there will still be summer temptations to lead us away from our weight loss goals.
The Huffington Post posted this article with a few tips to help you stick to your goals while enjoying your summer. These tips are mostly for spending time on the beach, or traveling during a summer vacation. In both scenarios, people typically pack junk food for the day and eating healthy might seem hard-unless you are prepared.
Valerie Orsoni, the writer of the article, recommends bringing less of your own food to the beach to stop you from eating a lot while you're there. If you really want to pack a picnic, she recommends packing very simple foods, like fresh fruits and veggies, or low-fat cheeses.
The same rule about packing less should apply to traveling, by car or by plane. If you really must pack something to eat (which is, by the way, healthier than stopping to buy junk food on the way-and cheaper as well), pack small portions of simple foods so that you are not tempted to eat a lot of unhealthy things.
Orsoni has a few more tips for barbeques and cookouts, dining out and summer drinking. Check out the article link below to see what she has to say.
What do YOU think? Do you have any end of summer tips?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/valerie-orsoni/how-to-handle-summer-weig_b_681963.html