GQ Fitness: What to Drink After a Workout
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Water is nature's perfect hydrator, but it can be so... watery. And yet whether you're gearing up for ercise or recovering from it, the sugar, carbonation, and chemicals packed into sports drinks can minimize the healthful benefits of the actual workout. So what should you drink? Does Gatorade actually do something for you that water can't? Are supposedly "natural" sports drinks like coconut water good for anything at all? And do you, as a normal human being, ever have a reason to ingest Muscle Milk? The answer to all of these questions is that it depends on what kind of ercise you're doing.
Hardcore workouts: long runs, cycling, all-day pickup basketball
Classic sports drinks like Gatorade are a good choice if you're doing some real sweating for extended periods of time. The high sugar and salt content provide energy, and replenish the sodium you lose through perspiration. But if you're not losing significant amounts of glycogen and sweating enough that you can taste the salt, you might be consuming calories you don't really need.
Light workouts: golf, softball, yoga
Yeah, coconut water can taste like liquefied mucus, but if you're not hitting the Zumba class hard enough that your shirt is drenched, it might be a perfect option. You'll get the potassium you need to prevent any cramps, plus nutrients and antioxidants without the sugar and sodium overload—not to mention a feeling that, for once, you're putting something halfway natural in your body.
Weightlifting
The most ubiquitous of pre-mid protein drinks, Muscle Milk is an easy way to get some protein in your life—something you absolutely need if you're lifting weights and looking to build or maintain muscle. A bottle has a solid 25 grams of protein (about as much as your body can process at one time) and only 3 grams of sugar, which means you won't immediately erase all your hard work. If you're the kind of guy doing two-a-day Schwarzenegger lifting sessions, it might be more budget-friendly to buy a tub of protein powder you can mix yourself, but if you're on the go after the gym, this is a quick and easy way to make sure your muscles have what they need.