The number one response when someone asks what should I eat/drink is, "It depends". Everyone's body works differently. Each person needs to find exactly what works for them. This can be fun because you can use trial and error. You may try out all the different products that are out there until you have that AH-HA! moment when you've found the one that you love and works for you!
The same mantra is true for what you are using to drink. It is important to fuel up for your runs and hydrate before you head out there. This is a suggested approach from Runner's World:
Running Time: Up to 60 minutes
Drink: Electrolyte tablets
These nearly zero-calorie tablets, such as Nuun, CamelBak Elixir, and Zym Endurance, dissolve in water and provide electrolytes and flavor with few carbs. Use them if you have electrolyte-rich sweat (you do if you often have white flakes on your face postrun), if you're in sauna-like heat, or if you prefer to get carbs from other sources. Be careful if you take the tablets with energy gels that also contain electrolytes; the extra salt may upset your stomach.
Running Time: Up to 60 minutes
Drink: Low-calorie sports drink
Lisa Dorfman, a triathlete and sports nutritionist at the University of Miami, drinks low- or zero-calorie options, such as G2, PowerAde Zero, Motor Tabs, Nuun U, Crystal Light Hydration, and Luna Sport Electrolyte Splash, for workouts that aren't too long or too hard. They allow her to drink a lot of fluid without tons of calories. When it comes to longer or more intense runs, these drinks don't provide enough carbs to fuel your muscles.
Running Time: One to two hours
Drink: Sports drinks
Your body starts to significantly deplete stored sugars after 60 to 90 minutes of running. Reach for a drink that has about 60 grams of carbs (or about 120 to 240 calories) and about 300 to 1,000 milligrams of sodium per 32 ounces, such as Gatorade, PowerAde, Gleukos, Cytomax, and GU2O Sports Drink. Different brands use different forms of sugar, and some runners find their stomachs can handle one type better than another.
Running Time: Two hours or more
Drink: Endurance sports drinks
Drinks such as Gatorade Endurance Formula and PowerBar Endurance contain extra electrolytes to help offset large sweat losses and may help prevent cramps. "The longer you sweat, the more electrolytes you lose," says Michael F. Bergeron, Ph.D., who studies how exercise in the heat affects fluid and mineral balance. Researchers have found that the more salty drinks athletes consume, the less urine they produce and the fewer electrolytes they lose.
Running Time: Postrun
Drink: Recovery drinks, protein shakes, chocolate milk, smoothies
"Combining proteins with carbs increases glycogen stores in muscles and reduces the amount of muscle damage from exercise," says John Ivy, Ph.D., a professor of kinesiology at the University of Texas at Austin. Choose drinks or shakes, such as Myoplex Original, PowerBar Recovery, or Luna Sport Recovery Smoothie, that contain about a half gram of carbs and about .2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.
Running Time: Race day
Drink: Sports drinks with caffeine
Caffeine-enhanced sports drinks can be perfect for races or workouts when you're feeling a bit sluggish. "They are useful," says Kirk Cureton, Ph.D., a lead author in two recent studies involving cyclists and caffeine. In a 2007 study, cyclists had lower rates of perceived exertion during two-hour cycling sessions and were able to push harder at the end. Try Crisp Apple Clif Shot Electrolyte Replacement Drink, Accelerade with Caffeine, or Zym Catapult--just be sure to train with these drinks before your big day.
As said before, make sure to test different options. For some people certain things upset their stomach or create a discomfort. One should always make sure they are totally comfortable with the things they are putting in and out of their body.
Happy Running!
