# 50% Gatorade / 50% Water combo



## Tony777 (Jul 19, 2010)

.....makes a nice water bottle concoction. 100% water tastes nasty after it gets all warm; I can't fit ice cubes or freeze the water in my aluminum bottle. Someone had suggested this in another thread. :thumbsup:


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## Furball the Mystery Cat (May 18, 2007)

Me too.

I sometimes get heartburn with 100% Gatorade, so I have to dilute it some.


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## o0obruceleeo0o (Jul 19, 2010)

Agreed. Its nice too cause when my ice cubes melt they taste gross. So the watered down gatorade remedies that, without being super sugary.


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## ^warning^ (May 14, 2008)

I don't know about you guys but gatorade makes me thirsty, even half a gatorade. I drink full water.


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## YuoGotOwn3d (Jul 23, 2010)

i usually carry a lot of water and then a small bottle of Gatorade that I sip on at times.


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## tihsepa (May 15, 2009)

GU brew is wayyyyyyy better than gatoraid. One brew to one water.


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## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

Normal Gatorade contains too much sugar , the G2 version is supposed to be better as well as products like Heed , Exceed etc .


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## Carraig042 (Nov 12, 2009)

You could do one even better and buy the Gatoraid mix and mix it to you likings. Good prices on that stuff at places like Sams Club.

-Brett


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## Kona_CT (Apr 25, 2010)

If straight water is too "watery" (for lack of a better description!) try adding a tiny bit of lemon juice to the water. I don't mind water when I'm riding, but when I hike I like to add a little bit of lemon juice to it. It "cuts" the water just enough.


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## Chase1996 (Jun 30, 2010)

Heed Ftw


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## BigSharks (Oct 4, 2009)

^warning^ said:


> I don't know about you guys but gatorade makes me thirsty, even half a gatorade. I drink full water.


I think it actually has quite a bit of sodium in it, which they advertise as necessary to replace what you lose through sweat. I think its all marketing hype, it certainly isn't healthier than water, it just tastes better.


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## wookalar (Jan 30, 2004)

Carraig042 said:


> You could do one even better and buy the Gatoraid mix and mix it to you likings. Good prices on that stuff at places like Sams Club.
> 
> -Brett


I read somewhere that the mix actually has less (or a different kind of) sugar in it. I use the mix because the stuff you buy in the store is too sweet for me.


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## matthewalan8 (Jun 25, 2010)

If you're worried about water tasting nasty when it warms up, get yourself a camelpak type item and fill it 1/4 or 1/2 with water and put it in the freezer the night before. Before your ride, fill it to the top with fresh water. You will have ice-cold water for hours. :thumbsup:


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## Carraig042 (Nov 12, 2009)

BigSharks said:


> I think it actually has quite a bit of sodium in it, which they advertise as necessary to replace what you lose through sweat. I think its all marketing hype, it certainly isn't healthier than water, it just tastes better.


Whoa now. Lets make educated statements here. The sodium and electrolytes are great to have in a sports drink. During exercise, it is best to have these replenished by drinks like this. Now, if you are not exercising, then products like Gatoraid are not the best for people who do not have regular physical activity.

-Brett


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## breakingbryan (May 29, 2008)

Carraig042 said:


> Whoa now. Lets make educated statements here. The sodium and electrolytes are great to have in a sports drink. During exercise, it is best to have these replenished by drinks like this. Now, if you are not exercising, then products like Gatoraid are not the best for people who do not have regular physical activity.
> 
> -Brett


Exactly. There is no doubt that it is beneficial to replace the electrolytes lost in sweat. It has also been suggested that the mix in sports drinks like gatorade doesn't contain sufficient amounts of sodium or potassium to replace what is actually lost during exercise, at least for long, high intensity exercises especially in the heat. Hydration is a very controversial issue amongst physiologists, especially the quantity and timing of the hydration during activity. If you're really interested in it, there's some good reading/journal articles out there.

As far as your individual concoctions, the way I kind of feel about it is at least you are drinking. It may not be ideal, but if it's between not drinking at all, or drinking something that's less than ideal then, well, go for it (note that this statement does NOT apply to drinking beer while riding). Either way though, if you begin in a properly hydrated state, dehydration does not normally have a negative effect on performance unless the event lasts longer than a couple hours.


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## BigSharks (Oct 4, 2009)

To the two posters above:

Brawndo- it's got what plants crave.

Whether I'm deemed educated or not, sports drinks are not healthier than water.


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## Carraig042 (Nov 12, 2009)

Actually, if you want to be technical. Water has no nutritional value, Yes, it is essential to life, but during exercise it is healthy to replace what you lose, much like when people get a craving. A craving can be a call from the body that it needs a nutrient. The sugar is fine as well, as it provides quick energy that the body can metabolize and use quickly.

But as said before, water is much better than nothing at all, and much better than soft drinks.

-Brett


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## breakingbryan (May 29, 2008)

It obviously depends on what you consider "healthy". I consider healthy in this case to be something that would help you perform better, for longer, as well as help your body recover from your chosen activity. A drink with an electrolyte, and in some cases, protein mixture is better at doing the above than water is. 

You are correct in regards to sports drinks not being great to consume when not related to exercise, as they pretty much just add on salt and simple sugars to the poor diets that most people have.


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## BeakJones (Oct 29, 2008)

BigSharks said:


> To the two posters above:
> 
> Brawndo- it's got what plants crave.
> 
> Whether I'm deemed educated or not, sports drinks are not healthier than water.


You obviously didn't comprehend the movie too well. You ever taste your sweat? Pretty salty, right? Maybe the salts in sports drinks replace that kind of stuff? Nawwwww, surely it's just a scam and you and your tinfoil brothers can discuss it at the next meeting.


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## Lawson Raider (Jul 24, 2006)

You need water and electrolytes since both are lost during perspiration. For short rides, you only need to worry about water as your diet will make up whatever sodium and other electrolytical items that you lose.

For long, all day rides you need to intake electroylets in addition to water to maintain a proper chemical balance because if all you drink is water and you lose electrolytes, you can get yourself into trouble. Just like drinking several gallons of water at one time can be detrimental to your health, so can losing alot of electrolytes without replenishing them even if you drink normal amounts of water.

You can go the other way by intaking too much electrolytes versus water.

http://www.nephrologychannel.com/electrolytes/index.shtml


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## BigSharks (Oct 4, 2009)

BeakJones said:


> You obviously didn't comprehend the movie too well. You ever taste your sweat? Pretty salty, right? Maybe the salts in sports drinks replace that kind of stuff? Nawwwww, surely it's just a scam and you and your tinfoil brothers can discuss it at the next meeting.


I understood the movie perfectly. Sports drinks are superior to water (which is how they are marketed in the real world). I appreciated the irony that the population couldn't get over the fact that the drink was causing a problem, especially since "it has electrolytes".

Maybe the sodium in sports drinks is ostensibly to replace what is lost during perspiration, but is also a flavoring agent. Maybe Gatorade hydrates better because it tastes good, thus you drink more of it. Maybe the truth is somewhere in the middle.

Hey, I like the taste of Gatorade as much as the next guy, but I don't care for the marketing angle (that it is vastly superior to water)and will drink good old tap water (I believe a penny or two's worth will fill up my Camelbak) when given the choice every time.

I do know that my sweat doesn't taste like high fructose corn syrup, and if you want to argue that particular ingredient is the best way to replace/fortify sugar levels in the body, you're being disingenuous.


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

if you're not riding hard for 3+ hours, or in intense heat, the whole electrolyte argument doesnt matter all that much. if you really care about that stuff anyway, pop an electrolyte tablet and you're good to go.


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## flashme18 (Jul 13, 2010)

gatorade is about as healthy as a can of coke. the sugar gives you immediate simple carbs which is a good start. a few sips of reg. gatorade after a short ride is good and a protein shake. for a long ride put some salt in whatever u r drinking and def. tak something nutritious be it a solid or liquid. follow that with a protien shake that has carbs in it or protein bar which tend to have some fat and sugar. just make sure u get some calories in u after burning a lot!


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## Biohazard74 (Jul 16, 2009)

I used to drink the gatorade water mix. But now I just take some water in my bladder and a small bottle of gatorade that I drink halfway through my rides only if I feel I need it. If I'm gonna be riding for over 3 or 4 hrs then I drink half a small bottle before I ride and take a whole one with me. After the 3 hr mark after just drinking water on my ride I noticed that my body starts to crave a bit of gatorade. And to those that think its unhealthy I'm sure that's the reason gatorade and powerade are used by the major athletes during games or during halftimes etc. I think it can be unhealthy if you are laying on your ass all day and load up on the stuff then yes I agree. But as a sports drink I know for a fact it is beneficial.


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## bing! (Jul 8, 2010)

I take sports drinks only on really long rides or in competition. On 4 hour rides, I think it is a benefit that I can flush tthe salt and electrolytes out. There is more than enough in there from eating Cheetos


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## FatNoob (Aug 3, 2010)

From my limited understanding it is a frequency thing.

The average Joe that works 8 hours a day and exercises only a couple of hours daily (or less) then we get enough (if not too much) sodium and electrolytes through our normal diet but we do not get enough water (typically). And therefore would benefit more from water than any sports drink (as long as we drink that water).

For the pro or elite athlete working out 4-6 hours (almost daily) and usually on a 'controlled' diet. They are already Hyper-hydrating when not on the bike and eating less sodium in their normal diet. So they need those electrolytes mixed in during their ride.

Again most likely you don't... But if it helps you drink more during the ride (due to taste) then you will benefit from it.


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## zaneluke (Jun 8, 2010)

BigSharks said:


> I understood the movie perfectly. Sports drinks are superior to water (which is how they are marketed in the real world). I appreciated the irony that the population couldn't get over the fact that the drink was causing a problem, especially since "it has electrolytes".
> 
> Maybe the sodium in sports drinks is ostensibly to replace what is lost during perspiration, but is also a flavoring agent. Maybe Gatorade hydrates better because it tastes good, thus you drink more of it. Maybe the truth is somewhere in the middle.
> 
> ...


Depends on the level of exertion. On a standard ride where you only sweat out a couple pounds water will suffice. When I run 8 plus miles in the summer humidity i drop about 8 pounds of water weight. I need a sports drink to replenish the sodium and pottasium. I just bought a mix yourself sports drink powder. The difference in electrilytes during a long run was noticable.


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## Ken in KC (Jan 12, 2004)

*Ummm... No.....*



zaneluke said:


> Depends on the level of exertion. On a standard ride where you only sweat out a couple pounds water will suffice. When I run 8 plus miles in the summer humidity i drop about 8 pounds of water weight. I need a sports drink to replenish the sodium and pottasium. I just bought a mix yourself sports drink powder. The difference in electrilytes during a long run was noticable.


When anyone runs or rides for an extended period of time, a "sports drink" will cause you to bonk, not replenish. They're full of crap that's bad for you.

Endurance athletes don't typically use "sports drinks". They use some sort of specific nutrition system. Most of those systems have a drink component to them but it's not Gatorade or Poweraide. It's a drink that doesn't typically contain simple sugars or carbs.

Hell, even weekend riding hacks who've ridden 24-hour races will tell you that "sports drinks" make you nauseous over the course of a race. Why? Because your body is trying to expel it.


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## BigSharks (Oct 4, 2009)

Hey BeakJones-
I'm going to need more tinfoil for all the hats I have to fold.

Better down some G2- I'll need the extra electrolytes to make it up to the store.


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## BeakJones (Oct 29, 2008)

BigSharks said:


> Hey BeakJones-
> I'm going to need more tinfoil for all the hats I have to fold.
> 
> Better down some G2- I'll need the extra electrolytes to make it up to the store.


Have I even said anything else to you? DIdn't think so. All I was trying to say is that salts need replenishment, preferably after a long exertion but not while still exerting. I can't be too mad because your avatar is Bald Bull and that's badass, dudes effin impossible the second fight...


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## Lawson Raider (Jul 24, 2006)

I am actually researching this myself. This is an interesting topic because I thought gatorade was a good way to replenish electrolytes and such. Here are a few articles I googled on the subject:

http://michiganstatenews.wordpress.com/2009/01/30/pros-and-cons-of-sports-drinks-water-may-be-just-as-beneficial-when-sweating/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/75345-pros-cons-gatorade/

Back in May, I rode Fruita for two complete days and drank nothing but plain ice water in my 2 liter camelback. I also packed some cliff bars along and I think ate one during the day and had no issues with bonking or feeling bad. In fact, by the time we left, I felt like I could ride more.

This is just my experience and I am sure others may vary. I know I am probably one of those who get more than enough sodium and such from what I eat.


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## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

I take both water and Gatorade but don't mix them.

On a slightly different note, my son is Type 1 diabetic and it turns out (after a couple of years of experimenting) that Gatorade is just right to keep his glucose level good during strenuous riding. After the ride, all bets are off but during the ride, if he drinks a normal amount to keep from being thirsty we don't have to worry about his levels until the ride is over. It doesn't matter how long the ride is.


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## spsoon (Jul 28, 2008)

It depends very much on your intensity. You don't burn a lot of carbs at low intensity, so you are not likely to bonk unless you're going pretty hard.


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## DavidR1 (Jul 7, 2008)

Everyones body is different. After experimenting over the past year or two, I know that I need some sort of electrolyte replacement for rides over 2 hours. For rides over 3 hours, I need something more. Either a drink with protein in it or a energy bar of some sort.

I don't ever use pre-mixed drinks. I don't want all the crap (corn syrup) that is in these drinks while I'm excersizing. I will use Heed and Perpetum with my normal energy bar being a Soyjoy bar. Gatorade just doesn't taste right, even the mix is far to strong.

I like the idea of Infinit Nutrition to further fine tune my mix. I will be switching to their products soon as Perpetum has starts to upset my stomach during workouts over 4-5 hours.


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## IAmHolland (Jul 8, 2010)

anyone use pedialyte?


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## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

spsoon said:


> It depends very much on your intensity. You don't burn a lot of carbs at low intensity, so you are not likely to bonk unless you're going pretty hard.


My son? Always going hard.:thumbsup:


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## AndrewMiller (Aug 26, 2010)

When I drink Gatorade, I feel like it sits on top of my stomach and it makes me feel a little nauseous when I'm riding hard. With water I don't get that weird feeling as much, unless I drink a bunch or chug it, but it goes away much quicker than the Gatorade feeling.


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## IAmHolland (Jul 8, 2010)

try pedialyte. it doesn't have corn syrup, and has a better balance of sodium and sugars. i don't really use sports drinks, but give it a go if you do. pedialyte is not really a sports drink, but it can be used as. i know of it when i had babies, but do use it now and then, but i'm not a frequent user.


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## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

IAmHolland said:


> anyone use pedialyte?


Yep , works for puppies too . :thumbsup:


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