Nutrition

What sports beverage do you recommend most?

Key takeaway: Choose a sports beverage you enjoy with electrolytes and appropriate carbs.

Hi, great question. What sports beverage do? I recommend most. So when it comes to sports beverages, as long as they have basic components, that are meeting the electrolyte needs that you have as you sweat. The best one is going to be the one that you enjoy drinking. When I say the components that you need to replace what you sweat, what I mean is the electrolytes. So, having sodium potassium, magnesium, and then also having an appropriate amount of carbohydrate? If it has too high carbohydrate it can actually cause Cause some stomach upset, and if it's too low carbohydrate, you might not be getting the energy that you need from that Sports beverage. So some examples would be Gatorade or Powerade. Those two are pretty standard. I know body armor is also pretty popular, or you could use some of the powder sticks like Drip Drop to help with rehydration especially if you're, someone who is prone to dehydration or cramping.

The best sports beverage for you is the one that you enjoy drinking and has the right components to meet your electrolyte needs and provide you with the appropriate amount of carbohydrates. Good examples include Gatorade, Powerade, body armor, and Drip Drop powder sticks.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/jafujgqmkyck8e1zbm4i.vtt

When it comes to sports beverages, the most recommended one is the one that you enjoy drinking. As long as it has the basic components to meet your electrolyte needs when you sweat, it's a good choice. These components include sodium, potassium, magnesium, and an appropriate amount of carbohydrates. Too much carbohydrate can cause stomach upset, while too little may not provide enough energy.

Some popular examples of sports beverages are Gatorade, Powerade, and Body Armor. You can also consider using powder sticks like Drip Drop for rehydration, especially if you are prone to dehydration or cramping. Ultimately, choose a sports beverage that suits your taste preferences and provides the necessary electrolytes for your physical activity.

How might a slightly under weight 56 y/o female modify their diet to build more muscle mass?

Unlocking Muscle Growth: A Proven Diet for Building Mass

So the question is, how might someone who's slightly underweight modify their diet to help with building muscle? This is a great question and applies to honestly any gender any age, the biggest thing is nutritional consistency. So making sure you're getting all of your meals and eating snacks throughout the day. I also recommend adding some dense foods like nuts and seeds, peanut butter hummus, different oils like olive oil. Also, things like avocado, guacamole, all of those really Dense and Tiny foods can help with getting a few extra calories in before you're feeling overly full. But really the biggest thing is making sure you're getting consistent meals, consistent snacks, especially on the weekends

The main thing for someone who’s slightly underweight to do to help build muscle is to make sure to get consistent meals and snacks throughout the day, including dense foods like nuts, seeds, peanut butter, hummus, and oils.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/tkrc3lkvumpowo0qdh1q.vtt

To build muscle mass, it's important for a slightly underweight 56-year-old female (or anyone in a similar situation) to modify their diet. The key is nutritional consistency. Ensure that you're consuming all meals and incorporating snacks throughout the day.

In addition, consider adding dense foods to your diet. Include items like nuts, seeds, peanut butter, hummus, olive oil, avocado, and guacamole. These foods are calorie-dense and can provide extra calories without making you feel overly full.

Remember, the most crucial aspect is maintaining consistent meals and snacks, even on weekends. By following these dietary modifications, you can support muscle building efforts.

Why might protein powder cause digestive issues?

Protein Powder and Digestive Issues: Dairy Allergy and Timing

Why might protein powder cause digestive issues? So this one is going to depend on a lot of factors, but if you have a dairy allergy, that might be one reason. Most protein powders are going to be dairy-based because they typically have whey in them. So if that's something that you know about yourself, then I would find a protein powder that is not dairy-based to avoid digestive issues associated with an allergy or an intolerance. Timing also matters. So if you're taking your protein powder pre-workout, you might be giving yourself some digestive issues because our bodies aren't going to be able to fully digest that before our workout. Sometimes people will also have some issues if they take it immediately post without having any kind of time between a really intense workout and eating. So especially if you don't typically feel hungry right after a workout and you're trying to force down a protein shake, that might cause some upset stomach and digestive issues there. Any other digestive issues are going to be highly individual based on specific ingredients of what might be in that powder, what you might have reactions to, quantities, what you're mixing with it. There are a lot of different variables, but those are two of the top reasons that you might be having some issues.

Protein powder can cause digestive issues due to dairy allergies or intolerance, pre-workout consumption, or individual reactions to ingredients.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/a4uowlukskdutpjawgy4.vtt

Protein powder may cause digestive issues due to several factors. One common reason is having a dairy allergy or intolerance since most protein powders are dairy-based, often containing whey. If you know you have a dairy allergy, it's best to choose a protein powder that is not dairy-based to avoid digestive problems. The timing of consumption also matters. Taking protein powder pre-workout may lead to digestive issues because the body might not have enough time to fully digest it before exercising. Similarly, if you consume it immediately after an intense workout without any gap, especially if you don't feel hungry at that moment, it could result in an upset stomach and digestion problems. It's important to note that other digestive issues can be highly individual and depend on specific ingredients, quantities, and what the powder is mixed with. These factors can vary greatly among individuals.

Is there a good way to know whether or not you are hydrated? 

Stay Hydrated: Simple Ways to Know if You're Dehydrated

Is there a good way to know whether or not you're hydrated? So the simplest go-to that I usually use is look at your urine color. When you wake up first thing in the morning, look at that color in the toilet. If it is light like lemonade, that is a good sign that you're well hydrated. If it is dark like apple juice, that means that you have some work to do. Other indicators for hydration status can be how you're feeling. So if you notice that you have a lot of headaches, you feel faint or dizzy, if you are always thirsty, if you're cramping during exercise, those are some signs that we might be dehydrated. If you're an athlete, you can also do pre and post weights. I don't recommend that athletes do this all the time, but you can weigh yourself before a workout, weigh yourself after a workout, see how much weight you lost, and then use that as a guide for how much you need to replace with. So this can help, especially if athletes are in a tournament style play or really heavy training, that you can make sure that you're not losing weight as a result of dehydration over time. But like I said, that's not something I would do every day, that's just like a little tracking mechanism. But overall, I would really pay attention to the color of your urine and how you're feeling. If you're feeling dehydrated, if you're feeling thirsty, that's a sign that you probably are.

The best way to know if you're hydrated is to look at the color of your urine when you wake up in the morning. If it's light like lemonade, that means you're well hydrated. Other indicators for hydration status include headaches, feeling faint or dizzy, always being thirsty, and cramping during exercise. Athletes can also track their hydration levels by weighing themselves before and after a workout. Lastly, pay attention to how you feel - if you're feeling dehydrated or thirsty, that's a sign that you need more water.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/gzvxo8ndekk6mrzposoy.vtt

Is there a way to know if you're hydrated? The simplest method I use is to observe the color of your urine. In the morning, take a look at the color in the toilet. If it resembles light lemonade, it's a good indicator that you're well-hydrated. However, if it's dark like apple juice, that suggests you need to drink more fluids. Other signs of hydration status include how you feel. Headaches, dizziness, excessive thirst, and muscle cramps during exercise can be indications of dehydration. For athletes, tracking pre and post-workout weights can be helpful in determining fluid loss and guiding replacement strategies during intense training or tournaments. However, this is not something that needs to be done every day. Overall, paying attention to urine color and how you feel are reliable ways to assess hydration levels. Feeling dehydrated or constantly thirsty suggests that you likely need more fluids.

How to Improve Your Cholesterol: Diet, Exercise, and More

What can I do to improve my cholesterol? So cholesterol is twofold. Part of cholesterol is produced in our bodies, specifically in our liver, and this amount is genetic. So our bodies decide how much or how little cholesterol we are going to produce. The second component of cholesterol is dietary. So the amount of cholesterol that we eat in our diet is also going to impact the cholesterol that is circulating in our bodies. So to improve your cholesterol, there's not much you can do about the genetic component. So you can improve cholesterol through the dietary component. Things that are animal-based, so like meats, cheeses, and eggs, all have some cholesterol in them. So limiting the amount of animal meats can really help with that, and specifically the amount of fat in those meats. So opting for lower fat options, as opposed to like bacon, go for like a chicken sausage, that can help. Having egg whites with your whole eggs. So if you're a person who has five eggs for breakfast, maybe try two whole eggs and the rest of it egg whites. That can help with reducing the amount of cholesterol. It's also helpful to increase the amount of fiber that you have, because that helps with clearing cholesterol. So making sure you have plenty of fruits and veggies, getting those whole grains. And then there's also a exercise component to cholesterol. So making sure you're exercising and reducing stress. If those don't work, I would definitely speak to a doctor about potentially some drugs that could help reduce cholesterol.

To improve cholesterol, limit animal fats and increase fiber intake. Exercise and reduce stress levels as well. If these measures don't help enough, speak to a doctor about drugs that can help.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/v7lorrjst20xkizndmq3.vtt

To improve your cholesterol, it's important to understand that cholesterol has two components. Firstly, our bodies naturally produce cholesterol, with the amount being determined by genetics. Unfortunately, there's not much we can do about this genetic component. However, the second component of cholesterol is dietary, which we have control over. Foods of animal origin, such as meats, cheeses, and eggs, contain cholesterol. Limiting the intake of animal meats and opting for lower fat options can be beneficial. For example, choosing chicken sausage instead of bacon or having a combination of whole eggs and egg whites instead of solely whole eggs. Increasing fiber intake through fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is also helpful as it aids in clearing cholesterol. Additionally, exercise and stress reduction play a role in managing cholesterol levels. If these lifestyle changes don't yield significant improvements, consulting a doctor about potential medication options may be necessary.

How soon before a workout is it best to drink an energy drink?

Prioritize Food, Hydration, and Sleep Over Energy Drinks

How soon before a workout is it best to drink an energy drink? So my answer to this one is that it isn't. Energy drinks really aren't necessary for workouts, and if you need an energy drink to get through that workout, I would look at other factors going on in your day that are causing you to feel so low energy. So I would look at your sleep. I would look at your nutrition to make sure you're getting enough and you're eating at the right time. And honestly, I would prioritize food, hydration, and sleep over an energy drink or another source of loaded caffeine. If you are having an energy drink and that's something that you just really enjoy or have in small doses, depending on the energy drink, they have different levels of caffeine and different types of caffeine boosters in them. So they're all going to work slightly differently. But in general, within an hour before your workout is typically going to be an OK timeline to have something like that. So that the caffeine is kicking in during your workout. But if this is something that you are habitually drinking to do your workouts, I would assess other factors in your life to see why you need energy drinks every day.

It is not necessary to drink energy drinks before a workout, and if you do, it is best to have one an hour before your workout. If you are habitually drinking energy drinks for your workouts, take a look at other factors in your life that could be causing your need for them.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/odvohnrxmo9n8vudsq2b.vtt

It's not necessary or recommended to drink an energy drink before a workout. If you rely on an energy drink to get through your workouts, it's important to consider other factors that may be causing low energy levels throughout the day. Assessing your sleep quality, nutrition, and hydration are essential. Prioritizing wholesome food, proper hydration, and sufficient sleep is more beneficial than relying on loaded caffeine sources like energy drinks. If you still choose to have an energy drink occasionally, keep in mind that different brands have varying caffeine levels and boosters. Generally, consuming an energy drink within an hour before your workout allows the caffeine to take effect during your exercise session. However, if you find yourself habitually relying on energy drinks for workouts, it's crucial to assess and address the underlying factors contributing to this need.

Swimming

Strength

Triathlon

Photography

Track & Field

Physical Therapy

Running

Pets

Cycling

Podcasting

HealthCare

Musculoskeletal

Hockey

First Responders

Integrative Medicine

Chiropractic

Cross Country Skiing

Adaptive Sports

Climbing

Mental Health

Surfing

Tennis

Military

Mind Body

Scholars

Criminal Justice

Liquor

CrossFit

Golf

Soccer

Pickleball

Hunting

Public Speaking

Venture Capital

Healthy Eating

Sports Nutrition

Supplements

Nutrition Labels

Micronutrients

Elizabeth McNear is a Registered Dietitian with a Bachelor of Food Science and Human Nutrition from Colorado State University, a dietetic internship from Saint Louis University, and a Master of Science Degree in Nutrition & Physical Performance. For the past decade, she has worked with hundreds of collegiate athletes, and since founding Transitional Nutrition LLC in 2020, she has continued to work with high school, college, and professional athletes. She uses a non-diet, hands-on approach to nutrition counseling and focuses on life-long fueling habits, not just short-term goals. She has experience in translating scientific nutrition principles in an interactive, easy-to-understand, and practical way. Her graduate research assessed the dietary habits of retired athletes, showing the difficulty of transitioning to a new lifestyle. She is passionate about helping others learn how to use food to fuel their bodies.

Neither AnyQuestion nor its Experts provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment or otherwise provide professional healthcare services.

Elizabeth McNear,MS,RD,CSSD