DIY Sports Drink

Drinking an appropriate drink other than water while you are exercising is very important. Water will keep you hydrated but having a sports drink which provides you with ideal nutrient composition is key. Here are the reasons why you want a solid sports drink:

  • to increase nutrient delivery to muscles & spare muscle glycogen & protein
  • limit immune suppression
  • minimise muscle damage
  • set the nutritional stage for a faster recovery following your workout

If you haven’t planned ahead and are desperate for a sports drink then commercial pre-made should be your last resort.  If however you take some time to get ready for your workout you can make the following easy DIY Sports Drink.  It’s simple and fast to prepare!

  • Mix 500ml of good quality grape juice with 500ml of water.
  • If your workout is longer than an hour then add a pinch of good quality sea salt.

Yes, that is it folks! So easy it hurts and overall should be cheaper than picking up sports drinks from the local shop or gym fridge.

You will probably want to pick up a container to keep your DIY drink in here is a link for you to purchase online. www.myprotein.com

Written by Charlene Hutsebaut with excerpts from Ian Craig’s Competitive Athlete Course.

ian headshot

Ian has more than 20 years’ experience as a competitive Middle Distance runner and is now a recreational triathlete. He studied Exercise Physiology to MSc level in America, before qualifying as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist and spending several years as a Personal Trainer and Coach. Now a Nutritional Therapist, he integrates the two, often disparate, fields of Sports Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy in an applied way so that both health and performance of athletes are considered. He leads and lectures on the Competitive Athlete post-grad programme at CNELM (The Centre for Nutrition Education and Lifestyle Management) during his annual trips to the UK. Now based in South Africa, Ian lectures at Stellenbosch university, runs nutrition clinics and workshops and coaches runners and triathletes. www.craigcoaching.com Ian has nutrition and coaching practices in both London and South Africa. ian@craigcoaching.com

0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *