Diet Gatorade: For the Armchair Exerciser

I think the popularity of gaterade is do to the delicousness of the windex colored one. People buy it because its tasty, not because they its "healthy". I don't know this for a fact of course, but its why I drank it as a kid. I liked it much more than soda.

This isn't as crazy as it sounds. I am trying to lose the fifty, yes fifty pounds I gained when I stopped smoking. It is taking a long time. I don't want the extra 300 calories when all I need is the electrolytes.

I have to laugh at Josie's "Windex colored" description--there is something rather frightening about the intense neon colors, isn't there? I'm afraid I never liked the taste. Coke? That' a temptation I have to resist. Gatorade? Not so much. Tastes sort of like plastic and salt to me, but then I haven't had it in years.

To me, the silly thing is that so many people, as Jim says, are drinking the stuff who don't need it in the first place.

But given that they are, to me it makes sense to have a lower calorie version.

Tastes like sweat to me ... I guess that's basically what it is.

It just makes me thirstier! What's the point? Water all the way baby!!

I can understand the low-calorie Gatorade. Sometimes I put dextrose into my workout shake, other times I do no-carb. It depends on my goals at the time, whether I want to spike insulin to shuttle nutrients into the muscle, or whether I'd rather keep insulin low so that growth hormone is elevated.

I totally get the lower-calorie option. I need the electrolytes and the salt. I don't need the calories (and if I did, I could choose my own sugar). Does that make me a poseur? No, that makes me an over-40 athlete who'd rather eat calories than drink them.

Nope, I don't get it. Nothing beats water when you're working out.

The last part of this piece resonates with me... It would be nice if big food were to dedicate resources into developing products that were actually healthier, rather than spending money on marketing convincing us that their new products are somehow healthier.

Windex gatorade...lol

I hate Gatorade. Have for years. When I first tried it, I had the same reaction as Ann... "gak. tastes like sweat. eew" So, when I grew up, I tried it again, figuring maybe it would appeal to my more adult taste buds. My reaction? "gak. now it tastes like SUGARY sweat. even more eew."

Now, when I need more of a kick than water (my drink of choice), I drink SmartWater. It has no flavor, but it includes the electrolytes that I need when I'm working out in high heat.

I've never liked Gatorade. My mom used to make me drink it when I had stomach flu as a kid and I always thought it tasted salty. Now, when I do a really long run in the heat (like today...11 miles in 93 degree heat), I have to stay hydrated but I prefer to eat my calories versus drink them. I could see maybe drinking a calorie-free Gatorade, but I prefer their Propel (vitamin/electrolyte enhanced water that has very few calories).

Diet Gatorade = Propel?

Josie! said:
People buy it because its tasty, not because they its "healthy"[...]

However, going by PepsiCo's enormous sales of the drink... there's a lot of people out there who don't have a clue about an electrolyte - or even hard exercise. They like Gatorade because it tastes sweet.

back in my wild party days clear lemon gatorade worked great for a hangover!

I generally stick to water myself, but if you live in a hot climate and work-out outdoors, there may be a point. Since there are lots of us who choose to run our bodies on longer acting fuel like protein instead of sugar, there's certainly a market for sugar-free electrolyte drinks.

well, as a woman with an eating disorder (bulimia...meaning i NEED the electrolytes!!), i'd be pretty happy to see a lower calorie version of gatorade...

I know I've passed up on Gatorade before because I didn't want the calories, so I would be open to trying a diet version.

An elite marathoner and friend of mine has beer to replenish electrolytes after a race. He's running a lot faster than me...

Gatorade is so gross tasting. I like Vitamin Water, it doesn't taste like azz.

I've noticed that when I don't need Gatorade it tastes awful, but when I really need sugar, hydration, and electrolytes, it tastes great. When I was in tennis camp, playing outside for >4 hours a day in the summer, that Gatorade at lunch was fantastic. But by lunch, I was usually drenched. Good times.

Sorry, I have to admit it: I love the taste of gatorade.

Hi, I'm a long time lurker, but I have to agree with Jim. Most people just drink Gatorade because it's sweet. At my college, the vending machines are stocked by Pepsi so Gatorade is quite popular, athough there is a clear dividing line between the sexes. Guys drink it much more then the female students, who usually get a diet soda.

I also think a lot of people drink Gatorade because they think it's healthy. When I was in the supermarket the other day I saw a mother shopping with her two young boys. The kids were yelling for Kool-Aid, but she told one to get the Power-Aid, because it has vitamins.

Before I started monitoring my sugar intake, I used to drink Gatorade like it was water. I was still losing weight hand over first, but it was just extra calories and sugar that I didn't need. That's why I started drinking diet soda. I just traded diabetes for the aspartame-y goodness of cancer!

Regarding the Propel comments above, I actually don't think Propel has the electrolytes (potassium plus some other salts) in it that regular gatorade does. I also noticed that after a workout it doesn't get rid of the extreme salt cravings. I'd definately be a fan of a way to get the electrolytes without calories!

i've noticed that the only times i enjoy gatorade are when i'm really really thirsty. otherwise, it just tastes bland to me. maybe electrolytes only taste good when one's thirsty.

but then i discovered - WATER! that is, water ALL the time. like 80-90 oz a day. i work out 3-4x a week, but i'm no marathon runner, so i really have no need for the extra hundreds of calories a bottle of gatorade contains. but i can see why endurance runners and those exercising in hot weather would need it. and low-cal is always better than high-cal.

i think ur all stupid competing, they have the same ingreadents and if gatorade tastes like sweat then powerade does to . just stik to water

I found Gatorade to be a life-saver for me. I use to have chronic cramps for years. Not so much the quantity of cramps, but the severity. When I cramped my leg muscles would lock hard... and I mean REAL HARD! It has brought me to years about 3 times. My abdominals have cramped a few times too.

Through a nurse's suggestion, I tried Gatorade and I have NOT have a cramp ever since. I was having fluid loss and any other supplement/nutrition my body was burning up during hard work or long walks.

I have since found CrampNoMore.com which is much better than Gatorade for electrolyte replacement without all the sugar.

Try the drink at CrampNoMore.com if you're having cramp problems or just want to replenish your electrolyte loss without all the sugar.

And no I don't represent that website or it's product. I just love it and it works for me. LOL!

I would have to say gatorade tastes great and I enjoy drinking it over many different types of liquids. If I wasn't being active and wanted a refreshing drink diet gatorade would be a great fit as I wouldn't have to consume excess sugary calories to enjoy a preferred drink.

Definitely a smart move by Pepsi to get more people drinking their products and make them feel like they are making a very health choice.