5 Hour Energy

Cliffbar makes a energy an energy gummy. The are not super sweet like GU from Gatorade. Some of them even have caffine in them which is great right before a morning workout.

Have you read the labels on those? Anything that has 2000% of the daily recommended value of anything freaks me out.

How about a little drink of juice for a quick sugar boost?

I think Momma W. pretty much said it, but if you need a mental placebo beforehand, do whatever works for you, as long as whatever supplement you take doesn't have potentially toxic side effects.

Beware...my post is just full of personal opinion.

I do not like those little 5 hour energy shots. I have never used one but I don't like the idea of them. I like the more natural method.

I prefer the natural endorphines that come with a good workout.

I don't dread my workouts because I enjoy my exercise routines. It is not a chore. When you find what you love then you don't want to miss a day.

Get a good night's sleep and eat healthy and drink lots of water
Cut out caffeine, alcohol and crappy food.
Try music to pump you up.
Try consuming a little protein and carb mix along with juice or water an hour before you exercise.
Get an exercise partner to make it fun and something you look forward to.

When I train for long distance running or other physical events then I consume a Gu packet...but that is when I am running for an hour+

Our bodies don't need extra supplements to give us a boost. Often times it is a mental block or due to our sleeping,eating and drinking habits.

Good luck!!

Please don't fall into the "I'm working out so I need to use supplements" trap. You don't. What you need to remember is that working out is hard. It's supposed to be. The best thing you can do is fuel your body by being properly rested, hydrated and fed.

My favorite "boost" food for gym workouts is a handful of dried fruit. For short runs, I tend not to eat prior, for longer runs I have a half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and the other half when I'm done. Snacks are veggies, almonds, eggs, fish, chicken, and other proteins with rice crackers.

You don't need a 5 hour energy, or any energy supplement. As you get further into your program, you'll gain strength and endurance. Keep your eye on the prize and don't expect that the results are going to come before the work.

ETA: Also, no smoothies. Though they're the latest trend for people-who-think-they're-being-healthy, they're not all that healthy. The best thing you can do for your body is to actually bite and chew your food. It's the first step in the digestion process and engages your brain to create the enzymes needed to properly process what you are eating. Skipping this causes your body to break down the sugars and protiens in a shake in a different way than it normally would. Don't drink your nutrition. The only think you ought to be drinking is water.

I thought working out was SUPPOSED to give you energy? lol I guess that's why I'm fat and out of shape. I have no idea.

However, be careful of the Monster-like drinks. My friends husband is 32 and had heart surgery and they said it was contributed to him drinking 2-3 per day for the last 8 years. Good luck.

5 Hour energy is a heavy caffeine-laced drink. It's expensive for what you get, and it has no nutrition in it whatsoever. You might as well have 3 cups of espresso because at least you wouldn't get the dyes and sugar.

These energy drinks have also been linked to accelerated heart rates and arrhythmias. Ask any EMT about people they've transported to hospitals.

With what you found on line, can you get a list of ingredients? Is there any basis to any of them, including increased blood flow to the brain or cellular support? If not, why consider it? If you can get them, send me the list and I can at least tell you if there's a basis to it. Is there any independent clinical data on the ingredients, or just the company's statement that "this stuff is great"??Just because it's "all natural" doesn't mean it's safe! Arsenic, bella donna, snake venom and toadstools are all natural too but that doesn't mean it's a good idea to eat them. People get in all kinds of medical trouble if they don't investigate.

If you do take a supplement, make sure it is MADE in the US (or Australia or Germany, which have stricter controls even than the US). If it's just distributed in the US, you don't know where it was made.

There are other things you can do to build stamina and help with muscle repair/recovery. But caffeine isn't it.

Have you heard about the people who have died drinking those?

Here's a start:

http://abcnews.go.com/topics/news/energy-drink-deaths.htm

It's too much caffeine at once and of course your heart races because it's over stimulated. And since you are drinking this specifically to promote your health so you can work out, I suggest you opt for a cup of coffe / tea or gatorade and get more rest instead. No work out is worth you messing with your heart or adrenaline glands.

I'd rather just exercise and get the boost from the physical activity. It makes no sense if you're trying to get healthy to drink something that, well, isn't healthy.

Why not drink a fruit/veggie smoothie or something with a carb/protein mix that'll support your body during the workout?

I would never buy a supplement that was sold at the front counter of 7-11. But, hey, that's me.

I suggest going to a more natural store than GNC, but one that will let you try or taste products before buying them. Maybe look at the ratios of the caffeine and find one that is not as powerful as your husbands? I totally understand you want that boost of energy, but artificial chemicals is not the way to go.

There is a lot of evidence that an apple first thing in the morning is a natural energy booster... Good luck!

I have a cup of tea and a handful of almonds before I work out.

It depends on the person. My DH takes it, but just one, and is fine. I think he takes it after he starts his workout, though, rather than before. But if you are affected by caffeine, Sudafed and the like, it may not be good for you. I've also heard that a cup of orange juice is better than a cup of coffee, so instead of an artificial supplement, what about a good snack before the workout?

my college students put themselves through finals with 5 hour energy drinks, and my dh, who has to get up at 3 to get to work, sometimes uses one instead of coffee to stay awake for the drive home.
ETA they have no sugar or dyes.
khairete
S.

I tried it in my good ol college days; wasn't impressed. Just like red bull and all the other energy drinks out there, I tried them back then, it's just not for me anymore. Feels too artificial.

I am however, a coffee hobbyist. Doesn't mean I drink crazy amounts or anything. But the older I get, the more I appreciate quality; same with wine I guess. Health "supplements", artificial energy, and the like just feel like I'm putting garbage in my body, you know?

I always get a better workout if I drink a cup of coffee about half an hour before.

I haven't tried 5 hr energy, but my husband does use them for long drives, etc., and swears by them. What he likes about them is that he can drink just part of one rather than the whole thing if he only needs a little. He prefers his cold so we keep them in the fridge.

Maybe try taking only 1/2 one to start to see how it affects you? He does say that if he takes it on an empty stomach, it bothers him a little so he always eats a small snack like peanuts or crackers when he takes it.

Good luck!

My husband tried it once when we were studying for the bar exam. He ended up with a really bad stomach ache. It did give him a little boost, though.

It's quite a bit like taking a small hit of speed.

You are putting your health and heart at risk by taking speed/high caffeine substances in your body so you feel like working out. No one feels like going to work out. They just get up and go do it. Then they have energy for the rest of the day.

I've never tried them and to be honest I'm too scared to try them. The caffeine content in a cup of coffee can make me really jittery and a 5 hour energy drink has almost twice that.

As the wife of a pharmacist, I would caution about using an all natural supplement if you are taking any kind of medication without talking to a doctor or pharmacist. Just because it is all natural does not mean it is a healthy choice. Often times they can have ingredients that can have bad interactions with medications. Some natural ingredients can cause medications to not work correctly or at all. Some can make a medication more potent. Many of them are not FDA approved so some of the warnings that should be on the labels aren't. My husband has seen some bad things because of drug and supplement interactions.

5 hr energy has the caffeine of about 1 cup of coffee in it.
So if you do fine on a caffeinated drive, you'll do fine on 5 hr energy.

Personally, that stuff does nothing at all for me. I might as well drink water.

If you want a boost just stick to your regular cup of coffee or two before your workout. You do not need anything beyond that, those energy drinks are terrible for you. The more you workout, the better in shape you'll become...you'll feel less tired and less like you need something for an extra boost. Stick to drinking water, eating clean and a little coffee if needed.

I'd suggest a veggie and light fruit smoothie with a side of coffee instead. Much better for you. Be wary of supplements and go for real foods.

My DH tried it and said it make his heart race and he felt terrible.

I don't even drink caffeine, so I'm not going near it.

I tried it and it was NASTY. I cannot stand the taste of non-caloric sweeteners such as Nutrasweet, Splenda, or stevia. They all leave a vile aftertaste in my mouth.
And it was no more effective than my go-to energy drink - Community New Orleans blend coffee.

If you need a 'boost', I'd suggest making a cup of tea. I have one cup of black tea in the morning and it's a nice way to wake up. And make sure to have a glass of water before and after working out.

My experience is that the caffeine in medications (like migraine or pms analgesics) hurts my stomach terribly. A cup of coffee or tea, no problems.

And I'd talk to your husband-- making your heart race is never a good thing. Your heart should be pumping because of good aerobic exercise, not because of a pill. That's only going to put added stress on your body, not help.

I know people do it but I'm not seeing how an overdose of caffeine is really any good for anyone.
As it is I've become more caffeine sensitive as I get older - I can't have it in the afternoons (I just have 1 cup of coffee in the morning) else I can't sleep at night AND I have to plan to be near a bathroom about an hour after I have that coffee - it makes me pee.