Quote Originally Posted by teawoman View Post
Like RunningMommy, I've been trying to go back to low sugar all week. I have a long ride on Sat (about 5 hours). I've been using gatorade for the longer rides (plus pb & honey sandwiches) for energy, and I would rather skip the sugar. I don't want to screw up my week!

Can I just use something like electrolyte tabs in my water, or do I need something sweet too?
You probably know most of this, but this is a summary of what I have learned - it may help!

Using electrolyte tabs and eating sugar are two different issues. Electrolyte tabs help to replace the ions lost through sweat when you exercise. They are crucial because your body has to have the correct balance of these for neurons to be able to send signals to each other and to muscles. You can replace the ones that are lost through a sports drink, through e. tabs, or by eating foods that contain electrolytes, but make sure that you are replacing them somehow!

Carbohydrates, on the other hand, replace energy stores that are depleted during exercise. There are two types of carbohydrates (simple sugars and complex carbohydrates) and the main difference between the two, in simple terms, is how long the body takes to break them down into usable energy (http://www.visionlearning.com/librar...wer.php?mid=61). Simple sugars are broken down much more quickly, so if you are going to need easily accessible energy fast, that's what you need to have. Complex carbohydrates are a slower, steadier energy supply. On a five hour ride I would tend to use more complex carbs, and with that long of a ride I would add some protein in as well, to promote muscle recovery. Btw, the pb & honey is a great mix of simple sugar (honey), complex carboydrates (bread) and protein (peanut butter).

My personal all time favorite is Hammer Nutrition. They sell several different types of drinks and gels, tailored for individuals who are sensitive to sugar. Their sports gels are approved for use by people with diabetes as well. Here is their website: http://www.hammernutrition.com/za/HN...RTICLE.ID=1252

I don't profess being a professional in this area by any means, but I've spent a lot of time learning about it, and it's fun to talk about!