I see it everywhere. I know, it’s just a coke. I get it.
I
know it’s your drug of choice.
However, I think we should examine the effects
of sodas on your whole body and your workout.
The carbonation for one, when consumed in large amounts or
quickly, can cause excess air to build up and results in bloating. This can
make exercise difficult and may slow down your performance. The caffeine in
these drinks also will prevent you from staying hydrated due to its dehydrating
effect. When you stay hydrated, it will increase your cardiovascular endurance.
Exercise is also a fantastic way to control your weight, but
drinking carbonated drinks can interfere with the process. Most of the time,
there aren’t a lot of nutrients in these drinks and can sometimes be packed
with lots of calories. Plus, carbonation can bind to fat cells and slow down
weight loss if that is a goal. The sugar in those drinks can give you an
initial burst of energy, but then may cause a low blood sugar crash that leaves
you feeling tired and weak, often times during your workout. Also, these
specific sugars can cause your triglycerides to elevate, which is a type of fat
that can clog your arteries and make someone more susceptible to strokes or
heart attacks.
Even worse, most of those sugars are stored as body fat. This
must be why the AHA (American Heart Association) recommends that you drink
three servings of soda at the maximum PER WEEK and limit daily to all types of
added sugar to maximum of 5% of your daily total. This is about 100 calories
for females and 150 for males.
Soda consumption has also been linked to kidney disease due
to the phosphorus in cola and other dark-colored sodas and possibly the
high-fructose corn syrup overload. In fact, two more sodas per day will double
your likelihood for kidney disease. The large amounts of phosphoric acid can
also leach calcium from your system and weaken bones, especially in females. This
contributes to adolescent girls being at an increased risk of bone fractures.
I won’t go in to the aspartame and whether it causes cancer
or not. You can decipher and do that research on your own time. I will talk
about how it is just like a drug though. When you drink a can, the sugar enters
your system, spikes your blood sugar, and rises your blood pressure. Your liver
now has no choice but to drop more sugar into your bloodstream. Your brain,
however, is blocked by the caffeine so you don’t get drowsy, and the dopamine
production will increase to stimulate the pleasure center in your brain. Does
this sound similar to anyone? That’s right, pretty similar to heroin’s effect
on your body. And worse, the phosphoric acid we discussed earlier connects with
the calcium, magnesium, and zinc in your intestine will meet up with water and
electrolytes and be urinated out. Sounds fun, huh?
Not to mention, have you ever poured out soda on an old battery and watched it?
Pretty scary to think that’s what’s happening to
your insides. Bottom line, soda will decrease your cardiovascular endurance.
Maybe even cause some side stiches every now and then. I won’t tell you to not
to drink sodas, but I will advise it. It may be a hard habit to break, but trust me
and give it a try and see how much better you feel. I haven’t had a soda since
junior high school and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made for my
overall health and workout regimen.
P.S. If I haven’t convinced you yet, stay tuned to nextweek…
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