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Q:
In the off-season, how many calories do I need per day?
A:
In the off-season of your sport, you most likely will continue your training — or be involved with other activities — in order to keep your muscles fresh. But your workouts may be less intense than during the regular season, so you will be burning fewer calories from exercise. To prevent weight gain during the off-season, you will need to adjust your caloric intake accordingly.
The number of calories that you burn on an hourly basis will vary, depending on your primary sport. The following are a few examples of approximate numbers of calories burned in various sports for a 150-lb athlete:
Basketball: 261 calories per hour
Cycling: 261–326 calories per hour, depending on speed
Ice Hockey: 632 calories per hour
Running: 261–567 calories per hour, depending on speed
Swimming: 498–702 calories per hour, depending on stroke
For example, let's say you were a basketball player who trained and competed a total of 15 hours in a typical week. That's nearly 4,000 calories per week burned just from your workouts. During the season, you were consuming additional calories to maintain your training/competing weight and to keep up your energy level. Now, in the off-season, you're not burning as many calories. To prevent weight gain, consume fewer calories by having smaller portion sizes and cutting out some snacks. With this scenario in mind, reducing your calories by 500 per day will bring you back to your calorie needs without training. Again, if you continue to train in the off-season, but at a lower intensity, do not decrease your calories too drastically, as you will need some excess for energy for the workouts.
For more information on calories burned in a variety of different activities, please check out the Activity-Calorie Calculator on the PowerBar.com website. For a customized food plan based on your activity level, go to PowerBar® PowerCoach™.
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Q:
If I were to drink one 20-fl oz (600-ml) bottle of PowerBar® Endurance sports drink during an Ironman race, would that also count toward my total fluid needs per hour?
A:
Yes, you would count one 20-fl oz bottle of PowerBar® Endurance sports drink toward your total fluid needs during the Ironman race and on your training days. During intense physical activity, muscles use a stored form of carbs called glycogen for energy. Also, as you know, your body will be losing large amounts of fluid through sweating. In addition to the fluid lost, electrolytes, specifically sodium, will be lost in great amounts and need to be replaced. Compared to plain water, Endurance sports drink not only hydrates your body but also provides easily digestible carbs for energy and necessary electrolytes, specifically 480 mg of sodium per 20 fl oz (600 ml).
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Q:
I am a firefighter who works out 3–5 times per week. I want to lose body fat while maintaining muscle. My friends encourage me to take protein supplement shakes, but I prefer PowerBar® products. What are their respective differences and/or advantages?
A:
"Protein supplement" is a general term that is used to describe a bar or drink that contains a high amount of protein and not many carbohydrates. Very often, protein supplements are most appropriate for use after intense weightlifting exercises, where the end goal is to recover the muscles and gain muscle mass and strength.
Again, protein supplements are most beneficial after workouts. PowerBar® products vary in recommended usage. For example, PowerBar® Performance Energy bars, PowerBar® Fruit Smoothie Energy bars, and PowerBar® Energy Bites are recommended as pre-workout snacks, as they are predominantly carbs and contain moderate amounts of protein. Carbs are the muscles’ preferred source for fuel. Consuming carbs before exercise will top off the fuel source, leading to more energy for the workout.
Similar to protein supplements, PowerBar® Recovery bars, PowerBar ProteinPlus® protein bars, and PowerBar ProteinPlus® Bites are designed to provide the muscles with nutrients after exercise to assist with the recovery phase. These bars and bites offer high-quality protein to rebuild and repair muscle tissue; they also contain carbs, which are necessary to replenish the glycogen stores in the muscles (glycogen is the body's stored form of carbohydrates). PowerBar products and protein supplements are convenient sources for nutrients that may be missing from your meals.
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Q:
I started running on the treadmill, and my goal is to do 1.5 miles without collapsing. After about 1/4 mile, my legs feel like rubber and I am drained. Do you think that this is an energy issue?
A:
Just starting out with a new running program could result in your legs’ feeling weak and lacking energy. This is common in unconditioned muscles. The feeling will go away over time as your legs become stronger and more efficient at burning and utilizing energy. Make sure that you're getting adequate rest between workout sessions, don't push yourself too much early on, and focus on sports nutrition before and after your workouts. The following sports nutrition recommendations can also help make sure that your muscles are well fueled and fully recovered.
PowerBar® Performance Energy bars contain 43 grams of carbohydrates, the preferred fuel source for muscles. Have one Performance Energy bar about 30–60 minutes before you begin the run. This will provide adequate time for the nutrients in the bar to reach the muscles.
Following your run, you will need to replenish the carbs that have been used up as fuel. You’ll also need to facilitate the repair of damage to the muscle tissue. To accomplish this, have a meal or a snack that contains about 40–80 grams of carbs and 10–20 grams of protein as soon as possible afterwards. PowerBar® offers the PowerBar® Recovery bar and PowerBar® Recovery beverage to meet your needs after exercise.
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Q:
I am a vegetarian cyclist. I do consume milk products, but no meats or eggs. Do any of your products fit into a lacto-vegetarian lifestyle?
A:
Yes! Since you include milk products in your diet, this opens you up to a wide variety of PowerBar® products. Many of our bars contain the PowerBar® Tri-Source™ Protein Blend, with protein from whey protein isolate and calcium caseinate. These are derived from milk sources. You may notice glycerin as an ingredient in many of our products. The source of glycerin is vegetable oil and its purpose in the bar is to retain moisture.
The following PowerBar products contain ingredients that may not be suitable for a vegetarian lifestyle:
The gelatin in PowerBar® Gel Blasts™ energy chews is derived from pork. The gelatin in the PowerBar ProteinPlus® 30g protein bar is derived from beef. Vegetarians who consume milk may consume the PowerBar ProteinPlus® protein bar (23-gram variety), as it does not contain gelatin.
PowerBar® Energy Bites, PowerBar ProteinPlus® Bites, PowerBar® Endurance sports drink, and PowerBar® Recovery beverage are made on equipment that processes eggs. Depending on your dietary limitations, you may not be able to use these products.
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