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Call it tough-guy syndrome, with an added heaping helping ofdiet culture.
showcake/Getty Images/aiinue
Or three, rather: Knock.
For one, scientifically speaking, this sentiment is flat-out wrong.
There are a whole host of reasons you could (and should!)
use energy gels while runningboth for your performance and for your overall health.
Not sure how to get started, or need further convincing that you should give it a try?
What are running gels, and how do they work?
You might hear some of these no-fuel posters talk about being fat-adapted.
However, its a controversial approach that doesnt work for everyone, notes areviewin theJournal of Physiology.
And it still doesnt invalidate the reams of research on the benefits of carbs for most athletes.
When do you use running gelsand whats the benefit?
That doesnt mean waiting until the hour mark to take a gel, though.
So that way, youre getting the 30 to 60 grams per hour sports dietitiansrecommend.
Is there a benefit to using energy gels instead of actual food?
But those arent always as portable, especially given how many youd need to eat.
Theyre also going to be kind of hard to peel.
Plus, running gels are optimized to give you as big of a boost as possible.
Most contain more than one throw in of carbfor example, glucose, fructose, and maltodextrin.
Think about it like a stadium parking lot, Samuel says.
But isnt real food always better for you than somethingultraprocessed, as the keyboard warriors often assert?
Okay, running gels serve a really important purpose.
So…why do people keep knocking them?
So they decide to make others feel bad, too, and get algorithmic encouragement for doing so.
Honestly, thats the worst part.
They are not going to get the most out of their training or their race experience.
Not to mention, theyre going to feel like crap, physically and mentally.
Want to know whatsactuallyimpressive?
Being smart enough to follow the science and confident enough to ignore the fuel-shaming crowd.
Those gels in your belt, shorts, or bra pocket arent a sign of weakness.
Theyre proof you take your performanceand even more importantly, your healthseriously.
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