Travel Health and Fitness - anyone else like diet soda after a long workout?

I never drink soda.

With one exception. After a long run (over 15 miles or so), I like to stop in at the local 7-11 and get myself a Double Big Gulp of Diet Coke. For some reason I find it to be the perfect rehydrating tool. I get a lot of fluids, it has some flavor, and it helps to settle my stomach (which can be queasy if it was a particularly taxing effort and/or real hot outside). I literally do not have a desire to drink the stuff except for that one bizarre condition.

So I wonder, does anyone else do this? Or am I just a weirdo? I imagine it's not the best post-workout beverage, but it seems to work for me. I don't like the sports drink after a workout.. too much sugar or something.

I often put a diet coke in my car and drink it on the way home or to work after leaving the gym

I often put a diet coke in my car and drink it on the way home or to work after leaving the gym

Maybe I'm not crazy! :)

I've definitely had moments in a long run where I'd love a Coke.

I'm not a big fan of Diet Coke. Once in a while, I'll have a Coke Zero. Even more rarely, I'll drink a real Coke, but water it down because the sugar/HFCS content is just over the top for my palate.

I don't keep any Coke variant at home though, and I don't carry money when I run, so I've never had the chance to indulge. My guilty pleasure is lemonade (Newman's Own, similarly watered down) after a run.

After a workout and a meal I will often get that craving. Coke Zero for me.

After a long workout (going from memory here) - water. Or Diet Squirt. Never a diet coke. Heck, I'm still that way even on minor workouts. h2o first, then diet squirt or diet vernors. but not h2o followed by those. Now weirdly enough, if I find my sugar level is off I reach for the latter two, even though they have the fake stuff. I don't get it.

Cheers.

Interesitng you say that as I am always a firm believer in that sometimes you have to listen to your body. I was training for an ultra a few years ago and after my Friday long run (I detest running on a weekend) of about 5-6 hours I would crave Coke (which I never drink ordinarily) and salt and vinegar crisps - and I mean a craving like I have never had for anything else. I guess my body was telling me I needed more sugar and salt.

Interesitng you say that as I am always a firm believer in that sometimes you have to listen to your body. I was training for an ultra a few years ago and after my Friday long run (I detest running on a weekend) of about 5-6 hours I would crave Coke (which I never drink ordinarily) and salt and vinegar crisps - and I mean a craving like I have never had for anything else. I guess my body was telling me I needed more sugar and salt.

Right but what is my body craving, artificial sweetners??? :p That's the bit I don't get. A regular coke I could understand, but my craving is for diet!

Yep! I think that it is because Diet Coke feels so cold on my tongue which is a wonderful contrast to my otherwise miserably hot body. I think that I also crave the sweet flavor. Nothing will satisfy me like a Diet Coke.

Right but what is my body craving, artificial sweetners??? :p That's the bit I don't get. A regular coke I could understand, but my craving is for diet!

Yeah, you're right, you're a weirdo ! :)

Artificial sweetners are actually sweeter than sugar or HFCS. So you probably are craving the taste of sweetness.

I'm a big guzzler of water (not too cold) after a workout. Drinking carbonated beverages always felt weird to my body for some reason. (Probably just more habit than anything else.)

Diet coke is chock full o' sodium. Could be up to 160 mg or so in that Double Gulp. That's as much as a small order of McDonalds french fries.

That may well be what your body is craving after a long dehydrating run.

Artificial sweetners are actually sweeter than sugar or HFCS. So you probably are craving the taste of sweetness.

I buy this, or at least as it relates to me.

Diet coke is chock full o' sodium. Could be up to 160 mg or so in that Double Gulp. That's as much as a small order of McDonalds french fries.

That may well be what your body is craving after a long dehydrating run.

But is that specific to diet coke or coke in general? OP says he craves a diet coke.

Cheers.

But is that specific to diet coke or coke in general? OP says he craves a diet coke.


About the same, but there's just a smidgen more sodium in regular coke

20 oz Coke: 75mg sodium
20 oz Diet Coke: 70mg sodium

A 64-oz double gulp would be well over 200mg.

About the same, but there's just a smidgen more sodium in regular coke

20 oz Coke: 75mg sodium
20 oz Diet Coke: 70mg sodium

A 64-oz double gulp would be well over 200mg.

Oh, I was thinking a 32oz...that's 'only' a Big Gulp. :o

Wow. That's a LOT of sodium!!!!!

As for why Diet Coke over regular? The sugar in regular coke upsets my tummy. As tummy-soothing is part of the attractiveness of the DC, he may have the same issue.

Besides who wants a ton of empty coke calories after a good hard run!?

Do you really want to spike your blood sugar after a workout?

Do you really want to spike your blood sugar after a workout?

Do diet sodas spike blood sugar?

Not in my experience...

I'm a big guzzler of water (not too cold) after a workout. Drinking carbonated beverages always felt weird to my body for some reason.+1

But I will chug more Gatorade following a workout than I care to admit here. :o

Another 20+ mile run yesterday, another Double Big Gulp consumed. ^ :)

I've been waking up in the middle of the night & thirsty, but water doesn't do it. I drink Diet Squirt & it's fine. So I've actually taken to keeping d.s. by the bed instead of water. I have no idea why I'm craving d.s. or my body seems to settle down after it.

Cheers.