[TarekElsakka]

Hey there,

So I have recently subscribed to Gold's Gym in order to do cardio and burn some fat. I don't really eat a lot per day and I know that I need energy for the gym, and that is why I tend to drink a can of Red Bull around an hour before I go to the gym.

When I first entered Gold's Gym, I had a session with the coach where he would measure my body composition and stuff, and it turns out that I need to lose 7 kilograms in order to become fit and muscular. My body fat percentage is just a tad higher than my muscle mass percentage, which kind of worries me.

I jog and run on the treadmill, cycle, etc. and use weightlifting as a means of burning the fat rather than bulking up, meaning I use low weights and do super sets (with around 10 - 15 seconds break between each).

To be specific, I walk for 4 minutes, then jog for 20 minutes on 6.0 speed, run for 5 minutes on 7.5, and then walk again for 3 minutes. Then I cycle for about 10 minutes with low resistance since I'm already tired by then. Then I hit the weights, low weights as I said, in order to burn fats.

My question is, is drinking Red Bull wrong for a diabetic? I've heard that it's wrong because it has around 80gms of caffeine in it, although it only has like 28 carbs, which I can live with. And if it is, what is a good substitute that will give me energy so I can jog and run longer without getting tired instantaneously? I heard bananas are good, but I do believe they contain a lot of sugars. Not sure.

I've also been told, not by the coach but by others, that after I lose the weight, I'm required to eat a lot of proteins in order to grow muscles. But the problem is that meat, chicken, etc. also contain fats, which I want to be trying to avoid. There are supplements like this (100% Whey Gold Standard) that will give me sufficient proteins as well as a very low percentage of fat. But since I know that my body still needs an amount of fats per week, I'll probably eat a meal containing it like once or twice a week.

Any information is appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

 

[jwags]

I have never used Red Bull, but I would think they are fast acting carbs which may spike you quickly. When I go to exercise I use a protein smoothie or a low carb protein bar, instead. I think you have to know how you react to exercise and eat enough carbs to sustain you without going too high or low.

 

[ecal]

Don't they make a 'Diet' Red Bull?

I'm pretty anti-Red Bull. Heart-attack-in-a-can. I'm no expert, but I would think it would be bad for you in terms of using it to fuel a workout. The massive amounts of caffeine will raise your heart rate significantly before you even start your cardio workout which will also raise your heart rate even more. Sounds dangerous to me, especially if you might have a heart condition that you do not know about. Once the Red Bull wears off, I'd expect you are going to crash...hard, if you are doing an intense workout. Plus caffeine will dehydrate you. I'm not familiar with any supplements...I say just grab some bottled water and hop on the machine. Push your body to its natural limits, rather than to the energy drink's limits.

Just my opinion.

 

[Adjitater]

Gateraide is a much better choice than Red Bull. It is not so hard on your kidneys and liver as Red Bull is.

 

[TarekElsakka]

Thank you, guys. I'm going to stop drinking it since it did spike me. Around an hour and a half after the exercise, my sugar level was 230mg because of it.

I'm going to try exercising naturally by eating well, but if I feel like my performance is getting worse, I'll try a low carb protein bar or maybe the Gateraide, whatever works for me without spiking my sugar level.

Thank you again.

 

[Adjitater]

Do you pump or do injections.

 

[TarekElsakka]

I do injections, unfortunately. Sorry it took me a couple of days to reply, I didn't get any email notifications and didn't check the forum.

I am actually very, very interesting in the pump and so are my parents. I am willing to give it a test run and they are encouraging me. I believe anything is better than injections, even though I've been taking them since I was 4, but you know, change isn't always bad.

I am looking for a pump that is small and handy, though, not that MP3 player looking one. I don't want it to really stick out under my shirts/tshirts, because I usually wear slim fit ones.

 

[Adjitater]

There are numerous in which you can wear one. The Omnipods are a pump that is stuck on with no tubing and you use the meter as the remote. Other people will use an elastic belt under there shirt and I know women that just clip it inside thier bra. Where you wear is really up to you and the posibilities are endless.