Alright, before anyone jumps on me about the lack of benefit from energy drinks, I just want to know opinions on weight gain with use of these "diet" energy drinks. For instance, the "Diet Rock Star" energy drink has "no sugar" in it. It's a "low-carb" version. I am not on a low-carb diet, but was wondering if drinking these would add additional inches to my favorite spare tire? It's more of a motivation drinking it, my friends always laugh at me because I have one before or after a race or long ride. They joke they are going to buy me a Rock Star jersey and I just received a lot of Rock Star stickers from them to put on my bike and in my garage (whether I will or not is yet to be determined). I'm 34, ride centuries and 24 Hour events, 6'3" 210lbs. and getting into Tri's for the first time this year (hopefully). I run for an hour at a time fairly regularly and have a good training base, though I have a fairly slow metabolism and have always had a hard time geting rid of the extra inches around the mid-section.
Any constructive opinions and tips would be kindly appreciated.
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Brian Teal

i would just use caffeine pills in moderation to get the same effect those expensive can drinks offer. i dont drink coffee and i dont drink any type of cola beverage. i drink lots of water as those caff pills are a diuretic.

I don't know if its just me, but drinking a rock star makes me sleepy and if it so happens I drink two in one day it will just knock me out cold. I actually drink one sometimes to help me fall asleep every now and then. Damn things are addicting, but they dont help me for anything except to spend on average $2.50 for each one.

Note to self: stop drinking rock stars or any energy drink.

It seems as though it is a concern of the price more than what it does to you nutrition-wise. I have a source for free Rock Stars (I do some work for someone who gives me as many as I want -- to an extent!)
THerefore, if I have one a day, I just don't want the pounds to pack on. They ARE addicting, and the shock value of always having one before one of our events and having everyone amp me up because of it, seems to help in performance, albeit is just a placebo effect.
So the question is, down to the point...
will they make me fat?

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Brian

if you are looking for energy why not just take a caffeine pill
they wont get you phat.

any excessive calories your body stores will turn to fat. burn it off and no fat.
basic in / out supply demand issue.

Except that the whole can is only 20 calories, and that is two servings. So 20 calories, no sugar, lots of vitamins ( I know, not the right "type" of vitamins), and lots of caffeine. They ARE addicting (if you like the taste) and give me the placebo effect of doing so much better after drinking one. I guess I'll drink in moderation, as with everything else in life...

Wow, an energy drink i have not heard of. Im used to red bull and i just tried that mountain doo amp stuff. Where do you get this drink? And is it carbonated?

Im not sure what is in it, but at only 20 calories, i dont think you have to worry about it making you fat. However, im guessing that there are artificial sweeteners in there since it is "diet" While it has not been proven, many suggest that artificial sweeteners promote appetite and may cause you to eat excess calories later.

I tried a Redline RTD by VPX about 2 weeks ago, now I am hooked! No calories, no sugars, no ephedra! All this stuff does is gives you energy like crazy! I gave my wife one to try Saturday, told her she may only want to drink half of it and like all good wives she didn't listen to me :cool: and drank the whole thing. She went out about 15 minutes later and ran 7 miles! Before you say only 7 miles, that is the farthest she has ever run! It is advertised as a "Fat Incinerator" and "the ultimate energy rush" they are right. It is a little pricey and not something I would drink everyday but for those days you feel sluggish its worth it!