In early June, I passed by my gym’s vending machine as a woman in tennis attire was looking at its contents and commented, “There is nothing in here that someone would want to have after a workout,” a statement that I am going to challenge.
Before I get to that though, remember that the vending machine serves more than just the individuals who are done exercising. Administrators, trainers, lifeguards, daycare center staff, custodians, contractors, spectators, parents, children, and members (before, during, and after exercise) all utilize the vending machine. Offering a wide variety of options makes sense because of the wide variety of people making purchases and their wide variety of preferences, needs, and circumstances.
Now, let’s consider the woman’s assertion, “There is nothing in here that someone would want to have after a workout,” which is factually incorrect. But I will go further than that and make the case for why each of the vending machine’s options could appeal to someone after a workout.
The Concentrated Proteins
My clinical experience as well as conversations I have overheard in gyms suggest that when people think about post-exercise nutrition, protein is the nutrient that most commonly comes to mind, and legitimately so. Physical activity can break down soft tissue, and protein is important in the repair process. Our bodies are particularly efficient at utilizing protein if we ingest it within approximately 30-60 minutes of finishing an exercise bout.
Dedicating four slots to fairlife nutrition plan chocolate shakes hints at this drink’s popularity. Chocolate milk is one of those stereotypical recovery foods often mentioned in nutrition schools and locker rooms, so I can understand the demand for this beverage, which is essentially just fortified milk. In addition to providing 30 grams of protein, these shakes also help to replenish fluids lost during exercise.
As for some of the other options, Jack Link’s Beef Jerky Teriyaki delivers 14 grams of protein with a taste and texture profile that some might find more pleasing than a sweet protein shake. Those looking for protein in a sweet and solid food option might enjoy the Quest Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter Cookie or the Quest Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bar, which provide 15 grams and 21 grams, respectively, of protein. The erythritol content in the latter two products might scare some people away, as it can have a laxative effect, but others might find it beneficial in maintaining their gastrointestinal regularity. Those looking for a salty and crunchy experience might like the Quest Nacho Cheese Tortilla Style Protein Chips.
Joanne thought I was joking when I told her about Protein2O, but protein-fortified water, as fake as it sounds, actually exists, and those who find clear liquids more appealing or agreeable might find this option helpful.
The Water
Speaking of water, we lose it not just through sweat, but also through evaporation from our skin and in the breath we expel, so we need to rehydrate. Many gyms have water fountains, and this particular gym also offers free cups and a water dispenser, but people who prefer bottled water for one reason or another can buy Poland Spring from this vending machine.
The Electrolyte Drinks
When we sweat, we also lose electrolytes, namely sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Some of us lose electrolytes more readily than others do, and if you find streaks of fine white crystals dried to your skin or clothing after a bout of exercise, you are probably among the former rather than the latter. Beverages that are fortified with electrolytes can be helpful replenishment tools, and this vending machine offers three of them: Vita Coco coconut water, Gatorade, and Gatorade Zero.
The “Energy” Drinks
Early in nutrition school, I had a professor who used to rail against the myth that “energy” drinks provide energy. Carbohydrate, protein, fat, and alcohol are the only nutrients that provide energy, whereas vitamins, minerals, and water do not. We see evidence of this by looking at nutrition labels. Calories are a measure of energy, so if a food contains very few or zero calories, then that food is going to provide very little or no energy, respectively. Regarding the “energy” drinks in this vending machine, the bottle of Gatorade Propel has no calories, thus provides no energy, and Celsius Kiwi Guava and Monster Energy Zero Ultra contain 10 calories per can, which means they provide the same energy as consuming a couple of peanuts.
In fairness, these “energy” drinks do provide various B vitamins, which act as cofactors in various metabolic processes, and we might feel tired if we are deficient in one or more of these vitamins because said processes are not working properly, but the vitamins themselves are not actually providing any energy.
So, why might someone want to choose one of these drinks after a workout? Well, they do contain water, and as previously discussed, we do need to rehydrate after exercise. Beyond that, some also contain caffeine, and just as some people include coffee, black tea, or Mountain Dew in their mornings because of their caffeine content, they might want to grab one of these “energy” drinks for the same reason.
The Other Sugar-Sweetened Drinks
Capri Sun Fruit Punch, Vitamin Water Energy Tropical Citrus, and BodyArmor Fruit Punch Super Drink are all sugar-sweetened beverages that provide carbohydrates (Hence, they are actual energy drinks!) and water. Just as protein is helpful for rebuilding tissue after an exercise bout, carbohydrates allow our bodies to replenish the glycogen – the storage form of carbohydrate that we stash away in our muscles and liver – which we deplete through physical activity.
Sugar is the simplest, and therefore the most quickly absorbed, form of carbohydrate, and someone feeling a bit hypoglycemic after a workout might find these drinks helpful.
The Fruits
Some people prefer to get their carbohydrates from fruits, and this vending machine provides three such options: Juicy Juice 100% Juice Fruit Punch, GoGo Squeez Apple Apple applesauce, and Once Upon A Farm Fruit & Veggie Blend puree. Even though the latter two are semi-solid foods that could be eaten with a spoon, they come in squeeze pouches that enable on-the-go consumption. The puree is the vending machine’s only organic option, which is an important factor for some people.
The Gummy Candies
Sometimes when I talk about intuitive eating with a patient, we talk about a hunger-fullness continuum that ranges from extreme hunger to extreme fullness. These two end points are generally similar in the sense that an individual in either state is feeling very unwell, but they are also more specifically similar in terms of some of their symptoms, including nausea and feeling too sick to eat. At the extreme end of fullness, the reason for these symptoms is probably obvious, while hypoglycemia is the driver at the opposite end of the spectrum.
As someone who has been hypoglycemic and totally depleted at the end of various marathons and training runs, I know how important it can be to rapidly raise blood sugar after exercise. Similar to sugar-sweetened beverages, the gummy candies – Nerds Gummy Clusters, Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish Mini, and Haribo Goldbears – found in the vending machine can quickly raise blood sugar due to the absence of nutrients like protein, fat, or fiber that could slow the absorption of simple sugar.
The Chocolate Candies
Like the aforementioned gummy candies, Twix, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and Peanut M&M’s contain plenty of simple sugar, but these chocolate candies also provide fat and a small amount of protein, which means they are less suited for hypoglycemia. Still, our bodies will digest and absorb these options fairly quickly, which means they could work well as post-workout snacks to tide someone over until they get to eat something more substantial.
The Pastries
The Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookies and Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies provide sweetness and recovery carbohydrates in a crunchy and easy-to-share format. The Duchess Jumbo Glazed Honey Bun contains more energy than perhaps anything else in the vending machine, which is neither a good nor a bad thing, but rather just a distinction. People looking for a sweet and substantial source of quick energy may find this fits the bill and hits the spot. We can think of the Hostess Cupcake as sort of a smaller version of the Honey Bun, but with a different taste profile.
The Semi-Sweet Snacks
Still sugary but not quite as sweet as the pastries and candies, the Lance Toast Chee Peanut Butter Crackers, Goldfish Vanilla Cupcake Grahams, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch represent yet more recovery carbohydrate options.
The Salty Snacks
Lastly, leaving sweetness behind, the vending machine provides several salty snacks: Lay’s Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips, Snack Factory Deli Style Garlic Parmesan Pretzel Crisps, Cheez-It Original Baked Snack Crackers, Pirate’s Booty Aged White Cheddar Rice & Corn Puffs, Cheetos Crunchy Cheese Flavored Snacks, popchips BBQ Popped Potato Snack, Veggie Straws, and Pringles. The latter two are stocked in various flavors, so a potential buyer is at the mercy of whichever variety happens to be at the front of the row at any given time. In addition to providing recovery carbohydrates, these salty snacks also help to replenish sodium lost in sweat. Some of them, such as the Lay’s Potato Chips, also contain a substantial amount of potassium. The Rice & Corn Puffs represent a gluten-free option.
Summary
As you read about these foods and drinks, you probably noticed that the available options include quite a bit of nutritional redundancy. Yet, as similar as some of these products are to each other, they are all different. Each one provides a unique combination of nutrition, taste, texture, and color. Personal preference is always important, and those of us well-versed in intuitive eating know that our bodies are good at guiding us to the option that is going to hit the spot at any given time.
With respect to the woman whose overheard comment inspired this piece, all of the vending machine’s items are valid as post-exercise options in their own ways, and when I look at the photo that I took of the choices, I see a machine filled with foods and drinks that someone would want to have after a workout.