Do you need power drinks and energy bars? No. I'm not sure if that is surprising or not. I used to work at a gas station many years ago. I used to see people getting these drinks all the time. Most of them were fat guys who were also getting a hot dog to eat while they nuke their hamburger. We all know about some of those second rate food items at the gas station.

I'd say that 95% percent of people buying these drinks were men who were overweight. I'm not sure why that is really. I think it has something to do with them seeing sports stars drink it on television. Certainly, they aren't drinking it to loose weight or to be more active. I'd say the same is true if you want to eat the energy bars. I mean, if you aren't going to use them for energy to work out with, it is all a waste. You should spend the money on more important things.

Why do fat guys eat this stuff? Ahhh, the power of marketing. I really think that is all that it boils down to. They respond to the marketing that they see. They see people that they look up to eating and drinking these things, so they feel if they consume them they will be just like their favorite sports hero. Now, if on the other hand you do work out, these can be a great tool for you use. Did you know that you shouldn't eat for up to two hours before you work out? Did you know that it takes at least 30 minutes to one hour for a snack to digest? This is where the energy bars come in handy. They are something small that your body can digest and you won't even notice your body doing any of the work. Eat one an hour before you go into the gym. You will notice how you don't get hungry while you are working out.

For about every half hour you plan on working out, drink about 16 oz of sports drink. That is a good rule of thumb. It takes about 40 minutes to absorb this, so drink it before you work out. If you are the average Joe who doesn't work out but use these for energy, let me tell you something. You are wasting your money. That is all that you are doing. You aren't getting any real benefit from these things. Sure you might be getting some energy here and there, but it is all a waste of money. You can gain the same amount of energy with a good diet. Take all of that money you are spending on this stuff and put it to good use. Save it up for a month and take your woman out to eat or some place fun. You will get more out of it that way than if you spent it on this junk.

Why am I talking about these things in such a negative manner? Because I hate to see people fall to the hype of marketing. That is why. You don't need this stuff. You need this stuff as much as you need a star named after you. Did you know that you can name a star after yourself for 40 dollars? You will never get to go there or even get a piece of the rock that makes it, but you can have it named after you. It is all a waste of money. Give that money to some charity that feeds the needy. They need the food more than you need an energy bar. I mean, why do you really need the energy anyway? Because you have filled up on sweets and burnt yourself out?

Instead you should focus on a healthy diet. That includes snacks of fresh fruit and veggies. That will give you energy and won't rob your wallet. Make sure that you are eating right and you are getting enough rest at night. There is no need to waste money on snake oil.