If you’re trying to lose fat by exercising then avoid sports drinks if you’ll be exercising for less than an hour.  Popular sports drinks contain about the same number of calories as you’ll burn off in a typical moderate intensity exercise session. And, taking in extra carbs discourages your body from burning fat to fuel your exercise and recovery. If you want a little performance boost then just swilling and spitting a sports drink has been shown to trick your body into working a bit harder – but without it actually taking in extra calories.