I received an email from a local grocery store about the weekly e-coupons available. As usual, I took a glance at them although I rarely choose to apply any of the “deals” to my shoppers card. (Usually the coupons are for twinkies and extreme nacho cheese tortilla chips and baby wipes… things I don’t buy. Plus a topic that could get me going on a rant about the availability of processed foods vs. whole foods and that’s really not what this post is about.) One of the e-coupon options was to get a free bottle of Gatorade Perform with the purchase of Prime and Recovery. These were a new item to me, so I decided to check it out. I clicked the “Add Deal” button and the next time I was at the store, I picked up the trio.
The new Gatorade G Series was introduced this spring. It’s meant to be a whole system to take you from pre-workout all the way through your post-workout fueling.
The lineup starts with Prime, a 100 calorie drink in a 4-ounce pouch that is designed to be consumed 15 minutes before your workout. It contains carbohydrates to “kick start your muscles”, B-vitamins to “aid in energy metabolism” and electrolytes so “you can make a statement early”. Besides the fact that I have no idea what they mean by the “make a statement early” line (sarcasm alert!), the overall premise makes sense. The weird thing is that it comes in a pouch. It’s like you’re taking a giant gel… except that it’s liquid. They claim that it comes in this format so it is easy to stash in your locker, desk or purse. While I would prefer to drink from a bottle, I liked this. I can’t make a definitive claim one way or the other, but I felt like my 8 mile run the day I drank this was super easy, even though the sun was blazing full-force.
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The next level is Perform, the drink meant to be consumed during exercise. I’m not sure what I can say… I mean, it’s Gatorade or G2. I think most runners (and many couch potatoes) have consumed this regularly enough to know what it’s like.
The third step in the system is Recover. It contains 60 calories and 8 grams of protein in an 8 ounce serving, there are 2 servings in the bottle. It’s a whey protein, a milk-based protein, thus I usually avoid this. And once again, just like with the Cheribundi recovery drink I’m putting my intestinal fortitude on the line for this blog. Unlike the Cheribundi, I hated this. I drank one swallow and put the lid back on. It tasted intensely sweet and it felt like it coated my mouth when I drank it. I just wasn’t a fan of this and couldn’t swallow any more.
Interestingly enough, after I bought the G Series system and tried it out, I started seeing advertisements for it everywhere. I would consider buying the Prime option again. I occasionally drink G2 (I actually carried a packet of it with me in a half marathon, mixed it up part way through after mainly consuming nuun and the little carbohydrate hit was quite welcome). But the Recover drink isn’t for me. But it is definitely a good alternative for someone looking for recovery drink options that aren’t the standard chocolate/vanilla options and can tolerate whey… and enjoy the sweet flavor.
This review was sparked by my seeing a new product, interest in trying it out, buying it and subjecting myself to this test trial. No compensation or free product from anyone. And the line about the recovery drink being a good option for people looking for different flavors came from Lisa‘s comment on the Cheribundi post, it was a solid point.
Jill Will Run 
I’ve been running the “you can make a statement early” line over and over in my head, as it pertains to electrolytes. Still puzzled.
the “make a statement early” is a sports term, you step out on the field show them what u got, u “make a statement” kind of like intimedating the opposing team
I have to cut all my gatorade in half because I think it is too sweet.
i’ve seen these commercials a fair amount lately. appreciated your review! still not sure if i will try them out… guess it comes down to whether or not i ever find it 🙂 i mostly only drink gatorade (/other similar drinks) in the summer after a hot run.
Thanks for sharing this review. I have been using Acclerade for recovery, but I don’t really like the taste of it either. At the Music City Marathon I had Cytomax for the first time and really liked it. It is nice to have so many options available to account for our different tastes. I’ll certianly be trying the G2 series.
Like you, I had the same coupon for this G system. I tried it out last week during a mountain bike ride. I rode a trail that I’ve ridden many times before, so I know where I get fatigued & there’s a spot or two where I typically take a break & rest. I did notice a difference during and after the ride. I felt more energized during & less worn out afterward. I only took one short break instead of two. I want to test this again on the same trail to make sure I wasn’t just having a “good day”. Even if it does prove to enhance my performance, I doubt I’ll use it very often because the whole system costs about $8 (w/o the coupon). Maybe I’ll just try using the Prime or the Recover & see if I get the same effects. Just an FYI, I didn’t use Perform (the part you use during your exercise) while I was riding, but chugged both the Perform & the Recover after the ride. Prime tasted sweet, Perform tasted just like regular gatorade, & I agree with you about the Recover having a weird taste, but I was able to get it down.
When Lindsay and I were at the Boston Marathon expo, I think we tried that. Bill didn’t think it was too bad. I guess I’m used to whey proteiin (and I always drink that stuff through a straw because otherwise I don’t like the consistency), so it might not have bothered me. I’m anxious to try the Prime stuff you mentioned though. It didn’t cause you any problems, so that’s good.
yeah, the prime is WAY sweeter than I was expecting… definitely have to pour it in a glass with some water to get it down, otherwise I run feeling terrible. Can’t speak much for performance. It didn’t really help one way or the other for me.
listen here! vita coco is yummy in the tummy and so healthy for you! ima spinnster/mum/ yoggie and its a huge part of my healthy daily routine
Haha. Guys the make a statement early is like for example your playing basketball, you want to make a statement early like get on a fast break or something, we all know something like that take alot of energy. So this drink says it can help you with that….. It has nothing to do with running distance unless your a extremely talented and want to start of at a fast pace
We’re being sarcastic about that line… it’s just kind of a funny line.
why do you avoid whey protein? whey protein is the best protein you can take when you drink protein shakes and such
Whey is derived from milk… and I don’t do milk products.
If you don’t know what make a statement means then you obviously aren’t making any. Don’t worry about it. Leave it for the best.
Your comment indicates that you don’t understand sarcasm or that you’re just a jerk. Either way, you’re making a statement early too! Good job!
Thanks for the review! The tough thing for me is finding all 3 of the products in the same place. I have at different times had all 3, but never together lol The stage 1, I just picked up for $1.50, the stage 3 I once found for $1 at Wal-Mart but can’t find it anymore, and of course the regular stage 2 is everywhere.
I tried this gatorade energy drink twice. once before a workout and once before a race:
i tried this as a recommendation because i could not get over feeling groggy every time i’ve wanted to go for a run. this time, though, and i’m convinved it was the gatorade prime that did this, i was able to run past the exhaustion stage. it was amazing, i was breathing heavy and normally my legs would be giving out, but they were like on autopilot. i could push them to do whatever i wanted them to do. it was great
so i tried running the next week without the gatorade pack and see how i felt. i know i didn’t change anything up in my routine because i run for a collegiate team and our runs are predetermined. everytime i always hit that wall where i felt my legs were way too tired to keep running.
So when it finally came time for our first race i drank the prime and started running. no, i was flying. the only thing that kept me from running faster was my stomach, it was working so hard i wanted to puke. i guess i need to work on my abs a bit, but i got a great time and felt like nothing could tire out my legs.
i think i’m addicted.
I have been using prime for several months and it’s wonderful. I definitely notice a difference when I don’t use it (crash, fatigue…) I tried to use recover and thought it was the most awful drink ever. Way to sweet. Much sweeter than the prime which is almost syrupy.
I use the prime before i trail run and it works GREAT! I mean i have the energy to finish strong and i love the taste. I hope they continue to make it as time goes on. I have not tried the other G series products so i cannot comment on those. Use the prime if you workout.
Im drinking the recover as I write this. I dont think it tastes horrible but its definitely not enjoyable. I have still yet to try the prime. I can find all three at sports authority but its crazy expensive. The recover there costs 2.50
Good post. Thanks for the review and good luck with the running.
thank you for this review… i agree about the prime working well and about the whey protein because it always gives me gas and i guess it’s a slight intolerance to lactose based products but good luck with running, and go make a statement! haha
So, the Recover drink has a message that states: “Restore your body after what you just worked so hard at. And then go do it again.” I consumed this after a night of festive new years drinking.. Don’t think that’s the activity they had in mind with a statement like that, but I found it humorous.
Agreed that it’s overall taste is not the best: thick, syrupy, and sweet. I think I would prefer a traditional Gatorade, or a proper post workout product. Sounds like the Prime is favored and worth a try before biking or running. I’ll have to give that a shot, but don’t think I’ll be trying the Recover again anytime soon post work out (or bender)! 🙂
The hangover recovery usage is hilarious!
the recover tastes like pure vomit. i wanted to spew.
To be honest, I do not like sport drinks due to the taste. However, I cannot tell the different in taste of this Recovery series compare to the other series…..maybe due to my unique taste bug after vomiting. Like some athletic agree, the Recovery series does provide more energy after work out. It also good for patients on chemotheraphy. A social worker recommend me to try it after being treated by chemo drugs and radiation. It does help a little. It’s a little pricey. So there you go….another reason for some of you to try it out! Don’t give up hope….keep fighting strong! Good luck and best wishes to all of you.
I am not an avid runner, but I work out occassionally. I have tried all three of the G series, and liked them. I had no problem chugging down the “recovery” (although it didn’t taste WONDERFUL, it was tolerable.) And, of course, the “perform” is your run-of-the-mill gatorade. Right now, as I type this, I am drinking “prime” because I am about to mow a huge, steep, yard with a 25 year old push mower. It tastes pretty good. It’s kind of like drinking a melted popsicle because it’s so sweet. Hope it works!
The G3 Recovery by far tastes the worst. I can’t even explain the taste but it left a really nasty taste in my mouth, and it wasn’t from the sweetness. I felt like throwing up after one sip of that stuff. Unfortunately I bought 5 bottles of it not knowing that it would taste awful but luckily I got it on sale for a dollar each. I’ll just stick to my whey protein powder, which tastes a lot better and probably works better than Gatorade.
Wondering—does Jill get paid for doing this review?
Rod: No… Jill does not get paid for doing this review. In fact, this is something that I bought with my own money and did the review just out of fun. I am actually thinking that Gatorade should pay me for it (HA HA!) though, since it’s amazing how many people seem to stumble upon it!
Since when does any protein taste good. The cost isnt bad either. $1.00 at food lion. Low cal good electros and 16 grams of protein. If you get a protein shake from the gym its between $5 and $7. I say the G series is a good product and keeps me going when I usually feel like stopping. If you are hiking with a 60lb ruck for 4 to 20 miles this is a must product to use.
i came back since you re-linked… some interesting comments. i am so glad so many people helped you out and explained what “making a statement” was. 😉
Yeah, I needed help with that one!
I was so interested in the comments so I came back to read, like Lindsay. People are so crazy. Why do people make rude comments on blogs? it’s weird to me.
I don’t get it either… I’ve deleted the ones where people flat out called me names for either not liking or “not getting” the point of this. Seriously people? I mean… it’s a drink for crying out loud. And I think my sarcasm at points in the review is pretty obvious, but maybe not to some!
Gatorade is much too sweet for me. I use Epic H2O. It’s a good tasting recovery product that is 100% natural. It was created by a nutritional biochemist who knows what is needed for muscle recovery after exercise or activity. Contains glucose, (no fructose), proprietary blend of branch chain amino acids, to aid in muscle resynthesis , B vitamins, antioxidants,and electrolytes. Google it to find out about it.
I haven’t read all of the postings (so someone may have mentioned this) but I did want to let everyone know that all three of these products are gluten free. To me that is huge since I have Celiacs disease. I won’t try the Recovery drink until tomorrow but it would have to be really bad for me not to drink it. A lot of recovery drinks do have gluten in them so this one stands out to me. And with all three on sale for a dollar a piece; hard to pass up.
Thanks.
You’re right about the importance of finding something that works with your dietary needs. I hope this whole system works for you since it is gluten-free. And when they’re on sale, you’re right… hard to pass up!
At the commisary on the military base they sell all three of the series for 79 cents each. I’m doing the Insanity program and bought some Recovery drinks for post workout, since they’re cheap. I haven’t tried it yet.
I’ve used Prime in the past before a long run and I love it.
Gatorade
You have many smart people on your staff and you have good marketing people please do not try to tell me that you actually thought this tasted Good or even Great. Also you are well aware that too much sugar is not a good thing. After a hard work out we need something with QUALITY in it not crap. Come on get to work and get something that will do its job. I would spend more money per bottle if it was first rate. Stand above get it done and put something out there that really is a GREAT Recovery drink. I also do not think 16 grams of protein is enough but that is just me so……lets go no more hype just real quality for real athletes like us.
Thank you
Scott
Nice response… If only people at Gatorade paid attention to the ‘little people’ like us!
Funny you should mention that Gatorade should listen to the little people. I happen to work for the Gatorade division which is owned by PepsiCo. We take great pride in bottling our product and have biweekly meetings to be address customer complaints. We at the Tolleson, AZ plant have won many awards to keep u the consumer safe and satisfied. So please note Gatorade is a sports drink designed to rehydrate not comsume like water and although impossible to satisfy everyone’s taste we do listen. Thank you all.
Your reply about taking pride in acknowledging what people have to say is immediately contradicted when you try to tell me what Gatorade is for. I’m well aware of the purpose and it is pretty obvious in this post. As well as several comments. And much of the site.
In my post I mention we take pride in BOTTLING Our product so u the consumer is safe and satisfied. Then I mentioned we hold biweekly meetings to address consumer complaints. The reply was to inform that the Gatorade division listens and addressss its consumer complaints. I feel you took the reply in a new direction by stating that the post was contradicting. I don’t see how taking pride in our bottling processes and replying to you about your belief that “Gatorade” should listen to you. Well I brought your statement and those of some followers up in our site meeting. R&D will receive your beliefs that the recovery is a bit over sweet. And the closing statement was a simple note not an insult to your knowledge of the product and its intentions. Again an associate of Gatorade in Tolleson AZ plant 410 has listened and has expressed your concerns of not just your distaste but of some of your followers. Again thank you all.
I’m sorry if I misinterpreted and I appreciate your clarification. Thank you for taking the time to note the comments that I and others have made over the years and actually acknowledging us! I get on the defensive with this post as people have made some mean comments over the years. I don’t know what it is on this post over others that makes people so agitated!
The thank you belongs to you and all our sonsumers. The ones who purchase the Gatorade brand. We as associates are well aware our products are by far from the cheapest sports drinks options. We also know that keeping the consumer coming back keeps us employed and a step ahead of our competitors. The retail stores are our customers and they are very important to us BUT we wouldn’t be the brand we are without you Jill and the rest of our consumers. So again the real thank you goes to you for being honest about your concerns of our products and what changes you may want to see or us to meet. So a sincere thank you Jill and everyone who trys and consumes the Gatorade brands.
Thank you……..