🍎What To Eat Before A Workout + 10 Perfect Pre-Workout Snacks! Awesome!🍎

1. Eat a small (100- to 200-calorie) snack about 30 minutes before you work out. This snack should include fast-digesting (high glycemic index) carbohydrates and very little fat (which digests slowly), so that you digest the meal quickly and the fuel is available during your exercise session. Here are some ideas:

Fruit juice Fruit smoothie High-glycemic fruits like pineapple, apricots, banana, mango, and watermelon Sports drinks Pretzels or bagels (but not whole grain varieties, which digest slowly) Energy bars (look for 3-5 grams of protein, at least 15 grams of carbs, and very little fat)

2. Eat a nutritionally balanced meal 1-2 hours before your exercise. This is the best option for many people. The larger the meal, and the more fat and protein it contains, the longer you may need to wait before exercising. Ideally, try to eat enough calories to equal about half the calories you expect to burn during your upcoming workout. So if you burn about 600 calories during your workout, aim for at least 300 calories during this meal — or a little more if your exercise is “high intensity” (over 75% of your maximum heart rate).

At least 50-60% of these calories should come from carbohydrates, which should keep your blood sugar and energy levels fairly stable during your exercise session. Include some protein to help prevent the breakdown of muscle for fuel and give your muscles a headstart on recovery after exercise. Some good food choices and combinations for this kind of meal include:

Fruit and yogurt Nuts Oatmeal Cereals (with more than 3 grams of fiber) and milk Trail mix with nuts and dried fruit Hummus and raw veggies Hard boiled eggs (or egg whites) Cottage cheese and fruit Half a peanut butter or turkey/chicken sandwich on whole grain bread Whole grain crackers with nut butter or cheese Whole grain fig (or fruit) Newton cookies Milk (especially chocolate milk) Tomato or vegetable juice Yogurt smoothie (with added protein powder, if desired) Most protein/energy bars