If your making your way to the gym or pulling out your mat to do your favorite at-home workout, might as well make the best out of it, right? Don't ruin all your hard work by not providing your body with the right nutrition. Here are some amazing pre-workout snacks to help you get the best results.
The consultant nutritionist to KIND snacks, Azmina Govindji, recommends avoiding becoming too hungry. "Filling up on nutritious snacks that are high in protein and fiber can help you feel fuller for longer in-between meals and control hunger pre-workout," she explained. Eating a protein bar or nuts will help curb cravings later on and ultimately stop you from over-indulging on more unhealthy snacks. Rather than a carb-heavy snack, Govindiji suggests opting for more protein-packed options because it will give you strength. "Research suggests high protein foods fill you up more than carbs or fatty foods, but you probably already knew that," she shared. Things like edamame beans, hummus, veggies, greek yogurt, or some popcorn are good go-to's.
Don't focus too much on calorie intake; feed your muscles with the vitamins and minerals it needs to work effectively. Govindiji explained, "Nutrient-dense snacks are foods that give you more nutrients per calorie compared to others. A bowl of whole-grain cereal, for example, gives you about 250 calories, and it brings along fiber, vitamins, and minerals, as well as calcium and protein from the milk. An average chocolate bar has the equivalent of 250 calories but doesn't carry nutritional goodness."
But, that doesn't mean completely cutting out all other food groups, like fat or carbs. "Snacks such as avocados, olive oil, nuts, and fish are high in the good kind of fats, which mean a small amount pre-workout is great to keep you full and keep your muscles working," said the award-winning nutritionist. We often hear it's best to eat complex carbs when trying to be our healthiest, which is true for a post-workout meal because they take longer to digest and keep you full longer. For a pre-workout option, a simple carb is the way to go. Our digestive system works faster on simple carbohydrates, like rice cakes, crackers, oatmeal. It's just enough to keep us going, but not too much where our stomachs feel stuffed.
So, when exactly is the best time to eat these yummy, nutritious snacks? Thirty minutes to an hour before you are ready to train those muscles. Good luck and happy eating!
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