You Are What You Eat: 16 Best Pre-Workout Snacks

The most significant meal of the day for some people is breakfast. Yet for those who fit an exercise into their daily schedule, a pre-workout snack can be even more crucial. (Excuse me, cereal mascots.)

In order to avoid hunger, improve performance, and prevent bonking, we consulted sports dietitian and exercise physiologist Bob Seebohar, MS, RDN, CSSD, CSCS, for advice on the ideal macronutrient ratio and the ideal time to eat snacks.

Also, to keep you going strong, we've included 16 suggestions for pre-workout meals, ranging from breakfast-like alternatives to keto and high protein muscle-building snacks.

So let's get started. To find out whether diving requires a pre-workout food first, we will go ask Seebohar. BRB.

How to fuel up for exercise

Balance is the key. Your pre-workout snack should ideally include a good ratio of carbohydrates, fat, and protein. This is why:

• Carbs. All carbohydrates decompose into glucose, a kind of sugar your body may utilize as fuel. And having some on hand from a pre-workout snack may make you feel more energised or improve your performance. Whole-grain crackers, half a sweet potato, yogurt, fruit, or whole-grain toast are a few examples of appropriate carbohydrate choices for pre-workout munching.
• Protein. The building blocks of muscles are protein. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and your body also utilizes them to create new proteins (for example, muscle tissue). Since protein takes longer for your body to digest than carbohydrates, it may help you feel fuller for a little longer. Greek yogurt, protein powder, egg whites, nuts and seeds, nut butter, or any leftover grilled chicken from last night's meal are all excellent sources of protein before working out.
• Fat. You may skip the pre-workout carb if you're on the keto diet since your body can utilize dietary fat for energy by turning it into ketones. Avocado, egg yolks, nuts and seeds, nut butter, and full-fat dairy products are all excellent sources of fat (like yogurt or cottage cheese).

When to eat before to exercising

Not only in the gym, the body heals and grows muscle all the time. The body can get the nourishment it needs to grow muscle, burn fat, and recover as best it can with the help of strategically planned snacks. Here are some broad suggestions about timing:

Seebohar advises getting a snack 45–60 minutes before your activity if you want to eat before working out or if it will take longer than an hour.

If you're serious about building muscle: According to some studies, a high-protein snack eaten before working out may be just as good in fostering muscle development as a high-protein snack eaten after working out. Hence, if building muscle is your aim, you may want to have a protein-rich snack just before doing out.

If you're planning a lengthy, endurance event (such as a half-marathon or marathon): You're going to want to concentrate more on carbohydrates, and you may want to start increasing your carb consumption 48 hours before to your event.

A CSSD (Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics), such as Seebohar, is a great resource if you're unsure of exactly what to eat and when to consume it for the kind of activity you perform.

How much food to consume before exercising

You really don't need to eat much to work out for 60 minutes or less, according to Seebohar, so keep these in mind for your longer sweat sessions. Of course, everyone's dietary tastes and needs change based on their objectives and activities.

But, he advises a tiny snack if you're going to be working out vigorously, such as a palm-sized meal of carbohydrates, a half-palm of protein, or a quarter-palm of fat. And sure, we're referring about the palm on your hand, not the tree, although who among us hasn't wished to devour a portion of carbohydrates the size of a palm tree at some point?

The ideal pre-workout foods to eat 30 minutes before to your exercise

Oops. Did you just glance at your watch and realize that you don't have enough time to wait until after munching for a complete 45 to 60 minutes before beginning your workout? Not to worry. These are three healthy, light snacks that won't make your stomach feel like a brick:

Fresh strawberry and cottage cheese parfait

This little yet opulent parfait has a generous amount of fresh strawberries, a small amount of yogurt and cottage cheese, and a garnish of almonds for lasting strength. Each meal also includes half a cup of whole-grain cereal for an additional little carbohydrate boost.

energy bites with apple and peanut butter

With raisins and chia seeds, the traditional apple and peanut butter combination is improved. Skip the frills and simply grab an apple with peanut butter if you're in a hurry. Consider keeping some travel-sized containers of almond or peanut butter in your gym bag so you may snack on them on the way to your indoor cycling session.

homemade energy bars with apricots and almonds

Make these homemade energy bars if you have some free time, and save the excess for later. This no-bake dish just requires a food processor and a few ingredients.

Lacking time? Store-bought bars with premium ingredients and a 1:1 or 2:1 carb-to-protein ratio (i.e., search for 10 to 20 grams of carbohydrates and 10 grams of protein) should be stocked up on, advises Seebohar. RXBAR, which puts its contents directly on the front of the package, is one of our faves.

Best pre-workout foods for building muscle

Trying to gain? These snacks provide an immediate protein boost for optimum muscle building.

omelet with peppers, cheese, and baked broccoli

One of our favorite meals to eat any time of the day is an omelet. You may stuff them full of your favorite vegetables and, because you're exercising, indulge in full-fat cheese. You may prepare these in a muffin pan if you want, but the baked method makes it simple to dish out snack servings. (A serving has 21 grams of protein, making it the ideal muscle fuel.)

Mocha almond-coconut smoothie

We adore smoothies, but coffee comes first. Both are combined in this dish. It's ideal for a morning exercise since the caffeine boost will get you energized before you go to the gym. And it will provide your body with everything it needs to build new muscle when combined with a scoop (or two) of your favorite protein powder.

best energy snacks before a workout

These carb-heavy snacks provide balanced, easily digestible carbohydrates for energy.

Yogurt, fruit, and granola parfait with berries

Greek yogurt, granola, and berries make up this simple, but elegant-sounding parfait that will give you more energy in only three minutes.

Toast with avocado and hard-boiled eggs

Avocado toast always works. When you're more hungry, try this pre-workout variation and top it with a hard-boiled (or fried) egg for more protein. There are many ways to get creative with this, but we really like this traditional combination before a morning run.

oatmeal rich in protein

While oats are a traditional breakfast food, you may try this recipe as an afternoon snack if you don't want to clean up a pot before going to the gym in the morning. The recipe makes plenty for two people, but we advise cutting it into three parts and freezing the excess for snack-size meals.

Pre-workout foods to eat to lose weight

You should choose a protein-rich snack for weight reduction that is nonetheless somewhat low in calories (to assist keep you content and full). Here are a few.

almond butter on rice cakes

This is a terrific way to get your nut-butter snack in while adding nutritious carbohydrates to keep you going if you can't eat gluten or are simply not a huge fan of bread. Also, rice cakes last longer than bread before going bad, so you can always have a box on hand in your cupboard. Also, this healthy snack has less than 140 calories.

Greek yogurt chicken salad with tzatziki

Prepare a quick batch of this chicken salad for a snack, tuck half of it into a pita pocket, and use the rest for lunch or supper. Your pre-workout dish should be wrapped in a big lettuce leaf rather than pita if you want to keep the calories under 150.

optimum keto pre-workout foods

These low-carb snacks are the fat bomb, that is, they are the bomb. They have extremely little carbohydrates and a lot of fat.

Avocados packed with BLTs

Avocados are delicious. BLT-stuffed avocados are even better since they include some of the most mouthwatering keto-friendly ingredients. If you want an added protein boost, swap mayo with full-fat Greek yogurt.

Avocado and turkey wrap

While a wrap may seem like a full meal, this little version is the ideal size for a snack before exercise. The "wrap," which is gluten-free, is just turkey wrapped around some avocado with some carrot shreds for texture. It's the ideal snack for using up leftovers from your refrigerator, and it's also very low in carbohydrates.