5 Pre-Workout Snacks To Get The Most Out Of Your Fitness!

Working out on an empty stomach is not advised if you want to achieve your fitness goals. The mind and body need fuel to function efficiently. If you don’t provide your body with the energy it requires, you won’t be able to work and will likely fade throughout the day.

An empty stomach will only do your workouts harm. Provide yourself with the right foods before a workout; however, it must be the right foods. You can’t just have a chocolate bar before your workout and believe it will provide your body with the correct nutrients. You need to have nutrient-dense foods before your workout.

There are many different types of foods that you can have before a workout, including these five pre-workout snacks that we recommend for everyone. Let’s take a look at the pre-workout foods that are best before your gym session.

Banana Smoothie

The first on the list is a banana smoothie, and these are packed with nutrients that are essential for your body. For example, the average-sized banana contains around 450 mg of potassium, 3 grams of fibre, 1 gram of protein, 28 grams of carbohydrates and 15 grams of natural sugars. A banana is only 110 calories which isn’t too much, and an essential ingredient for many smoothies.

There are many positives to a banana as well. Potassium is an excellent mineral for helping muscle and nerve function, providing the right energy to keep you fuelled throughout your workout.

If that isn’t enough calories, then add some rolled-up oats. Oats will make it thicker, so you will need to add a liquid. A cup of whole milk would be the perfect fluid to add. If you want something lighter, choose almond milk instead. Not to mention milk is also filled with healthy nutrients that the body needs.

Adding chia or sunflower seeds is excellent for more protein to your smoothie. Plus, it can also add extra calories to the smoothie if you want to do so.

Sweet Potato Chaat

This is another food that provides your body with the appropriate nutrients to fuel your body. A common mistake that people make when swapping white potatoes with sweet potatoes is that they have the same amount.

Sweet potato is one of the best forms of carbohydrates. If you want fries with your dinner, choose to have homemade sweet potato fries. Sweet potato should now be the substitute as it is much healthier and packs healthier nutrients than white potatoes.

The reason why they were good is because it slowly releases energy into your body during the workout. This is great for activities that will burn many calories. However, you don’t want to consume too much because they are packed with calories.

Banana and A Black Coffee

Another great pre-workout snack is black coffee and banana. This is a great workout snack because the caffeine helps boost exercise performance, giving you anaerobic power, enhancing strength, and improving aerobic endurance. Not to mention it supports muscle endurance as well.

As mentioned before, bananas are great for your pre-workout because of the nutrients they are filled with. Furthermore, electrolytes deplete from your body when you sweat. Potassium is an electrolyte, so a banana fuels you with it for your workout.

A Glass of Coconut Water

Next on the list is coconut water. This is the perfect pre-workout snack for those that don’t want to eat something substantial. Some people eat food before a workout because they feel lethargic when exercising and want to throw up. If that is you, a glass of coconut water would be a great alternative. There are many health benefits to coconut water as well.

Firstly, coconut water is a good source of several nutrients. It contains very little fat and is mostly water. However, a cup of coconut water contains 60 calories. This includes 15 grams of carbohydrates and 8 grams of sugar. It also contains calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.

Coconut Water is also believed to help with athletic performance. The reason why is that it contains sodium and potassium. Two essential ingredients in sports drinks. Its high volume of carbohydrates is also significant for your workout. Furthermore, its high electrolyte content makes it a great post-workout drink for your body.

Whole Grain Bread With Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is another fantastic food for the body. That includes pre-workout and post-workout meals. Some people believe peanut butter isn’t healthy because it contains saturated fat. That is not the case. One tablespoon of peanut butter has 3.3 grams of saturated fat and 12.3 grams of unsaturated fat. It also includes other good nutrients such as iron, selenium, vitamin B6, Iron, Magnesium and vitamin E.

Why whole-grain bread? Well, whole grain bread is full of nutrients, much more than white bread. Additionally, whole-grain foods are rich in protein, which is an essential nutrient for muscle repair. It is also rich in fibre, B vitamins and other nutrients our body needs.

Summary

It would help to have a pre-and post-workout snack to achieve your fitness goals. The pre-workout snack is to provide fuel for your body throughout the workout. Your post-workout snack should give you the nutrients your body burns during a workout. So, get your favourite men’s or women’s gym wear and get some gains.

FAQs

1. Why Is It Important To Have A Pre-Workout Snack?

Eating food before your workout is essential because your body needs fuel. Think about it; your car won’t go anywhere without power. The same goes for your body. Furthermore, you must fill up your vehicle with the correct energy to work efficiently. Again, the same goes for your body. You need the right foods for your pre-workout to ensure your body operates efficiently for your workout.

2. How Many Calories Should Be Consumed For Your Pre-Workout?

Many factors dictate how many calories you consume before your workout. One of those factors is how long you have your pre-workout snack before your session. The later you have your food, the less calories you need. It would help if you also considered the workout you are having. If you know you will burn many calories, you will need more food. Ideally, you should aim for around 150 to 300 calories for your pre-workout to work efficiently.

3. What Are The Benefits Of A Pre-Workout Snack?

There are numerous benefits of consuming a pre-workout snack before your workout. However, it must be the appropriate pre-workout snack for your body to work efficiently. The type of pre-workout food you have is healthy carbohydrates, fats and proteins to provide you with long-lasting energy.

Carbohydrates are one of the primary sources of fuel for our body. If we don’t have enough carbohydrates, our bodies will be tired and struggle to function efficiently. Additionally, it triggers the body’s metabolism, releasing energy to your working muscle during your workout.

Fats are also great as they release much energy per unit of time. This is good for workouts that require short bursts of energy, such as sprinting or a HIIT workout.

The reason why our body needs protein is that it repairs any damaged muscle tissue after a workout. It also supports muscle growth after. If you don’t have enough protein in your body, it will cause you to burn the muscle you have. Therefore, it will delay muscle growth and means they won’t repair as quickly.