5 Pre-Workout Snacks To Eat For Best Results From Your Workout

Food is the fuel to our body and as nature has designed it, our body needs timely fuel to perform at its best – exactly what we need when we work out.

This makes it imperative to have a nutritious snack before you head to the gym or even for a brisk walk.

Table of Contents

• Why is a Pre-workout Meal Important?
• 5 Super Easy Pre Workout Snacks
• 3 Crucial Nutrients in a Balanced Pre Workout Snack
• Timing is the Key
• Hydration is Important

Why is a Pre-workout Meal Important?

A body devoid of fuel is incapable of performance, recovery and building muscles. In order to lose fat, build muscle, increase stamina and improved performance, we got to include the right amount of protein, fats, and carbs in each of our meals, especially in our pre-workout meals.

As is widely understood, keeping healthy yet fancy snacks ready at all times in the busy lives that we lead, becomes too much of a task to accomplish and that is why we have for you 5 healthy pre-workout snacks right here for you!

5 Super Easy Pre Workout Snacks

1. Hard Boiled Egg with Avocado Toast

Boiled eggs are a powerhouse of proteins and are light on the stomach yet satiating in nature. Combine it with avocado for those precious healthy fats for that energetic boost in case of carbohydrate depletion.

Top these on brown bread toast and here goes your fulfilling and nutritious pre-workout snack on the go.

2. Peanut Butter and Banana Chia Toast

Bananas contain sugar and starch which provide energy to the body. Also, they are quite rich in carbohydrates.

According to celebrity fitness trainer Sameer Purohit, you must have a medium sized banana around 45 minutes before you hit the workout. This will keep you fuelled during your workout session.

Besides, peanut butter is a nutrient-rich, calorie-dense food that can be a healthy addition to a pre-workout snack.

Chia seeds are loaded with omega-3 fats for sustained energy, protein, and antioxidants. So just add these to the goodness of brown bread and what you have is an awesome pre-workout snack ready in a jiffy.

3. Hummus and Carrot & Cucumber Sticks

Hummus is made from heart friendly chickpeas and topped with olive oil and sesame seeds for added goodness.

Dipping carrot, celery, and cucumber sticks into this tasty health friendly food is a great idea for a pre-workout snack.

4. Broccoli, Bell Peppers, Cheese Omelette

Broccoli is high in many nutrients including fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron and potassium. This super vegetable as it is rightly called contains more protein than most other vegetables exactly the reason why having it for a pre-workout meal is a great idea.

Bell peppers are packed with vitamins and minerals, especially dense in vitamin C. Cheese provides the required energy and of course, the proteins come from the egg. Whisk it all together and turn it into a fluffy omelet.

5. Roasted Chicken, Beans, and Sweet Potato

Chicken is one of the lean meats rich in protein – a nutrient crucial for muscle building. green beans are a good source of vitamin B1, calcium, potassium, vitamin A,  protein, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, vitamin B6 and vitamin E.

Sweet potato offers you the goodness of fiber along with vitamin A, vitamin C and manganese. In addition, it also contains riboflavin, phosphorus, vitamin E, vitamin K, calcium and iron. Just roast everything together, add spices of your choice and there you go with your amazing pre-workout meal!

3 Crucial Nutrients in a Balanced Pre Workout Snack

1. Carbs

You must know that your muscles use up the glucose from carbs to fuel your body and glucose is stored in the body in the form of glycogen. When you work out, the muscle glycogens deplete and thus, your output. So fuelling your body with carbs is an excellent idea before you begin your workout.

A few healthy sources of carbs are sweet potato, legumes, milk, fruits like bananas and mangoes, potato, whole grains, chickpeas, brown rice and oats amongst others.

2. Proteins

Consumption of proteins is crucial to improving your workout performance. It increases muscle protein synthesis. It also facilitates muscle growth and recovery, increased strength and lean body mass and escalated performance of the muscles.

A few delicious and readily available sources of proteins are eggs, almonds, chicken breast, oats, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, milk, broccoli, lean beef, tuna, quinoa, whey protein, lentils, pumpkin seeds, turkey breast, fish, shrimp, Brussels sprouts and peanuts amongst others.

3. Fat

The basic difference between utilization of carbs and fat while working out is that while glycogen is used up for short and high-intensity workouts, fat is used for longer and moderate to low intensity workout sessions.

So if you are going for a workout which is of longer duration, you better spruce up your fat intake before heading for it. A few excellent sources of fat are coconut, avocado, dark chocolate, nuts, nut butter, whole eggs, Greek yogurt, salmon, olive oil, heavy cream and milk, canola oil, tuna, cheese, flax and chia seeds, duck, etc.  

Timing is the Key

Yes, fuelling the body is crucial and even more crucial is that it is fuelled timely.

To maximize your workout output, try to eat a balanced meal consisting of healthy carbs, proteins and fat at least 2-3 hours before you start to work out. If you do not have that kind of time in hand, as happens mostly, you can go for a lighter meal before the workout.

In case, you just have 45 to 60 minutes before you begin to exercise, go for foods consisting of carbs and proteins. This will save you from experiencing stomach issues while exercising.

Hydration is Important

Water is the most crucial requirement of our body. Good levels of hydration leads to sustained and improved performance while dehydration can lead to serious body malfunctions.

It is always better to consume water as well as sodium before you hit the gym. You can also consume a beverage that contains sodium.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What should I eat 30 minutes before my workout?

You should focus on having a meal rich in carbs and proteins, with a special focus on the carbs.

Q. Should I eat eggs before workout?

Yes, you should eat eggs before workout as they are a rich source of proteins and also keep you full for a longer time.

Q. What is the best pre workout meal for weight loss?

 A meal rich in protein, carbs and fat is an ideal meal before workout. You can go for fruits, whole wheat breads, eggs, oatmeal, whole wheat crackers, etc.

At Possible, we strive towards turning you into a healthy version of you. For more on health and nutrition, talk to our Possible Nutritionist today. The first consultation is on us. Click here to avail.