5 Best Pre-Workout Meals For Energy

Eating a light meal or a snack before your workout is a great way to increase your energy. Ideally, you want to fuel up about 2 hours before your workout and avoid foods high in saturated fats. Studies show that easily digestible carbs and some protein can help you maximize your energy potential for high intensity workouts. What foods should you be eating before you train?

1. Oatmeal Topped With Some Fruit

Oats are a great form of carbs that can supply your body with the energy it needs to have an effective workout. They are also a good source of vitamins and minerals that can fuel short and long workouts as well.

2. Whole Grain Toast With Almond Butter

Whole grain toast can be a great source of carbs that will provide sustained energy to fuel your workout. This meal is low in sugar, and has moderate protein to keep you fuller longer.

3. Brown Rice And Chicken

1 cup of brown rice offers about 5g of protein and 45g of carbs. This will keep you full and give you plenty of energy to last through your workout. If you are working out sooner than 2 hours, white rice can offer around the same benefit with quicker digestion.

4. Protein and Banana Smoothie

This option is a great pre-workout meal because it's packed with many health benefits. Bananas are a good source of energy due to its easily digestible carbs. They also come with many vitamins and minerals, including fiber to keep you full longer!

5. Apple And Almond Butter

Not only are you getting a good combination of protein and carbs to fuel your workout, apples are also a good source of polyphenols. This anti-oxidant has been shown to slow the production of fat and cholesterol in the body, which can aid in weight loss.

Can I Work Out On An Empty Stomach?

What or how much you eat before the gym can make a major impact on your performance, so choosing to skip it altogether is not typically recommended. Missing your pre-workout meal can cause you to experience dizziness, fatigue, and low blood sugar. For those doing high-intensity training, the risks can be as severe as lightheadedness, shaking and even passing out.

Conclusion

Eating before working out helps you maximize your performance in the gym. Having a good combination of carbs and protein can provide sustained energy and improve protein synthesis.

If you miss a meal before the gym, listen to your body and try to stick to lower intensity workouts to prevent losing too much energy.

While it's recommended to eat about 2 hours before working out, you can have a pre-workout meal as early as 30 mins before training. It's not ideal, but it's a better option than working out on an empty stomach. If you are short on time, choose lighter and easily digestible foods to prevent from digestion issues while you train.

Hydration is also an important factor for an effective workout. Being properly hydrated before and after the gym has been shown to prevent fluid loss, which can lead to dehydration.