There was a time when I used to enjoy loading up on pre-workout snacks before exercising.
This was a while back. I could eat all kinds of food and lots of it.
Things seemed to have changed. There are all kinds of recommendations now about how to eat pre-workout as well as what you should eat.
From what I’ve experienced over the years and from talking to a lot of people about it, it really does vary from person to person.
A lot of how you choose to fuel your body pre-workout depends on your particular goals.
If you’re a distance runner, you’re not going to eat the same way as a bodybuilder.
Same as if you’re an advanced fitness guru as opposed to a beginner.
Which brings up an obvious point. You’re going to eat differently pre-workout if your fitness goal is to loose weight as opposed to putting on mass. I’m guessing that’s a given.
How you choose to eat pre-workout will vary.
Who knows your body better than you
I’ve made a few mistakes over the years with pre-workout meal ideas but they were particular to the circumstances.
You will probably be the best judge of your pre-workout snack plan because you will have the best understanding of how your body reacts to different foods at different times.
I was asked recently about pre-workout snacking and these are a few of the things I try to keep in mind to get the most out of my workout.
As a quick aside, this isn’t about working out on an empty stomach. Obviously, this is about ideas that relate to pre-workout snacking.
There are ideas that relate to working out without snacking beforehand in connection to intermittent fasting and other weight loss theories.
This is primarily about ideas that I incorporate when thinking about snacking before a workout. Pretty straightforward and nothing complicated.
OK. Here we go.
When thinking about snacking pre-workout you want to focus on providing your body sufficient energy and staying comfortable.
So remember…
1. It’s an energy boost not a full meal
You don’t need tons of food. It’s not the same as how you might think about a healthy breakfast for example. Don’t think of it as a full meal that requires all that balance you’ve heard about.
If you eat too much pre-workout you’ll feel like a lump. You won’t be able to move well or worse, you’ll cramp up.
Once those things start to happen you won’t be able to get the most out of your workout and you’ll be cursing yourself for eating too much.
Keep the snack light with about 100 to 150 calories. It can vary depending on your workout. But remember, you want to be energized and comfortable.
2. Be mindful of your own natural gas costs pre-workout
Let’s say you’re getting ready for your workout and your workout partner offers you some pre-workout fuel.
An apple and some granola.
Hey, sounds tasty. You’ve eaten it before and you might even really enjoy it from time to time. Not a bad pre-workout snack idea.
But wait! Every once and a while, those foods can give you gas. If you start building up gas during your workout it can get real uncomfortable, even painful.
Having gas is definitely one of the more discouraging forces working against you during training.
So even if sometimes you’re OK with a food choice, if you know there’s a good chance of gas with it, pass for now. It’s not worth slowing you down.
And you don’t want to be that person in yoga who sounds like the horn section at the New York Philharmonic. You know who I’m talking about.
3. Feed your engine simple carbs and protein
When you’re exercising you don’t want to be running on fumes. That means you don’t want to be running out of energy.
Those who workout heavy will tell you, if they’re working out on an empty stomach they won’t be able to lift what they usually do. Again, this is related more to the fasting workout. We’ll save that for another day.
The right food is important to keep firing on all cylinders.
You probably want to focus your pre-workout snack on carbs because that’s the stuff that gives you energy.
Try and keep it to the simple carbs instead of the complex because the simple tends to digest quicker. But stay focused on healthy choices like fruit, with natural occurring sugars.
So a reasonable portion of simple carbs will help to get you through that run, or jump or swim. Whatever it is you’re looking to do.
And, be good to your body so you can get the results you want. Critical when making that snack choice.
4. Watch the clock… especially pre-workout
This was where I used to make mistakes.
As it turns out, I need a reasonable amount of time to digest any snack before exercising.
I have distinct memories of snacking before a workout when I was younger and having to stop and start several times because of cramping and just not feeling too good.
It became painfully obvious to me that I had chosen to exercise too soon after eating. Trust me you do not want to make this mistake.
Definitely give yourself at least half an hour before any kind of strenuous exercise after snacking.
I will often take about an hour in between. This leaves me feeling energized and without any kind of heavy feeling.
It enables me to maximize high intensity workouts without the concern of being held back physically because I exercised too soon after eating.
The Wrap Up
When it comes to pre-workout snacks, these are the ingredients I try to implement to get the most benefits out of my workouts.
If you’re looking for some ideas for actual snacks, I’ve written about a couple of my favorites here and here. Check them out. I think you’ll enjoy them. If you come up with any of your own great recipes, let me know about them.
In addition to these, there are lots to choose from. Like cheese and crackers, bananas and peanuts. The list goes on. I’m sure you can find lots that you’ll enjoy.
These are pretty easy ideas to keep in mind and I imagine if you stick with them, it will make your pre-workout snack routine and exercise all the more enjoyable.
