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With so many available food and nutrition options, it is necessary that you do keep a track of what you eat before hitting the gym. Aligning your diet with the best pre-workout foods can actually help in boosting your stamina and endurance in the gym.
Pre-workout nutrition is a necessity. Even if you think it isn’t necessary and that eating a healthy meal post-workout is the way to go, you are sorely mistaken. For the most part, it is the pre-workout meal or the snack that decides how long you will sustain yourself in the gym.
By the end of this article, you will have an idea about the foods that you should be eating prior to exercise and any time of physical activity that you indulge in.
Why Is It Important to Eat Something Before Workout?
If you are into working out on a rigorous schedule, it is important that you do look out for the pre-workout nutrition, mainly because of the fact that the same isn’t a choice but a necessity.
Your endurance and stamina is dependent on the fuel you are charging your body with. The lack of the necessary and good source of food can actually end up imposing negative impacts on the body and make it hard for you to carry on with the exercise regime.
There are a number of things and food items that you can consume before a workout to ensure that the same has beneficial impacts on the stamina as well as the endurance that you showcase during the exercise routine.
During a workout, you need the energy and the same is provided by the glycogen reserves in the body which are broken down into glucose molecules. When you have enough carbs in your body, the same does ensure that you get the necessary energy throughout the process and won’t end up succumbing in the end.
Eating more carbs and protein before the workout has been found to have better impacts in helping with the condition of being able to stretch the exercise along.
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Check Out These Best Pre Workout Foods To Build The Stamina.
Best Pre-Workout Foods to Eat
Now that we have reached to the point where we discuss the foods to eat before exercise, it is important that you know that the variations of these food types depend on the kind of impacts that you have on your health all the more.
If there is one food mentioned that is going to end up imposing negative impacts on your body, or you are allergic to the same, it is important that you skip out on that specific food for your better health.
Let us go through the list of foods to eat prior to exercise, shall we?
1. Bananas
Bananas are a staple when it comes to one’s pre-workout food, mainly because of the kind of impacts they have on the muscular contractions and the overall stamina and endurance.
The main reason why it is recommended to include in the best pre-workout foods is because of the fact that they are loaded with about of carbohydrates as well as potassium (R) which have beneficial impacts on the muscle and the nerve function while you are working out.
If you don’t like bananas as they are, you can easily blend them into a smoothie or a shake and then drink that before you hit the gym.
2. Greek Yogurt with Granola and Berries
Greek yogurt, granola and berries are all amazing on their own and together as the best pre-workout nutrition.
The main reason why nutritionist and gym trainers recommend this is mainly because of the fact that the entire meal is loaded with healthy protein, fats, as well as the necessary amount of antioxidants from the berries.
Additionally, the combination of berries and granola is also digested quite easily to fuel through your body for the necessary carbs that you need during the workout.
The yogurt, on the other hand, has the necessary amount of protein which prevents any kind of muscle damage that could be inflicted during a workout.
If you go to the gym in the early morning, this can also act as a quick pre-breakfast to keep you satiated through your workout session.
3. Orange Smoothie
Orange smoothie, as unappealing as it sounds, is actually effective in helping out as a good food option for your pre-workout nutrition.
If you are here stuck with this issue all the more, it is important to ensure that you do indulge in some orange smoothie.
Cut out the refined sugar but yet get the much-needed nutrition from the healthy food variants. If you are wondering how to make it, it is as easy as it comes.
All you need to do is add in some milk, oranges, protein powder and some berries to enhance the taste and colour.
Drink this before you are going to start your exercise and the same will actually come a lot in handy for you.
4. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is yet another one of the best pre-workout foods that you can consume without fail. It is also quite perfect for the ones who are always on a rush and tend to skip out on meals from time to time after the workout.
You can do overnight oats and keep them prepared the night before so you don’t have to rush through the cooking process which is often a pain for some.
It is always best that you throw in some fruits in the mix to further boost the nutrition value even more so.
Oatmeal is not heavy on the stomach and is quite good in terms of your satiety and the digestive process as well, so that is an added bonus. It also boosts the body with the necessary energy that your body requires to get through the exercise session.
5. Chicken, Rice and Veggies
The combination of chicken, rice and veggies is one of the best foods to eat before exercise, mainly because of the fact that it does come around with every component of macronutrient that the body needs – protein, carbs and the minerals and vitamins and fibers.
It is best that you keep it pretty standard and cook in less oil owing to the fact that you want a healthy version of the meal and not something that you make you feel bloated and make it hard for you to exercise.
The protein from the chicken helps with the muscular workout while the carbs from the rice provide with the necessary energy that is required for the body. Keep the veggies simple too, just carrots, broccoli and even some beans or asparagus work fine.
If possible grill the chicken to ensure the best results, not just in bouts of taste but the health quotient associated with it as well.
6. Leafy Greens
As boring as it sounds and tastes, it is actually one of the best pre-workout nutrition foods that you can consume for a better workout regime.
If you are eating leafy greens and the taste isn’t that enticing, the best way is to spice the food up, add in some more crunchy vegetables and even some whole bread croutons and make a salad with a delicious dressing scattered over it.
This is one of the best ways to stuff in your greens without having to complain about the taste of the same.
Yet another way to consume your leafy greens pre-workout is to add a handful of the same into your smoothie. Add in some fruits like banana, pineapple and even the frozen mango or berries to it to naturally accentuate the taste of the smoothie to make it palatable.
7. Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
Peanut butter and jam is one of another option for the foods to eat prior to exercise because of the kind of impacts it has on the overall body and how it influences the overall functioning of the muscles during the gym session.
Peanut butter is loaded with necessary carbs and a good amount of protein as well, which comes in handy for your health and helps get rid of the problems associated with the endurance and stamina that you have been lacking.
If the jelly or jam seems too much for you or if you are diabetic, you can also switch it up with some sliced fruit in between for similar kind of taste but with a healthier twist to it.
8. Dried Fruit
If you don’t want to eat a complete meal or something heavy, the next best option is to grab some healthy snacks on the way to your workout.
Dried fruits are actually an amazing option and munching on some on your way to the gym can be a good energy booster for you.
Add in some nuts to the mix to further heighten the protein and the healthy fats in the snack that you are consuming.
Given that the dried fruits have concentrated sugar content in it, it is important that you keep an eye out on the amount you are consuming, especially if you are diabetic.
9. Apples and Almond Butter
Apples have always been a go-to when it comes to what you grab before you hit the gym but trainers now suggest adding in some kind of nut butter to the mix, especially almond butter.
The main reason behind the same is because it fills you up better than what just the apple would have done and additionally, it also helps with the much-needed requirements of the carbs and the protein that your body needs before the workout session.
If you have been running an empty stomach, this can actually be quite an easy but healthy snack that you can eat before the gym.
Almond butter is good for your health and is loaded with good carbs and proteins which helps in keeping you energised as well as boost your endurance through the process.
10. Blueberry Smoothie
Yet another one of the best foods that you should be eating prior to exercise definitely has to be the blueberry smoothie, without a speck of doubt.
Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants which help in better recovery of the muscles during the workout and even prevent the risks of fatigue or muscle damage through the process that you could be experiencing.
For the most part, it is always best suggested that you blitz it in with some other frozen fruits to get better nutrition and even increase the volume of the smoothie. Just a bunch of blueberries won’t suffice.
11. Energy Bars
Yet another one of the best pre-workout foods definitely has to be the energy bars, mainly because of the kind of components they have in them.
They are very easy to make and if needed, you can whip some up in your home itself.
It is best to avoid the ones that are readily available in the supermarkets because they tend to have a higher sugar content which is not always the best for your health, especially if you are a diabetic.
If you want a healthy granola bar recipe, you can check one out here (R).
Add in some nuts, dried fruits and even some granola for that perfect crunch and taste.
12. Avocado Toast
Avocado is one of the best pre-workout nutrition that you can consume with your eyes closed. The main reason behind the fact is because of the presence of all the healthy fats in it. It helps keep you satiated through a longer period of time and also keeps your energy reserves stocked for good.
Additionally, it is best that you use whole grain bread because the same helps in keeping your overall well being in check, without much to think on.
Avoid using white bread because of the fact that they are loaded with refined grains which aren’t good for your overall health. They don’t provide with sustained energy which is something that is key when you are working out.
Slather a good chunk of avocado on the toast and sprinkle some salt and pepper and you are good to go.
13. Omelette
Eggs are a quintessential part of the foods to eat before exercise. Not only does it boost the body with the necessary protein that the body needs for better muscle function.
If you don’t like boiled eggs, this is the next best alternative that you can consume.
If required, you can even add in some vegetables to it and make it an entire breakfast meal and then post-workout, drink a smoothie and be done for the day.
This is one of the best tasting and quick to make pre-workout food that you can eat without having to worry about the overall health quotient associated with it. Not only is it tasty, but it is also good for your body too, so that is an added bonus even more so.
14. Chocolate Milk
You just can’t miss out on the chocolate milk from the best pre-workout nutrition because even the studies suggest it as good food to consume for enhanced stamina and energy.
The main reason why this is suggested as one of the best drinks to have before a workout is because it helps in building the muscles while you are training.
It is because of the combination of the protein that the milk has which helps in muscle functions as well as the bone functions as well because of the calcium in it.
Apart from being one of the best pre-workout foods, it is also quite beneficial for your post-workout muscle recovery (R) as well, if the studies are anything to go by.
When it comes to the best pre-workout foods, these are some of the best picks. If you have been meaning to start leading a healthy and nutritious lifestyle, it is very important to include foods that will help with your muscle recovery and even boost the overall stamina and endurance like no other.
