Pre workout snacks are eaten to help fuel your body during exercise but they will also set you up for a better recovery afterwards. The added protein and carbohydrates will help increase blood sugar levels for quick energy and the protein helps supply amino acids for muscle regeneration. Eat your snack 20-30 minutes before your activity. Eating too late may make you feel sick. We suggest these top 10 pre workout snacks:
1. Coconut Water
Coconut water is fat and cholesterol free and has more potassium than four bananas. An alternative is a sports drink like Gatorade that has sodium and potassium as electrolytes to help prevent cramping.
2. Cookies and Milk
As weird as it may seem, this actually can be good for you if you stay away from high sugar cookies. Choose fig newtons or other whole grain, fruit filled cookies that are high in fiber. Oatmeal raisin is a great choice combined with 1% or skim milk to avoid high fat content.
3. Fruit and Butter
No, not real milk butter, choose nut butter. Apples or pears served with a pouch of nut butter is a good choice for a healthy pre workout snack. Justin's maple almond butter comes in individual packages.
4. Beef Jerky with Apple Sauce
There are several companies that sell individual servings of high protein beef, buffalo or turkey jerky as well as small containers of apple sauce. Easy to pack in a gym bag and complement each other well.
5. Nut Butter on Whole Wheat Bagel
Nut butter again but paired with a bagel or whole wheat bread in a sandwich. This is a great source of quick and slow fuel. Eating some fruit to get the added vitamins and minerals and drinking low fat chocolate milk makes for a great pre workout snack.
6. Sports Bars
Sports bars are designed as a quick pre workout snack that will fit in your gym bag without making a mess. Watch the type that you choose though as some are quite high in sugar and calories as a result. Vega Sport Protein Bar are a GMO and gluten free, vegan high protein bar which also has amino acids for quick recovery.
7. Popcorn and Dried Fruit
Popcorn without the added oil or butter rally good when added to a serving of dried fruit. You can find a variety of dried fruit at most grocery stores I the bulk food section. It is much easier to mix and match different types to create a good variation in taste.
8. Snack Pack Attack
Making your own pre workout snack from the variety of items available at your local grocer is very cost effective. Use a small tupperware container to hold everything and include apple slices and tuna with whole grain crackers.
9. Trail Mix
Easily the most common pre workout snack I have seen! A mix nuts, raisins and dried fruit gives you a healthy source of carbs, protein, fats, and a bit of fiber.
10. Whole Grain Cereal
Mix your favorite whole grain cereal with dried fruit or a mixture of nuts and seeds for a great pre workout snack. Drink a serving of 100% fruit juice for an ideal snack!
The choices for a pre workout snack are nearly endless so feel free to create your own from a variety of protein and carbohydrate sources that are low in fat and sugar. Too many calories can derail your training so watch the food labels.
My name is Jacques Delorme and I am the founder of ViSports. I run three websites designed to help educate visitors about youth nutrition, training and motivation. The primary site is a blog at http://visportsnutrition.ca. We produce a newsletter which you can subscribe to and receive a number of free articles and books. Feel free to leave comments and questions if you need more information on a related topic you can not find.
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