To eat or not to eat: Choosing the best pre-workout snacks

While most people tend to lean as far away from carbs as possible, when it comes to gearing up for a good workout, carbs are your new best friend.

Ideally, a snack that is low in fat and high in carbohydrates and proteins is what you need – something that will give you enough fuel to burn to maintain your effort levels (carbs) and build muscle (protein), without making you feel sluggish (fats). Here are some tasty, low fat, high-carb/protein ideas for your pre-workout snack:

Whole-wheat toast with peanut butter and banana

This delicious snack is the perfect mix to keep your motor running – complex carbs in the toasted bread will maintain your energy levels, while the faster-absorbing fruit sugars in the banana will give you an extra burst of energy and increase potassium levels, preventing cramp.

Peanut butter is packed with protein and good fats, perfect for muscle building and replacing lost vitamins and minerals.

Granola and yoghurt smoothie

Yoghurt is a winner when it comes to a pre-workout snack, as it’s packed full of protein and light on the stomach. For an extra kick, add some fruit and nut granola, which will give you a good base of carbs for sustained energy throughout your workout and added boosts of energy from the dried fruit.

The seeds and nuts in the granola also help to keep insulin levels from dropping mid-workout. Add a squirt of honey for pure energy at its best.

Oatmeal and berries

Athletes around the world swear by oatmeal before a workout as its slow-releasing carbohydrates just keep on giving. Light on the stomach and fairly neutral in taste, oatmeal is an excellent form of raw fuel for an extended workout. Add some fruit and honey, which are excellent energy-boosters to keep you hydrated and make your bowl of oatmeal that much more appealing.  

Apple wedges and almond butter

For a quick, on-the-go snack, grab an apple. Apples are full of natural sugars that will prevent a mid-workout crash, as well as being packed with the right vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. For an extra kick, cut the apple into wedges and dip them in almond butter, which is full of energy-giving good fats.

Last, but not least, drink, drink, drink! Make sure you are well hydrated before working out and drink at least 1-2 glasses of water, at least an hour before your workout.