We work hard during our workout sessions, but this is only the beginning of the process in reaching our goals. Our body works around the clock – especially while we sleep – building and repairing muscle after a workout. I want to make sure we take FULL advantage of our workouts by feeding our body appropriate pre- and post workout foods! Eating smart before and after the workout can give the body what it needs to burn fat, gain muscle and recover to its full potential!
PRE-WORKOUT FOODS…
You want to grab a snack 30-60 minutes before your workout to provide your body with energy it needs to push through and sustain your workout.
Here are some of my favorite pre-workout snacks from a list that Greatist.com published:
- Dressed Up Oats Load up on carbohydrates for a longer workout with ½ cup cooked steel-cut oats topped with 1 tablespoon dried fruit and 1 tablespoon shaved almonds.
- Yoberries A-Go-Go For the perfect blend of carbs and protein, try 1 cup non-fat vanilla bean Greek yogurt — which often packs more protein and probiotics than regular plain yogurt — with ½ cup fresh blueberries.
- PB Apple For a quick carb fuel-up, slice 1 medium apple and serve with 2 tablespoons all-natural peanut or almond butter.
- Fruit and Cottage Top ½ cup cottage cheese — a low calorie and higher protein option — with ½ cup fresh pineapple, berries, or melon.
- Pre-Workout Drink Muscle Fuel – because sometime it need to be THAT easy!
POST-WORKOUT FOODS
After a hard workout, our muscles are hungry and we NEED to feed them right to keep our metabolism rocking. Eat within 1 hour of your workout.
These are post-workout snacks that I eat and love:
- Chocolate Almond Shake 1 scoop of chocolate whey protein – Muscle Gain Protein – 1/2 a banana, 1 TBSP almond butter, and 1 cup of almond milk
- Ants On A Log Spread a heap of natural peanut/almond butter over celery and top with raisins.
- Black Bean Omelet Four eggs whites, 1 ounce low-fat cheese, and ¼ cup canned black beans — then spice it up with a savory salsa.
- Green Monster Smoothie Blend 4 cups spinach, ½ cup vanilla bean yogurt, 1 cup almond milk, 1 banana, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter with ice — Claudine Morgan via Iowa Girl Eats.
- Cottage Cheese Crunch One cup fat-free cottage cheese, 1 teaspoon honey, ½ cup whole-grain cereal, and a dash of cinnamon does a body good.
- Pita and Hummus One 7-inch pita with two spoonfuls of hummus adds a little pep back to your step with quick digesting carbs.
- Egg Scramble Veg out after a hard training session with 2-3 whole eggs scrambled with a handful of chopped onion, spinach, and bell peppers.
- Protein Bar Sometimes you need something to grab and go!
- Post-Workout Recovery Drink –
- Helps minimize muscle soreness after strenuous activity
- Supplies essential components for muscle repair to optimize muscle recovery
- Helps maintain and restore energy supplies during and after physical activity
- Contains branched-chain amino acids to support muscle recovery, growth and endurance.
If you have any Pre-or Post-Workout Snacks that you eat… PLEASE SHARE in the comments!
