Ashu’s Curiosity
Hi Guys, I am Ashu and am back with a new question.
I have been visiting a nearby gym with my friend for the last 6 months. But every time post-workout, I feel a sudden deep in my energy levels & cravings for high-calorie food.
Not only that, I am also feeling muscle pains and cramps post-workout sessions.
When I discussed these issues with my friend, he told me that the reason behind these problems is associated with not eating any meal or food prior to the workout.
So, I just started making a list of pre-workout foods and on Know Ur Diet I found detailed information about 10 foods to eat before workout. Let us discuss them:
What is Pre-Workout Meal?
A pre-workout meal is a way to fuel your body and muscles right before a workout. These foods provide essential nutrients & required energy for the person to exercise without any drop in the intensity. This meal ensures that you don’t have any hunger prangs during workout sessions.
Foods in this meal are not to satisfy your hunger but to assist you in achieving your workout goals without compromising on your weight loss objective. These foods contain carbs, proteins and fats as you need them for energy boost and muscle recovery.
“The closer you get to a workout, the more you want to focus on quick-digestion (sources) to avoid cramping, but higher-fat and fiber foods should be eaten at least three hours before a workout.”.
– Derek Lipton, R.D.
10 Foods for Pre-workout Meal to Lose Weight
To answer your question about what to eat before a workout, we have provided you with the 10 best food options that you can try. You can customise your list as per your preferences and nutritional requirements:
Fruits
If you want to eat something pre-workout that not only boosts your energy levels but is rich in nutrients then you should opt for fruits. Your list of fruits for pre-workout meals should include Banana, Apple, Orange, Kiwi, Watermelon, etc.
Bananas are full of carbs means they provide you with fuel for workouts while apple increases your endurance and stamina for the exercise. Vitamins and Minerals in these fruits will also help you in faster recovery and avoid muscle cramps.
Cereals
Cereals are also a great option for a pre-workout meal because of their low-calorie and high carbs & fiber content. But the real advantage of taking cereal is that it can be prepared in much less time compared to other meal options.
You can take cereal such as cork flakes just one hour before your workout. Add some skimmed milk in it or take fresh fruits along with it to increase the nutritional intake.
Oatmeal
If you have to choose between cereal and oatmeal as a pre-workout food then your choice should be oatmeal. This is because oatmeal contains more proteins and fibers than cereals. Fiber in oats can help you to maintain sugar levels throughout the exercise.
Oatmeal is part of the broader whole grain category and is plentiful in carbs. These carbs provide you with sufficient energy to perform well during your workout. If you like, add nuts, fruits and yogurt to your oatmeal bowl to enrich it with more nutrients.
Nuts
A fist full of nuts is good for snacking but nuts can also be your choice for a pre-workout meal. Nuts like Almonds, Cashews, Walnuts and Sunflower seeds are the perfect mix of nuts & seeds that can provide you with a complete dose of protein, carbs and healthy fats for a workout.
Moreover, you can even add these nuts & seeds to other foods on our list like cereals, oatmeal and salad as well.
Sprouts
This might surprise you but our list of pre-workout foods is incomplete without mentioning sprouts. Sprouts such as chickpea sprouts & mung bean sprouts can be your choice for what to eat before workout.
This is because a bowl of sprouts can help you to get proteins essential for muscle recovery and regeneration. Also, it contains fibers that are needed for stamina and endurance.
Salad
We mostly prefer salads as side dishes or for snacking but if you are searching foods for a pre-workout meal to lose weight then salad is a good option. Salads prepared with vegetables like sweet potato and fruits like bananas should be your choice for pre-workout meals.
Salads can fulfil your protein and carb needs and along with this, you will also get a good chunk of fibers. Sprout salad or adding nuts can also be a superb choice. Broccoli, cauliflower and other vegetables from the same family should be avoided because they can make exercising uncomfortable.
Muesli
Muesli is a perfect addition to your foods for pre-workout to lose weight because of its high content of carbs, protein and other nutrients. Whether you do high-intensity training or cardio, in both forms of workout muesli is a good option.
There are multiple brands of muesli available in the market but choose an option that has moderate GI value. This is because a high GI value means it can be dangerous for diabetic patients and a low GI value cannot provide you required energy for the workout.
Yogurt
Yogurt is a food that contains a lot of probiotic compounds that are good for gut health. But it can also be a part of your pre-workout meal because of its nutritional content. Other nutrients in yogurt are protein, sugar, saturated fats and even vitamins.
Yogurt is also considered as an addon with other foods like fruits, muesli and oatmeal. If you have less than an hour before workout then yogurt is a great option for you.
Smoothie
Most of us prefer having a smoothie as a post-workout food but you can also consider it as foods to eat before workout. Adding protein powder to the smoothie will make it a good source of getting your protein dose.
Milk-based smoothies like banana or spinach smoothies should be top of your preference because they can provide you with carbs, proteins and even other minerals. If you are a lactose intolerant then replace milk with water or other dairy milk alternatives.
Boiled Egg
If you are a person who prefers HIIT workouts then you should add boiled eggs to your pre-workout foods. The reason is simple, egg is a rich source of protein and if you have no cultural or religious restrictions then it will be a fantastic option.
Eating egg yolk before a workout can provide you with a boost of energy and stamina for better performance. You can even take an egg omelette before 2 hours of workout as a complete meal.
Recommended Calories Taken Pre-Workout
As per Dietitians and Nutritionists, your calorie intake depends on the gap between meal and workout. This means closer to your workout session, your meal should be smaller. For instance, if you are taking food just 1-2 hours before a workout, then your calorie intake should be between 300 to 400 calories.
Conclusion
In the end, I have a complete list of pre-workout foods that can fulfil my requirement for nutrients such as protein, carbs, healthy fats and other minerals. These foods can provide me with a boost of energy, stamina and endurance for high-intensity or cardio workouts.
Along with this, I will suggest these foods to eat before workout because they can help in muscle recovery and do not carry many calories to spoil your weight loss goals. Now I think this list has answered what to eat before work.
