Have you ever noticed that some days you hit the gym and feel like a rock star while other days you are staring at the clock, begging for it to move faster? The difference is usually what you ate beforehand. Your pre-workout meal provides the energy to fuel you and can make or break your workout!
About 70 percent of your pre-workout meal should come from carbohydrates. They are a short-term energy source and include fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The rest should come from protein. Protein takes a little bit longer to break down, so it will give you longer-term energy and keep you from losing steam halfway through your workout. Protein includes nuts, seeds, meat, fish and dairy.
Shoot to eat about 45 minutes prior to exercise. This will give your body enough time to digest and break the food down into the energy that you need. Everyone’s body is a little different, so it will take some trial and error to figure out what works best for you, but here are three of my favorite pre-workout meals to get you started!
Toast with Almond Butter and Banana
1 piece of whole wheat toast
1 tbsp. almond butter
1 banana
I like to spread the almond butter on the toast and top it with sliced bananas. For an on-the-go version, trade the toast for a tortilla so you can wrap it up and take it with you!
Oatmeal with Fresh Fruit
½ cup oatmeal cooked
½ cup fresh fruit
This is great for when you are working out first thing in the morning. If you find that you need a little something extra, consider adding ½ scoop vanilla protein powder or ¼ cups of walnuts for a little long-term energy.
Green Tea Smoothie
½ cup Salada Green Tea
½ cup milk
½ cup frozen berries
1 banana
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
Smoothies are easy to digest and can be made in a matter of minutes! For more great smoothie recipes, visit www.greentea.com/recipes
I’d love to hear your favorite pre-workout meals, so be sure to share them on the Salada Tea Facebook Page.
And remember, a few small steps can lead to big changes.
Article first appeared on unbottleyourtea.com/tara.
