Pre-workout snacks
I talk a little about my hypoglycemia in my About page. It’s something I have under control but every so often, when I’m not eating nutritious and balanced meals, I experience symptoms like irritability, cloudy mind, loss of energy and sometimes the jitters. These symptoms also bring about some anxiety — post-traumatic stress from passing out in inconvenient places in the past.
For me, snacks are super important. I alway mix a carb-y snack (fruit, dried fruit, veg, rice cake) with protein and fat (usually in the form of nuts or nut butter) to bring my blood sugar back up while stabilizing. This combo is a good one to keep in mind regardless of whether you experience blood sugar issues or not.
Go-to pre-workout snacks
I have a few favorite snack combos that I to turn to before workouts because they, 1. Don’t sit too heavy in my stomach and, 2. Give me energy after the workout so I don’t have to run (desperately) for a snack.
Date + nut butter
It’s the perfect boost if you’re a bit hungry before a workout. I like to have this in the morning before I go to the gym or to teach a morning spin class. It’s also great as a dessert — add a bit of chocolate on top for some true treat-yo’-self vibes.
1/2 an apple with homemade granola
Anyone ever crave a juicy apple like me?! I usually reach for apples when I feel my blood sugar dropping but am not hungry or when I’m slightly dehydrated and a touch hungry. Before a workout, I like to cut an apple in half and then sprinkle granola on top. If you need glue, adding a bit of nut butter is helpful. Pro tip: Don’t overdo it on the nut butter especially if you have a tough workout planned lest you might feel it, well, start to come back up. Pro tip #2: Make you’re own granola using my famous recipe (coming soon).
1/2 banana with a bit of nut butter or granola
Similar to the apple, I like to have bananas before a workout. If I know I won’t be able to eat breakfast right after the workout, I’ll add nut butter and/or granola. If I’m coming home or going straight to eat after, I’ll sometimes only have half of a banana – it’s enough.
Rice cake with 1/2 avocado or nut butter
Oh, rice cakes, how I love thee. I try to buy rice cakes in their most natural form – i.e. rice is listed as the only ingredient. Sometimes I’ll go wild and get some with sea salt added. These are my go-to for later workouts. I love adding avocado with a sprinkle of seasoning on top (red chili flakes, everything bagel seasoning, salt/pepper). Of course, nut butter is another great option. If you’re hungry, you could even go with nut butter and 1/2 of a banana. Again, don’t overdo it on the nut butter as it can sit pretty heavy in the stomach.
Not-so-quick-but-still-easy snacks
When I have more time or when I’m doing a big meal prep session, I’ll sometimes bake granola, muffins, pre-workout cookies or little power balls. I like to add the pulp from any oat or nut milk I’m making to these kind of recipes so that nothing goes unused. Let me know if you’re interested in getting your hands on these recipes – the granola one is coming ASAP.
Tell me
What are your go to pre-workout snacks?