Pre-workout meals: What you should eat before a workout

strawberry.jpgIt is important to make sure you are properly fueled before a workout. Working out while you're hungry negatively affects your performance and causes decreased results. Try consuming high energy snacks to get you through a tough workout.

There are a few key reasons you should eat before a workout. It helps prevent low blood sugar, which may cause lightheadedness. You can't get an effective workout in this condition. Eating also helps you from burning too much muscle. Although exercising on an empty stomach causes fat loss, it also burns muscle. Burning excess muscle makes you look sickly instead of healthy and toned. Eating is important before working out because it helps avoid this effect.

Your pre-workout meal should be relatively low in fat and fiber so it's easily digestible. Although you want your meal to be high in energy, too much sugar content may cause you to burnout during your workout. For example: Eat fruit instead of candies before a workout to give you an energy boost.

A good workout meal and proper hydration is important to boost your performance. Along with your meal, you should drink water before, during and after your workouts. When you perform better in the gym, the better your chances are at results in the mirror. Make sure you don't overdo it and eat healthy snacks before every workout.

List of great pre-workout meals

1. Cereal (with skim milk)

2. Whole grain bread

3. Low-fat protein bar

4. Low-fat granola bar

5. Smoothie

6. Fruit (banana, apple, pear, orange)

7. Veggies (green beans, peas, celery, carrots)

8. Egg whites

9. Glass of milk (skim milk)


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