The Best Foods to Eat Before and After a Workout

Optimise your workouts by fuelling your body with the right snacks

Whether you’re gearing up for a PT session or winding down from an intense workout, choose your snacks wisely. For pre-workout, it’s important to feel hydrated and energized but not too full, and afterwards, your meal should restore energy and rebuild muscle. Read on for TruBe’s tips and tricks.

Pre-Workout

Eating right before exercise will give your body the fuel it needs to gain muscle, burn fat, and recover quicker. Grab a snack that’s low in fat and contains a moderate level of carbs and protein, and opt for foods low in fibre for an added boost.

Peanut Butter and Apple

Up your energy levels with this quick and easy snack. Peanut butter and sliced apple is a great way to enjoy a healthy dose of carbs and protein ahead of your next workout. Simply slice 1 medium apple and serve with 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter.

Oats n’ Eggs

A hearty helping of oats n’ eggs will kick-start your metabolism and give you the energy you need to hit the ground running. Scramble two eggs and serve with half a cup of cooked oatmeal. Season with salt and pepper.

Chicken and Avocado Pasta 

Need a pre-workout pick-me-up? Add some roast chicken and sliced avocado to a bowl of wholewheat pasta for a dish that is guaranteed to deliver some serious gains. Alternatively, substitute wholewheat for quinoa pasta for an extra dose of protein, iron, and fibre.

Ice Protein Fruit Blast

You can turn your protein shake into a delicious fresh smoothie. For a super-sweet protein fix that packs a punch, blend 1 scoop of whey protein powder with a glass of ice, and a handful of frozen berries.

Vegetable Omelet 

Spruce up this classic dish by combining two beaten eggs with 1 teaspoon of water and dash of seasoning. cook with with a handful of sautéed seasonal vegetables. Eat your omelet one to two hours before exercise to unlock your body’s full muscle-building potential.

Post-Workout

After an intense workout, post-exercise meals are an important way to restore energy and rebuild muscle.

Milk and Cereal

Cereal with skimmed milk is a simple, low-fat way to revitalize muscles post-workout. Breakfast dishes like Cheerios are rich in protein and high in carbs making them an ideal alternative to additive-laden sports drinks.

Rice Cake Sandwich

This healthy take on the Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich will provide you with the right amount of carbs, protein and healthy fat needed for recovery. Spread 1 tablespoon of almond butter and strawberry jam between two rice cakes – it’s guilt-free snacking at its finest.

Whole Wheat Pita and Hummus

Pita and hummus is another great post-workout combo. Hummus provides both carbs and protein, while whole wheat pita will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to its revitalizing dose of slow-release energy.

Tuna Crackers

Because it’s a lean protein, tuna is an ideal post-workout snack. Add a hearty heap of salad and some tuna to some whole grain crackers, for a dish that’s easy to make and packed full with muscle building goodness.

Chicken Stir-Fry

Chicken is an excellent source of lean protein and carbs. Try pairing your stir-fry with white rice instead of brown to replenish your muscles with glucose faster. Add a bowl of steamed vegetables for extra flavour and nutrients.

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What should you do before a workout?

The key to any successful workout is preparation. But how do you get the most out of each session? Everyone is different but here are some tips to ensure you are ready.

Energise
Sugar is the quickest way to get energy into your bloodstream and to your muscles. This doesn’t mean that you should eat a mars bar before every session. Most fruits are a great source of natural sugar, you could even make a great tasting smoothie which is quick and easy to take before a workout. Allow around half an hour before a workout and don’t eat too much. If you’re really struggling for energy try a shot of espresso.

Hydrate
Sounds simple and straightforward but it’s easy to forget to drink water through the day when your concentration is locked onto other things. You would be amazed how energising it can be for your mind as well as your body. Being hydrated isn’t just about drinking lots of water, electrolytes are just as important. Did you know that coconut water contains more electrolytes than your average sugary sports drink?! Just make sure it’s from a good natural source like Mighty Bee Coconut Water.

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Easy dynamic movements
It’s more than likely that you’ve been sitting around all day using little or no muscles to move around your home or the office. Your body needs to know know what’s about to happen to it so that its doesn’t tighten up and fight against your movements, potentially causing an injury. Stay away from static stretching before a workout. Static stretches increases range of movement but without telling the body how to move through this range. This lack of joint control can lead to serious injuries. Try the dynamic movements, in the pictures below, for 45 secs each before your next workout.

Warm up 1

warm up 2

Raise your heart rate
Your heart is a muscle too and it shouldn’t be expected to go from 0-100 in 5 secs. Gradually increase the intensity of your warm up over 5 minutes. You should reach the intensity intended for the workout ahead for for at least 20-30 seconds. Using your whole body will ensure that your blood is circulating everywhere it needs to be.

Find your inspiration
Probably the most important of all. If you can’t be bothered to workout then you won’t get the most out of your session, so you are probably wasting your time. You should try to motivate yourself by picturing your ideal body or watching someone you admire on youtube. If you can’t motivate yourself then you need a reliable gym buddy or a hired professional.

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