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Whether you're building strength, burning fat or doing both at once, these 21 workout-specific snacks will get the job done
June 30, 2008
Desire and drive will get you far in the gym, but nutrition is the cornerstone to training success. While we pay a lot of attention to the postworkout meal, what you put into your body an hour before you hit the gym is just as critical. Research shows that having the right amount and types of protein and carbs before your workouts will not only help you go longer and be stronger but will help you recover and prepare for your next session as well. Whether you're just hitting the weights, heading out for a run or pumping iron and the pedals, we give you the snacks to fuel your workout right.
THE STRENGTH WORKOUT
To ensure that your body has enough fuel to optimally drive your heavier workouts and start the muscle-building and recovery process, you need to take in the right kind of nutrients 60 minutes or so before you step into the gym. To prepare for your strength workout, ingest about 0.1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight and 0.2 gram of carbs — so for a 130-pound woman, that equates to about 13 grams of protein and 26 grams of carbs. In general, 10—15 grams of protein and 25—30 grams of carbs should fit the bill for most women.
Choose moderate- to fast-digesting (low-fat) sources of protein, such as egg whites, low-fat fish, turkey breast, chicken breast, whey protein and soy protein. Carbs should be low-glycemic and slow-digesting to prevent insulin surges, which could limit fat-burning during the workout. Whole grains, fruit, brown rice and oatmeal are excellent choices.
STRONG SNACKS
Try one of these seven snacks an hour or so before you hit the weights.
THE CARDIO WORKOUT
People do cardio for different reasons; some do it for health, others for weight control or weight loss. Why you do it will influence what you should eat before you train.
For performance. If you want to up the ante and go longer or faster in your chosen cardio discipline, then you need ample amounts of low- to moderate-glycemic carbs, such as raisins, popcorn and apple juice. Endurance athletes tend to concentrate on these types of carbs. Multiple scientific studies have concluded that adding some protein to the mix can help athletes trying to improve stamina. Endurance athletes should also ingest about 0.1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight and increase their carb intake to about 0.4 gram per pound in their preworkout meal. That's 13 grams of protein and 52 grams of carbs for a 130-pound woman; getting 10—15 grams of moderate- to fast-digesting protein and 40—60 grams of carbs will do the trick for most. Protein choices should be those that digest quickly since the amino acids (the building blocks of protein) will be used by your muscles for fuel during the workout. Again, look to low-fat protein sources.
LONG-LASTING SNACKS
An hour before your marathon cardio sessions, get adequately fueled with any of these snacks:
Fat-Burning Workout
If your main cardio goal is to burn fat — lots of it — then avoid carbs altogether. Multiple research studies show that when you don't eat carbs before aerobic exercise, more bodyfat is burned. But that doesn't mean you should run on an empty stomach. Japanese researchers reported in the journal Perception and Motor Skills that when athletes consume only amino acids before aerobic exercise, they burn even more fat than when they drink water alone. Reach for snacks that deliver about 5—10 grams of fast-digesting protein.
LEAN SNACKS
An hour before your get-lean cardio sessions, choose one of these:
STRENGTH + CARDIO WORKOUT
If you're saving time by combining cardio and strength workouts, the nutritional makeup of your preworkout meal stays the same as when you just lift weights (0.1 gram of protein and 0.2 gram of carbs per pound of bodyweight), but the type of protein can vary. Since these dual-purpose workouts tend to last longer, you can reach for slower-digesting protein sources such as dairy, beef and even nuts, as you'll have more time before the amino acids are needed for fuel during the cardio and to support muscle recovery after the training session. Also choose the same type of slow-digesting carbs, such as fibrous fruits and vegetables and whole grains.
DUAL SNACKS
If you're weight-training and doing cardio, munch on these an hour or so before your workout:
THE STRENGTH WORKOUT
To ensure that your body has enough fuel to optimally drive your heavier workouts and start the muscle-building and recovery process, you need to take in the right kind of nutrients 60 minutes or so before you step into the gym. To prepare for your strength workout, ingest about 0.1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight and 0.2 gram of carbs — so for a 130-pound woman, that equates to about 13 grams of protein and 26 grams of carbs. In general, 10—15 grams of protein and 25—30 grams of carbs should fit the bill for most women.
Choose moderate- to fast-digesting (low-fat) sources of protein, such as egg whites, low-fat fish, turkey breast, chicken breast, whey protein and soy protein. Carbs should be low-glycemic and slow-digesting to prevent insulin surges, which could limit fat-burning during the workout. Whole grains, fruit, brown rice and oatmeal are excellent choices.
STRONG SNACKS
Try one of these seven snacks an hour or so before you hit the weights.
THE CARDIO WORKOUT
People do cardio for different reasons; some do it for health, others for weight control or weight loss. Why you do it will influence what you should eat before you train.
For performance. If you want to up the ante and go longer or faster in your chosen cardio discipline, then you need ample amounts of low- to moderate-glycemic carbs, such as raisins, popcorn and apple juice. Endurance athletes tend to concentrate on these types of carbs. Multiple scientific studies have concluded that adding some protein to the mix can help athletes trying to improve stamina. Endurance athletes should also ingest about 0.1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight and increase their carb intake to about 0.4 gram per pound in their preworkout meal. That's 13 grams of protein and 52 grams of carbs for a 130-pound woman; getting 10—15 grams of moderate- to fast-digesting protein and 40—60 grams of carbs will do the trick for most. Protein choices should be those that digest quickly since the amino acids (the building blocks of protein) will be used by your muscles for fuel during the workout. Again, look to low-fat protein sources.
LONG-LASTING SNACKS
An hour before your marathon cardio sessions, get adequately fueled with any of these snacks:
Fat-Burning Workout
If your main cardio goal is to burn fat — lots of it — then avoid carbs altogether. Multiple research studies show that when you don't eat carbs before aerobic exercise, more bodyfat is burned. But that doesn't mean you should run on an empty stomach. Japanese researchers reported in the journal Perception and Motor Skills that when athletes consume only amino acids before aerobic exercise, they burn even more fat than when they drink water alone. Reach for snacks that deliver about 5—10 grams of fast-digesting protein.
LEAN SNACKS
An hour before your get-lean cardio sessions, choose one of these:
STRENGTH + CARDIO WORKOUT
If you're saving time by combining cardio and strength workouts, the nutritional makeup of your preworkout meal stays the same as when you just lift weights (0.1 gram of protein and 0.2 gram of carbs per pound of bodyweight), but the type of protein can vary. Since these dual-purpose workouts tend to last longer, you can reach for slower-digesting protein sources such as dairy, beef and even nuts, as you'll have more time before the amino acids are needed for fuel during the cardio and to support muscle recovery after the training session. Also choose the same type of slow-digesting carbs, such as fibrous fruits and vegetables and whole grains.
DUAL SNACKS
If you're weight-training and doing cardio, munch on these an hour or so before your workout:
