Not sure what to eat before I work out?
Discover what one writer learned when she tried four options, and asked an RD for recs and insight.
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sports registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Since everythings up in the air, why not try a new approach?
Its not necessarily that I wanted to change how I was working out, but how Ipreppedfor my workouts.
Specifically, what to eat before I work out.
What should your pre-workout fuel include?
For instance, you dont necessarily need an amino-acid-dense protein shake before a Yin yoga class.
A bananas gonna give you a totally different effect than a pre-workout supplement.
But if youre just looking for a little boost?
You might be satisfied with a banana or shot of espresso.
The variables: a different pre-workout fuel choice each day.
sports registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
As Mastela puts it, Theres no one-size-fits-all solution here.
Day 1: Banana
The most basic of the bunch is perhaps the humble banana.
Bananas are theW+G proclaimed GOAT of pre-workout snacks.
This is a whole food, which in general is an excellent choice, she adds.
which helped me feel more present in the earlier half of the Pilates routine.
(The science around this is a bit contradictory, so this is purely speculative.)
Though uneventful, Im counting this as a win.
I felt good, with no adverse side effects to report on.
A point for team banana!
And for good reason.
Youll have more energy, more power, etc.
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Some people might give the idea of eating candy some side eye.
Mastela, however, says a piece of candy isnt a huge deal, especially if youre regularly exercising.
However, she points out that candy obviously has artificial ingredients, which arent optimal for your health.
The other pre-workout options are likely better because of thisyou dont want a ton of high fructose corn syrup.
Also, she notes that quantity matters: You dont want to overdo sugar, she adds.
Sugar before a workout might give you more energy, but ultimately, whats your goal?
Will I eat candy before every morning workout?
But it was fun to feel like a kid eating my grown-up Reeses for breakfast before doing Pilates.
But serious weight lifters swear by them.
She says that taking these supplements before major strength workouts may help you gain weight through increased muscle mass.
But theyre not for everyone.
She notes that any kind of supplement can have adverse effects, and it depends on your body.
She says to watch out for puffy face (water retention), and any kind of systemic inflammation.
Day 4: Espresso
The most European of the options is just a shot of espresso.
There are pros and cons to espresso.
There are no amino acids, creatine, protein, sugars, or electrolytes.
If those are on your must-have list, espresso alone wont cut it.
(And it definitelydoesnt take the place of a real breakfast.)
For context, pre-workout drinks contain multiple times this amount (between150 and 300 mg).
My espresso experience
Lets be honest, this wasnt my first espresso rodeo.
Ive been having a bit of coffee before many a workout (and have evendocumented it here at Well+Good!
), so my positive results werent the least bit shocking.
Despite not adding sugar to my coffee like Mastela suggested, I personally felt best with this option.
This could be a bit of confirmation bias, but this one gets the ultimate yes vote, IMO.
Which is the winner?
In the end, figuring out the best option for your body requires your own experiment!
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