Deciding on what to eat before the gym can often be confusing. Believe it or not, the food you eat can actually be the key to workout success.
Whether you’re working out at the gym or at home, you want to be able to perform your best.
Without food before your workout, you have less energy. With too much food, it can slow you down. It is all about finding the right balance for your body so you can achieve your gym goals.
There are lots of easy, healthy, tasty foods you can enjoy before your workout that will help further your potential.
No matter what your goal is – whether it be to keep fit, lose weight or build strength – we have sussed out what sort of food you should have before the gym. Plus, we’ve included our top recommendation that ticks all the boxes.
What You Eat Before the Gym Plays an Important Role
While exercising is a universal activity and is all about physical development – everyone’s personal workout goal is different.
However, everyone wants to feel satisfied and accomplished after a workout session. Believe it or not, what you eat beforehand plays a huge part in that.
A balanced diet is always recommended, but there are certain things that you should look out for when it comes to pre gym food.
Throughout this blog, we have rounded up what food will benefit you the most before starting your gym session. We have also ensured that you can easily incorporate these in your diet, so your workout is guaranteed to always be a success.
Food That is High in Protein
Protein is a miracle worker when it comes to a lot of things. Whether you want to build strength, lose weight or simply boost your energy, protein can help you achieve that (1).
For your workout, food that is high in protein can give you a steady and sustained source of energy. We all know how difficult it can be to push yourself to get started – but with enough protein in you – you will feel much more able to tackle your session.
Protein is also great for helping your body repair itself, which is essential when you undergo strenuous exercise. Plus, food high in protein reduces the desire for snacking. As protein is digested slowly, this helps you feel fulfilled for longer. Also, as it provides an ongoing supply of energy, you feel more alert and motivated. It’s a win-win!
Before you go to the gym, you need an easy protein hit that will give you fuel throughout the day. This can be found in foods like eggs, fish, yoghurt and lean cuts of beef.
Food That is Low in Calories
The last thing anyone wants is to feel bloated and sluggish before the gym. One way you can stop this discomfort happening is by eating food that is low in calories.
When we eat and drink more calories than we use up, our bodies store the excess as body fat (2). This can slow you down in many ways before a workout, therefore it is ideal to find foods that have a good balance of low calorie/high protein levels.
By not slowing yourself down, this will help you feel more confident in your workout abilities. Plus, you can be assured that you are eating guilt-free, healthy food that will contribute to your motivation.
Luckily, if you eat food that is high in protein and low in calories – you will still have energy and feel empowered to see your workout through to success.
Foods that are low in calories include bananas, rice cakes, hummus and dried, cured beef.
Food That is Convenient
If you are in the mood to workout, it is best to act upon this urge sooner, rather than later.
Your food choices can have a huge impact on this, too. By having to take time to prepare your food, this can interfere with your productivity levels.
That’s why it is much more convenient to bulk make or buy healthy food that is ready to go when you are. This means less time is wasted when it comes to cooking, consuming and giving your body time to digest before you feel the full effects of your food.
Whether you’re on your way to the gym or working out at home, accessible food is key. This way, you can also spend more time working out when the mood strikes you.
You can find great on-the-go foods in the form of packaged fruit, mixed seeds and biltong.
What You Eat Defines Your Outcome
Basically, no matter your gym goal or workout regime, it is important to think about the food you eat and whether it will help you achieve your desired outcome.
The key ingredient this blog has highlighted is protein. If you are eating food high in protein, you will have more energy to push forward with your workout (3).
By eating food that is high in protein, low in calories and easily accessible – you’re onto a winner when it comes to prepping for your workout.
Not only will you get a much needed energy boost, you will feel fuller without the guilt, plus have time to focus on maximising your potential.
One food that achieves all of the above is biltong. Biltong is dried, cured beef that is sprinkled with seasoning to give it that much-loved, distinct flavour.
Stript Snacks is a healthy treat for those who are on-the-go and in need of an energy boost, making it the perfect pre gym snack. You can even choose from two flavour combinations, Cracked Black Pepper and Red Chilli.
With 13g of protein and less than 75 kcals per pack, plus many other benefits including being gluten free, paleo friendly and no MSG or added sugars – this tasty beef biltong snack will help keep you energised and successfully see you through to meeting your gym goals.
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