Mentally preparing yourself for your workout sessions is always a good way to start. After all, you would want to have that positive mental attitude to help you push yourself towards your exercise, health, and fitness goals. However, equally important is preparing your body physically to meet the grueling demands of workouts.
Here are 5 highly nutritious foods you can eat prior to hitting the gym or getting right down to your workout session.
1. Oats
Everyone knows that oats are excellent sources of fiber which can help move your bowels in a more efficient manner. However, what you may not know is that it is also one of the best pre-workout foods that you can ever have. You see, this food usually takes more time to digest.
As such, the carbohydrates that it contains are released in a slower, more gradual manner. This means you’ll have energy levels that are more consistent as you workout.
You may want to get Irish oats instead of the instant ones as it has a much lower glycemic index and less processed, too. This helps ensure you also benefit from the various vitamins that it contains.
2. Bananas
In hospitals you may wonder why many doctors prescribe ‘bananas’ to their patients who may have hypertension and are receiving diuretics.
Bananas are an excellent source of potassium, an element that is found mostly in the cells. When you workout and sweat a lot, potassium can be lost and this can cause a variety of health problems.
Loading up with a banana or two just prior to your workout should not only help you avoid such problems, but also give you the energy you need to really push harder in your exercises.
3. Whole Grain Bread
Just like oats, whole grain bread is a great source of fiber. We already know that this provides more sustained energy by gradually releasing carbs into your system. You may want to try adding hard-boiled eggs to pack proteins and healthy fats into your pre-workout food.
You can also add lean turkey meat to beef up the protein content and help prepare your body for the reparative processes that will follow after your workout.
4. Fruits and Greek Yogurt
Packed with antioxidants that not only provide a variety of health benefits, fruits are also excellent sources of energy to help you get going in your workout.
When combined with Greek yogurt, you’ll have an amazing combination of carbs and proteins to help repair damaged muscles after an intense workout. Munch some fruits or whip it up with Greek yogurt to maximize the pre-workout benefits.
5. Nuts
Bodybuilders know the importance of including nuts in their diets. It’s protein-packed and comes with a rich source of calories to help them really push themselves to the hilt.
If your principal aim is to lose weight, then nuts are not for you. But if you want longer-lasting energy for your intense workout, nothing can be more efficient than nuts.
Load up with these foods to help you make the most out of your workout.
