The Best Foods to Eat before and after Your Workout

If you’re serious about physical fitness and health, you’re going to want to know about the best foods to eat before and after a workout. The most appropriate foods will provide fuel for your muscles and help you sustain your energy. Some of them will also strengthen your bones and teeth. You’ll want to eat a variety of them not only on the days that you’re working out, but on the days in-between to help your body recover and to keep you in tip-top shape. Here’s a list of foods you can eat and how they help your body.

Foods to Eat Before a Workout

1. Whole Wheat Toast, Peanut Butter, and Bananas

Fitness.com recommends grabbing some toast with sliced banana and cinnamon, (and yes, you get extra points for eating whole wheat toast.) Top the toast with some peanut butter and slice up a little banana to throw on top. Cinnamon adds extra flavor.

This meal gives you plenty of carbs to keep your muscles moving. The cinnamon provides arthritis relief and helps regulate your blood sugar. Bananas are a good source of potassium, a mineral that your heart needs to keep going strong.

2. Yogurt Parfait

Fruit and yogurt parfait is a good pre-workout food, too, according to Men’s Fitness. The fruit gives you an immediate burst of carbohydrates before and during your workout. The yogurt is key to helping your muscles repair and rebuild after your workout. In this respect, this snack is one of the best foods to eat before and after workout.

3. Fruit Smoothies

Smoothies are good and quick ‘non-food’ foods. A healthy smoothie made with Greek yogurt and some fruit provides some of the same nutrients as yogurt and fruit but in liquid form. It should also be noted that the calcium in the yogurt is important for rebuilding and strengthening the bones.

As we get older, our bones get more brittle. Working out and eating right prevent injuries and strengthen the bones. Interestingly enough, if you have signs of gum disease, you may also be showing signs of having too little calcium. Do your body a favor and get plenty of calcium before and after you pump iron.

Foods to Eat After a Workout

1. Chicken and Veggies

Dishes like chicken and grilled vegetables make for excellent post-workout food. You’ll get fuel to stave off your rumbling tummy. The protein in the chicken aids in muscle repair.

2. Vegetable and Avocado Omelette

Avocado and egg in a veggie omelette is another good post-workout food. The avocado gives your body a dose of healthy fats. They assist your body in the assimilation of vitamins A, D, and, which you’ll find in the vegetables in your omelette. These vitamins are crucial for your body because you get a whole dose of much-needed antioxidants.

3. The BLT Alternative

The avocado BLT gives you the deliciousness of the BLT without the bread. Stuff the avocado with the makings of the BLT. Combine the “salad” portion of the BLT stuffing with a bit of Greek yogurt in lieu of mayonnaise or salad dressing.

This snack is filled with the avocado’s healthy fats. It also provides you with a bit of protein from the bacon, and of course, fiber and vitamins from the salad.

The foods that you eat can make all the difference in your workout. Fill your body with healthy foods and you’ll not only have stronger teeth and bones but healthier muscles and a strong heart. Pre- and post-workout foods don’t have to be boring. They can be delicious and good for you, too.

About the author
Ethel Huizar is a Senior Editor at healthrow.net who graduated with a Master of Public Health, from the University of Colorado. Ethel is keen on exploring health-related topics, writing and doing research. She appreciates being a good writer in health-related problems.

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