High Protein Snacks to Power Your Workout

Learn what you should eat before a workout to optimize performance, and get inspiration of snacks that are super easy to make.

There is one glaringly obvious secret to improving workout performance: your nutrition. Everything comes down to what you eat. What you put in your body influences how it can act and react when lifting, running, cycling, swimming, or performing your activities of choice. It also plays a major role in bodily repair and recovery. Here are our top picks for foods to eat before and after working out.

A few hours before your workout, it’s beneficial to eat a balanced meal that contains foods rich in:

  • Complex carbohydrates: such as whole grain pasta, brown rice, and barley
  • Healthy unsaturated fat: found in foods like avocado, olive oil, nuts, or seeds
  • Protein: found in beans, lentils, tofu, fish, chicken, or meats

Within an hour prior to the workout, a smaller snack that contains easily digestible carbohydrates (banana, dried fruits, yogurt, or other dairy products), as well as some protein will provide the energy and nutrients needed to optimize your performance. 

We all have different food preferences and favorite foods. Here are just a few snacks that are great sources of carbs and protein to fill and fuel your body.

    Within an hour prior the workout, a smaller snack that contain easily digestible carbohydrates (banana, dried fruits, yogurt or other dairy products), as well as some protein will provide the energy and nutrients needed to optimize perfomance. 

    We all have our different food preferences and favourite foods. Here are just a few snack foods that are great sources of carbs and protein.

    1. Rice cakes with hummus

    Rice cakes provide easily digestible carbohydeate, and the smooth hummus provide the protein needed. By store-bought hummus if you like, or try to make your own - you will be surprised how easy it is to make!

    2. Greek yogurt and berries

    Just add your favourite berries or fruits on top of low-fat Greek yogurt, and you have a perfect snack rich in protein and carbs. If you want to add some extra carbohydrates - drizzle some honey or maple syrup on top. 

    3. Oven baked eggs 

    Make these and freeze them. All you need is a muffin tin, eggs, and the ingredients you want to fill and flavor your eggs with. Bake in the oven, and you have a protein packed snack. 

    4. Banana pancakes

    Easy to make, delicious, and filled with both protein and carbohydrates - and ideal pre-workout snack. You can find plenty of recipes of banana packes in the Lifesum app. 

    5. Smoothie with silken tofu

    Silken tofu is an excellent source of plant-based protein. Add to a blender with your favourite fruits and/or berries, mix until smooth and you will get smoothie filled with nutrients. 

    6. Tuna (Canned/Pre-packed)

    Tins of different sizes and opening

    Buy a few of those flavored tuna packets for a snappy protein boost. Once again, there’s no need to cook, but you’ll still find yourself up on the good stuff, with some pouches containing up to 19 grams of protein! Add on top of a rice/corn cake or a some crackers to get some carbohydrates.

    All of the content and media on Lifesum is created and published for information purposes only. It is not intended to be used as a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Users should always consult with a doctor or other health care professional for medical advice. If you have or think you are at risk of developing an eating disorder, do not use the Lifesum app and seek immediate medical help.

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