Ensure you have enough energy for your workout
GYM BAG ESSENTIAL: a handful of ultra-nutritious almonds
Finding the time, let alone the energy, for a workout can be a struggle, btu it needn't be.
Ensure you have enough energy for your workout with these helpful and delicious snacks.
“Instead of grabbing calorie-laden treats be prepared with nutritious snacks that will see you through your busy day and into your workout time” says personal trainer and nutritionist, Bridget Hunt.
And to help you be prepared, Bridget shares her top 5 foods to give you the energy to power on through even the toughest work out:
1. Crunchy Almonds: a handful of almonds is a great pre-workout snack as they are a powerhouse of essential nutrients. As a natural source of protein and fibre, almonds contain 15 essential nutrients, including vitamin E and calcium. Plus recent research has found that almonds have 20% fewer calories than originally thought. I always recommend for my clients to keep a tin or zip-lock bag of almonds in their handbag so they can grab a handful before heading off to work out. They’re not only a gym bag essential; I also keep a jar on my desk!
2. Bananas: bananas’ high potassium content means they are a great food to eat before heading to the gym as they help reduce the risk of muscle cramp during exercise. I find a lack of sodium is one of the main culprits behind my muscle cramps, but potassium also plays a supporting role.
3. Brown Bread: reaching for half of a sandwich on brown bread is a great snack to have before hitting the treadmill. I always advise my clients make the sandwich with almond butter and marmalade or jam as this provides a good balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat to fuel a workout.
4. Yoghurt and Berries: grabbing a bowl of low-fat yoghurt with a handful of blueberries, raspberries or blackberries on top offers you an excellent source of nutrients which protect muscles from free radical damage that can be caused by exercise.
5. Apples: apples are not just for the teacher, they’re for us fitness fanatics too. The sugar load they contain is moderate, and their pectin fibre content slows the entrance of this sugar into the bloodstream.
Tagged in exercise Nutrition Healthy eating Workout Energy Healthy Snack Snack