In my experience so many athletes and performers go into morning workouts and practices fasted (aka with an empty stomach), which is not ideal. When we wake up in the morning we have depleted glycogen stores (your body actually does use energy when you sleep :) ) , which means if we don’t eat something going into a training session, we set ourselves up to be sub-optimally fueled, not only during the workout but for the rest of the day. If your workout is first thing in the morning and there isn’t time to eat a full meal, aim for 20-30g of easily digestible carbs* about 30ish minutes before the workout** and then eat a full, balanced breakfast afterwards.
So here are 4 easy Pre-Workout or Pre-Practice Snack ideas for when you don’t have to eat a full meal before a workout or practice:
2 full sheets of Graham crackers
Nutrigrain bar (or other simple, carb based bar. I’ve also been loving the Clif Kids Z Bars)
Banana
1/2 bagel or piece of toast with butter & jelly
*generally, easily digestible means simple carbs that are lower in fiber. But everyone’s gut is different and can handle different things. We can even train our gut to gradually be able to handle more fuel before a workout without feeling sick
**If the training session is longer than an hour, you will also need to consume some carbs during the workout!
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