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If you’ve ever embarked on a rigorous one-hour workout session without eating something beforehand, you’ll know how weak, faint, and nauseous you will end up feeling.

It’s extremely important to have breakfast or a snack pre workoutsin order to keep your blood sugar levels steady and provide you with enough energy. There’s always a huge confusion when it comes to what kind of foods to digest before a workout. Surely, you can’t indulge in a burger and chips or some sugary soda drinks.

We’ve created a compact list of food and supplements you can eat or drink before your workout.

1. Scrambled Eggs and Avo

Eggs are jam-packed with protein. Many bodybuilders include loads of egg white into their daily diets. For a pre-workout snack, you can add the yellow yolk. This will give your body its essential amino acids as well as boost muscle growth and strength.

Avo is an excellent addition to any meal because it contains healthy fats.

Feel free to add a piece of wholegrain toast or some steamed vegetables into the mix.

2. Peanut Butter and Banana

This smooth combination isn’t to everyone’s liking, but for banana lovers, this can become a regular add into your diet. Bananas are packed with healthy potassium, simple carbs, and natural sugars. They prevent muscles from cramping and speeds up the recovery process. Bananas are great for pre or post-workout snacks.

Almond or peanut butter contains loads of healthy fats.

Feel free to add a piece of wholegrain toast to keep your blood sugar levels steady.

3. Protein Smoothies

Indulging in a delicious fruity shake or smoothie in the beginning of the day is a healthy alternative to a greasy breakfast. With endless recipe combinations and flavors, you can create unique blends by yourself.

Not only does a smoothie provide various important nutrients and minerals, but it can even act as a meal replacement. Drinking a protein smoothie before workouts can assist in muscle building, increase in strength and stamina, as well as help with the recovery process afterwards.

Add a variety of different ingredients from yogurts to berries and chia seeds to nuts. For added protein, you can add a few scoops of protein supplement powder into the mix.

Follow these great smoothie recipes to boost your energy at the beginning of the day: https://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/a19545933/healthy-protein-smoothie-recipes/

4. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a great source of sustainable energy because it consists of a series of complex carbohydrates. Combine your morning oats with a scoop of protein powder mix and either cherries, raspberries, or blueberries that contain antioxidants.

5. Chicken Breast and Veggies

Chicken is known to be one of the staple foods for many gym fanatics. It’s an excellent source of protein and carbs. Add veggies like long stem broccoli, carrots, or sweet potato. The veggies will provide you with much needed fiber that helps with a healthy digestion.

There is an ongoing debate on whether you should opt for chicken breast or the chicken thigh. Researchers have proven that the dark meat in chicken thighs contain more healthy meat than that in the breast. Meats and veggies that contain healthy fats will prevent hangry feelings while working out.

You can add some brown rice to the meal.

6. Performance Enhancer Supplements

There are a wide variety of performance enhancing supplements available on the market. These supplements assist in muscle growth, increase in metabolic systems, increase recovery time, improve stamina, increased endurance, and even promote weight loss.

7. Wholegrain Cereals and Bars

For morning workout routines, you can add wholegrain cereals with milk on the breakfast menu. The most sustainable cereals are those who have no preservatives. Invest in a decent raw granola or wholegrain cereal and always remember to check the box for ingredients guidelines.

If you overslept a little bit and don’t want to fill your stomach with a big bowl of cereal, then you can grab a quick protein or nutrition bar. They are typically filled with great nutritional ingredients.

Alternatively, if you’re on-the-go you can grab a piece of fruit like an orange, banana, or apple. Even a small serving of fat-free yogurt or Greek yogurt combined with a piece of fruit.

Timing and Preparation

When you actually eat your pre-workout meal is also extremely important. It has a huge affect on the efficiency of your training and the consistency of your results. It’s recommended that you eat a complete meal that contains proteins, healthy fat, and carbohydrates 2-3 hours before your workout.

Your meals should decrease in size the closer to your workout you eat them. Have a small snack 45-60 minutes before your workout instead of a complete meal.

To also help in the recovery process, you should definitely remember to stretch those muscles. Especially, when you haven’t exercised for quite some time, it’s important to keep your body safe by doing some stretches before and after. Click here for some quick and easy stretches.

Don’t overindulge in any of the above-mentioned options. It’s important that you eat portions that are only enough to provide you with the needed energy without filling you up to the brim. This will ensure that you feel comfortable throughout the training session.

As long as the food you choose is healthy and contains the much-needed nutrients, vitamins, and minerals in order for your body to function, you’re on the right track.