When you do a lot of physical activity, you tend to burn a lot of energy. That makes perfect sense right? The question is, how are you fueling your body to deal with this increased activity?
Since my appetite increases based on my activity level one of the ways, I combat this issue is having snacks readily available. Whether I work out at home or make tracks for the gym, I’m armed with a nutrient dense snack that will fuel me through my workouts.
Before beginning my workouts, I always eat a light snack. Why? For the extra energy and stamina needed to assist me throughout my exercise! Once your workout has ended, your body still needs fuel. Why is that? Think about all the muscles you used during your workouts, the energy you expended during your training. I guess we should replenish some of what we lost, right? Having a post workout snack helps assist the body with replenishing your depleted glycogen stores. Glycogen stores are depleted during a strenuous workout. A post workout snack also aids repairing muscle tissue.
I’ve included some of my post-workout snacks below…
- Post-workout smoothie
- Hummus and Collard Wrap
- Berries and Nuts
One of my favorite pre and post workout snacks are green smoothies. For protein, I normally add 1/4 cup of freshly ground almonds to the blend. If I’m working out at the gym, I make sure I carry an extra container with my green smoothie. I use Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottles. I’ve been using them for years and haven’t had to replace my originals yet. I like them a lot since they keep my drinks cold, which is especially important when I’m sitting in the dry sauna.
If you don’t like the collards try romaine lettuce or use pita bread.
Carbs and protein, I tend to eat 1 cup of berries with a few tablespoons of almonds.
For those who want to see an extended list of where vegans get their protein, check out the Vegan protein link at the Vegetarian Resource group.
Question: What are some of your favorite pre and post workout snacks?
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Fitness, Smoothies