{"id":4032,"date":"2025-03-05T14:14:09","date_gmt":"2025-03-05T14:14:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/whats-the-optimal-pre-workout-snack.html"},"modified":"2025-03-05T14:14:09","modified_gmt":"2025-03-05T14:14:09","slug":"whats-the-optimal-pre-workout-snack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/health\/whats-the-optimal-pre-workout-snack.html","title":{"rendered":"What’s the Optimal Pre-Workout Snack?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s 5 p.m. \u2014 time to clock out and get ready to work out. But lunch was hours ago, and now you\u2019re zombie-level starving. So, what\u2019s the best snack to fuel your p.m. workout? Your pre-workout snack should definitely be carb-heavy, but it\u2019s not that simple.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst you need to ask yourself what your goal is,\u201d says Chad M. Kerksick, Ph.D, an assistant professor of exercise science at Lindenwood University in Missouri.<\/p>\n

Are you going to do cardio or strength training? Each objective calls for a different pre-and post-exercise snack strategy. So what should you eat?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe type and amount of food will depend on what type of workout you plan to do, your fitness\/health goals, and how long you have until your workout,\u201d says Krista Maguire, R.D.<\/p>\n

And you don\u2019t want to wait too long to get in your workout: \u201cYou should also be mindful of how certain foods or beverages (for example,\u00a0caffeine) and exercise programs can affect your sleep,\u201d Maguire advises. (More on that later\u2026)<\/p>\n

How Far Ahead of Your Evening Workout Do You Need to Eat?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with the timing of your meal or snack: There\u2019s no hard-set rule on how far ahead of your evening workout you need to eat.<\/p>\n

Maguire suggests figuring out how much time you have before your workout, then counting backward to determine how much, if anything at all, you should eat before an after-work sweat session starts.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe main goals of eating pre-workout are to avoid hunger, delay fatigue, minimize gastrointestinal distress, and maintain hydration,\u201d Maguire says. Here\u2019s her down-to-the-minute guide to fueling before a p.m. workout:<\/p>\n

If you have 30 minutes or so: \u201cYou could either skip the snack if you\u2019ve fueled yourself well throughout the day and don\u2019t have an intense workout planned, or if you\u2019re hungry and low on energy, you can eat a small, easy-to-digest snack,\u201d advises Maguire.<\/p>\n

Choose a snack that has about 15 to 20 grams of carbs, like half of a large banana. \u201cBe sure whatever it is, that it won\u2019t cause digestive issues,\u201d she says. (This isn\u2019t the time for chips and salsa!)<\/p>\n

If you have an hour: Maguire says you should still keep it pretty light and focus on carbs. Depending on how long ago you ate, your body may be running low on glycogen, especially if you\u2019re following a calorie-restricted eating plan.<\/p>\n

Just keep in mind it takes a few hours for food to digest, and when you work out, blood moves away from the intestines and toward the working muscles. If you give your stomach too much to handle too close to a workout, you may experience some digestive issues.<\/p>\n

A good snack choice would be around 150 to 200 calories \u2014 perhaps a slice of toasted whole-grain bread with a touch of peanut butter or some Greek yogurt topped with berries or fresh fruit.<\/p>\n

If you have two hours: \u201cBump it up a little bit,\u201d she says. Focus on carbs, but don\u2019t be shy to add a little bit of protein or healthy fats. A small bowl of oatmeal (even if it\u2019s not breakfast time) with sliced banana and a few walnuts could hit the spot, or a pre-workout smoothie can easily hold you over and fuel your evening workout.<\/p>\n

If you have more than two hours: If you have three or four hours before you plan to hit the gym, you can consume larger portions. \u201cThis would be more of a moderate meal than a snack,\u201d says Maguire. (Refer back to this info when you\u2019re planning your lunch and know you want to work out after work.)<\/p>\n

A balanced meal with some complex carbs, lean protein, and healthy fats can fuel you and provide steadier blood sugar delivery so that your afternoon workout will rock.<\/p>\n

Keep this general guidance in mind, too: \u201cDepending on what the workout is and your goals, you should be mindful of what you\u2019re eating at all times,\u201d says Maguire. \u201cHowever, earlier meals like breakfast won\u2019t have a significant, direct impact on your evening workout.\u201d<\/p>\n

How Your Fitness Goals Affect Pre-Workout Nutrition<\/h2>\n

\"Pre<\/p>\n

If weight loss is your goal, you\u2019ll keep overall calorie intake in mind. \u201cPerhaps shifting some carbs from breakfast to your pre-workout meal could help fuel your evening workout and help keep your daily calories in check,\u201d says Maguire.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re working on growing your muscles, the\u00a0American College of Sports Medicine\u00a0discourages working out on an empty stomach and encourages providing enough energy, including protein, to promote new muscle growth and repair.<\/p>\n

\u201cPre-workout protein consumption isn\u2019t as widely accepted in the science community, but\u00a0post-exercise protein intake most certainly is,\u201d says Maguire. You\u2019ll want to aim for about 20 to 30 grams of protein post-workout, and keep those amounts in mind as a protein goal for each meal.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn addition, if you have a big strength workout planned, you may want to increase your carbs at lunch to top off muscle glycogen stores,\u201d she says. \u201cFor strength workouts, you don\u2019t have to be as worried about high-fiber foods or healthy fats potentially causing digestive discomfort as much as you would for more jarring activities like running.\u201d<\/p>\n

No matter what your fitness goal is, you\u2019ll want to make sure you\u2019re eating enough during the day. \u201cYou don\u2019t want to under-fuel your body, so consuming well-balanced meals throughout the day will provide enough energy to fuel your workouts and help your body recover post-workout,\u201d says Maguire.<\/p>\n

How Many Calories Do You Need Before an Afternoon Workout?<\/h2>\n

Beyond the timing of your snack or meal, do you know how many calories you need before a p.m. workout? (It\u2019s at least 100 to 150.) Your\u00a0macro needs may differ depending on your activity and how much time you have to digest, but Maguire says you should \u201cthink mainly carbs for pre-workout snacks to help fuel you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Calorie-wise, Maguire says you\u2019ll need to consider your total daily calorie needs in addition to what you\u2019ve had that day \u2014 and how long you have until you plan to work out.<\/p>\n

\u201cA good rule of thumb if you need a pre-workout bite is about 100 to 150 calories for every hour you have prior to your workout,\u201d she says. \u201cThis doesn\u2019t mean eat every hour, but figure out when you\u2019ll work out, work backwards, and determine how big that snack should be or if you even need an extra snack at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

What about protein? \u201cIf you want, it can include a little bit of protein; however, research is insufficient as to whether pre-workout protein can help prevent protein breakdown during exercise or stimulate muscle protein synthesis post-workout,\u201d Maguire adds. (After a workout is definitely the time to focus on protein.)<\/p>\n

\u201cFat can often cause digestive issues,\u201d she advises, so skip it or include minimal amounts in your pre-workout snack.<\/p>\n

The Best Pre-Workout Snacks for Fuel<\/h2>\n

\"Pre<\/p>\n

What are her favorite snacks to fuel an evening workout? Maguire shares these as some of the best snacks to fuel your p.m. workout.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re about to rush out the door to work out (like, right now!), refer back to her suggestions for eating with less time to spare before a workout. After all, nobody likes\u00a0bonking during a workout!<\/p>\n

Your needs will vary whether you\u2019re doing\u00a0Cize,\u00a0P90X3, or\u00a03 Week Yoga Retreat, just as your goals likely would. Here\u2019s how:<\/p>\n

What to Eat Before an Evening Strength-Training Workout<\/h2>\n

When you\u2019re focused on\u00a0building muscle\u00a0or\u00a0burning fat, pre-workout fueling can get a little more complicated. The macro breakdown of what to eat before an evening strength-training workout \u201cwould vary depending on what stage you are in,\u201d says Maguire, adding that your needs are different in the bulking versus cutting phases of a program, for example.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, the protocol is similar to cardio, as you want to be sure your muscles have enough glycogen to fuel your lifting,\u201d Maguire says. In other words, before your evening workout is not the time to embrace the low-carb\u00a0lifestyle. Carbs are \u201ca primary fuel source, so they need to be there in adequate amounts,\u201d adds Kerksick.<\/p>\n

What to Eat Before an Evening Cardio Workout<\/h2>\n

Unlike with strength training, what to eat before an evening cardio workout is pretty straightforward most of the time. If you\u2019re doing endurance or cardio activities (especially for over an hour), you want to keep your glycogen stores topped off, says Maguire. \u201cChoosing carbohydrate-rich foods will help keep you fueled throughout your workout,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

What to Eat Before Evening Yoga<\/h2>\n

\"Pre<\/p>\n

What about less-intense workouts? Do you know what to eat before evening yoga? Down dog with a full belly is a mistake you\u2019ll only make once! \u201cFor lighter activities like yoga, fueling isn\u2019t as important,\u201d says Maguire.<\/p>\n

She adds two exceptions: \u201cHot yoga, where hydration must be considered, or power yoga that may require more stamina.\u201d<\/p>\n

Less is more when fueling before evening yoga. \u201cDue to the twists, core-based postures, and breathwork (aka\u00a0pranayama),\u201d it\u2019s often advised to have an \u201cempty\u201d stomach when you do yoga, says Maguire.<\/p>\n

Instead, focus more on earlier meals: \u201cI\u2019d recommend focusing on eating a well-balanced diet throughout the day if you plan on taking an evening yoga class.\u201d<\/p>\n

How Can You Energize Your Evening Workouts?<\/h2>\n

You know that feeling of wanting to exercise, knowing you\u2019ll feel great afterward, but having no energy to work out (especially after work). How can you energize your evening workouts without staying up all night? Caffeine\u00a0has been shown to impact sleep even six hours before bed, so Maguire says to remember that \u201cfood is energy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The snacks she shared \u201cshould help without keeping you up late at night like caffeinated beverages,\u201d she says. But caffeine affects everyone differently. \u201cSome may tolerate caffeine at night without compromising sleep,\u201d she says. \u201cAlso keep in mind that working out late at night may also be a culprit if you\u2019re not getting quality shut-eye.\u201d Talk about robbing Peter to pay Paul!<\/p>\n

Before your next after-workout exercise session catches you unprepared (aka hungry and tired), consider planning ahead and thinking about that all-important recovery phase: sleep. Here\u2019s\u00a0how exercise\u00a0can\u00a0help you sleep better, and then figure out\u00a0when to stop eating at night\u00a0(you\u2019ll also find out what to eat before bed to set yourself muscles up for recovery while you rest).<\/p>\n

The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n

What you should eat before an evening workout depends on the type of workout you\u2019re doing and how much time you have. Keep it small and simple, embrace carbs, and you\u2019ll be ready to crush your evening workout!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s 5 p.m. \u2014 time to clock out and get ready to work out. But lunch was hours ago, and now you\u2019re zombie-level starving. So, what\u2019s the best snack to fuel your p.m. workout? Your pre-workout snack should definitely be carb-heavy, but it\u2019s not that simple. \u201cFirst you need to ask yourself what your goal […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4033,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4032","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4032","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4032"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4032\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4033"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4032"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4032"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4032"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}