5 pre-workout snacks
The snack The perfect pre-workout should ideally contain the right mix of carbs, protein, and fat. You need to eat some carbs for energy, because your muscles need glucose to work. Protein helps repair muscles and increases muscle growth. The final piece, fat, will help you maintain energy levels during longer workouts.
The amount of each nutrient that people need varies, so try a few different options to see which one works best for you. The suggestions below are a good step towards getting the mix right and will ensure that you feel strong throughout your workout. Try to eat the following: snacks about half an hour before you start moving.
Apple “Cookies”
Ingredients: 1 apple, 100% peanut butter, walnuts
Method: Cut the apple into slices, spread with peanut butter and place the walnuts on top.
Benefits: Peanut butter has low glycemic index carbohydrates, which means it provides continuous energy for training, preventing fatigue. It is rich in protein, with a total of 27 grams per 100 grams of peanuts. It also has a large amount of potassium, which prevents cramps, and arginine, an amino acid that, in addition to helping build muscle mass, strengthens the body's defenses against diseases. Walnuts, a dried fruit rich in good fats, are a good complement to fruit because they help slow down the way energy is distributed, making it last longer.
Mini power pumps
Ingredients for 9 units: 60g of oat flakes; 25g of raw peanuts; 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder; 6 Medjool dates; 1 tablespoon of peanut butter; 5 tablespoons of water; Cinnamon to taste; Pinch of salt.
Method: In a food processor or blender, grind the oat flakes and peanuts into a coarse flour and set aside. Put the dates, peanut butter and water back in the food processor or blender and blend until you get a paste. Add the cocoa and the oat and peanut mixture. Mix everything until you get a smooth dough. If the dough is too dry, add a little more water. If it is too wet, add a few oat flakes until the dough is ready to shape. Using the palms of your hands, form balls. You can leave them plain or roll each energy ball in cocoa powder.
Benefits : These well-known energy balls are an excellent option for those who need a quick and easy snack to prepare. They are full of fiber, protein and good fats, giving us a feeling of fullness for much longer. If you prefer, you can double the recipe and freeze some. This way, you will always have a quick and healthy snack in reserve.
Green smoothie
Ingredients : 1 banana, oats to taste, 1 natural yogurt, spinach to taste
Benefits: Use your blender! Phytonutrients make your smoothies greens the snack Perfect pre-workout. In addition to the known health benefits of greens, consuming nitrate before a workout, which is found in abundance in foods such as spinach or kale, can have a positive effect on mitochondria (the energy engines of cells).
Avocado and egg toast
Ingredients: 1 mashed avocado, 1 boiled egg, 1 slice of wholemeal bread and a pinch of salt/black pepper to taste
Benefits: Whole-grain toast is high in fiber, and avocado contains healthy fats. The egg adds protein, making this a complete meal.
Carrot sticks and hummus
Ingredients: 1 carrot cut into longitudinal strips, chickpea hummus.
Benefits: Hummus is made up mostly of chickpeas, so it provides solid doses of protein, carbs, and fiber, and the veggies offer healthier carbs and antioxidants.
Beetroot, spinach and grape juice
Ingredients:
- 3 small beets, 5 cm in diameter each;
- 6 large spinach leaves without the central vein;
- 100 ml of 100% whole grape juice;
- 300 ml to 400 ml of ice cold water.
Preparation method:
Peel and chop the beets and add them to the blender along with the other ingredients, adding ice and natural sweeteners if desired. Drink immediately.
Nutritional information per serving: approximately 165 Kcal, with 35 g of carbohydrates, 0 g of fat and 6 g of exclusively vegetable proteins.
Benefits:
THE beet It is a source of fiber, betaine and natural nitrates, both of which are precursors of nitric oxide, a compound capable of promoting greater blood perfusion and greater regulation of blood pressure. This increases the capacity to supply more nutrients and oxygen to the organs and tissues involved in the execution of movements, in addition to a greater capacity to remove metabolites that lead more quickly to muscle fatigue, such as lactate. This improves physical performance, especially for those who practice sports that work on muscle resistance, and for individuals who are new to physical activity or have a moderate level of training.
THE spinach is a cruciferous vegetable, just like arugula, kale, broccoli and watercress , and all can be used in the preparation of this juice as substitutes. They are also great sources of fiber that reduce the glycemic index of the meal, increase satiety and improve intestinal function, in addition to being good sources of calcium (fundamental for generating muscle strength), folic acid, vitamins and also the natural nitrates mentioned above.
THE grape It is rich in flavonoids, tannins and resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant that has beneficial effects on the endothelium (inner layer of blood vessels), also improving circulation. Both beetroot and grapes are sources of excellent quality carbohydrates, nutrients with a great capacity to provide energy and anti-fatigue properties that contribute to increased physical performance.
