What are great foods to snack on before going to the gym?
- Oatmeal with milk
- Home-made fruit and plain yogurt parfait
- Tuna filling on whole-wheat crackers
- Protein pancakes
- Apple
- Boiled egg on toast
It is advisable to snack on food two to three hours before you exercise at a gym in Makati so you have the fuel to push through your sets. Working out on an empty stomach can leave you easily fatigued, lightheaded, and with a high blood sugar level. The problem is, however, that most gym goers don’t snack on the right foods.
The snacks you eat should have the following nutrients:
- Slow-acting carbohydrates (so your blood sugar doesn’t spike quickly)
- Glucose from carbs provides energy fuel for your muscles.
- The more fuel you have in your muscles, the more you intense you can be with your workouts.
- Carbs are important for people who are doing high-intensity exercises for a short period of time.
- Fat
- Also provides fuel.
- Most important for low-intensity exercises over a long period.
- Protein
- Responsible for keeping your muscles performing in tip-top shape by improving the anabolic response of tissues.
- Helps your muscles recover faster after being broken down due to exercise.
- Increases your strength.
All of these are great foods to snack on because they have the three essential nutrients:
Oatmeal With Milk
Milk is a great source of protein and fat, while oatmeal provides filling carbs that will not cause your blood sugar levels to spike thanks to the fiber. Oats also contain iron to help your blood flow during the workout and muscle-boosting vitamin B that helps release more energy from the carbohydrates. Eating around a cup of this snack before your sets should be enough. You can also add flavor to the oatmeal by topping it with cinnamon powder.
Home-made Fruit and Plain Yogurt Parfait
Fruits contain carbs while plain yogurt provides a high level of protein. Yogurt is also great for core fitness in the Philippines because it has less fat than milk and contains probiotics that prevent your stomach from feeling bloated. You will have a flat stomach and great abs if you start your workout with this delicious treat.
The problem with flavored yogurts, however, is that they contain high levels of simple sugars that will make you crash. Therefore, plain or Greek yogurt is the best since they do not have added sugars
To make a simple parfait, you just need 2 cups of yogurt with ½ cup fruit of your choice.
Fruits that will taste great with yogurt are:
- Kiwi
- Banana
- Frozen Berries
- Mango
Tuna Spread on Whole-wheat crackers
Tuna is rich in protein and its omega-fats will help reduce tissue inflammation from working out so muscles recover faster. Since canned tuna can be boring to eat on its own, make it more exciting by flavoring it with other ingredients and serving it carbohydrate-rich whole wheat crackers.
To make tuna spread on crackers, you will need:
- 1 can of tuna in oil
- ½ tsp calamansi juice
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp minced onion
- 1 pack whole wheat crackers
Mix tuna, calamansi juice, mayonnaise, and onion all together. Spread the filling on top of each cracker.
Protein Pancakes
Pancakes are one of the easiest snacks to make. Well-made ones can easily motivate you to workout more. Adding protein powder and using whole wheat flour to your pancakes easily make them healthier than average.
While you can make protein pancakes anyway you want, this is a great recipe to follow:
- 2 scoops protein powder (chocolate flavor)
- 2 egg whites and 1 egg yolk
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup water or milk
- 1tbsp oil
- 1 ½ tbsp honey
Mix all of the ingredients together until everything is combined. Make sure there are no air bubbles for a smooth batter. Next, get a pan, and pour oil until the whole surface is covered. Use medium heat on the stove and wait until the pan is hot. Once the pan hot, pour the pancake mixture. Make sure the layer created from the poured mix is thin so it will cook quickly. Cook 1 minute on each side and serve.
Apple
Whole fruit is great to eat if you want a lot of nutrients, especially complex carbohydrates, with little calories if you want to improve your core fitness in the Philippines for great abs. Apples contain mostly water (around 85%) with 5 grams of fiber and are quick to eat on the go. It is also very hydrating, especially since you need lots of water before exercising at a gym in Makati.
Boiled Egg with Toast
An egg is another great food for your core because you get really full with minimal calories and it packs a lot of protein (around 6 grams) for your abdominal muscles. It will also prevent choline from being used up in the workout. Choline is responsible for muscle coordination.
Key Takeaway
Exercising at a gym in Makati on an empty stomach will lead to problems such as fatigue. To make your workouts worthwhile, you should eat on snacks that contain helpful carbohydrates, protein, and fats. All of these foods are examples of snacks that have all those nutrients.