You’re in your activewear ready to smash out a workout. Your water bottle is full and your playlist is good to go. But hold on a sec: have you eaten the right foods to help fuel your workout? To get more out of your workout and to help you recover after, here’s what you should eat before your sweat and after.
Pre-workout
Fuel your body with something yum and energising to maximise your workout.
1. Banana smoothie
Not only is it delicious, but it’s so easy to make. We loving banana smoothies because bananas are rich in carbohydrates – they contain sugars and starch that provide energy for your body. If you’re not in the mood for a smoothie, try mashing a banana on two slices of wholegrain toast and lightly drizzle with a little honey.
2. Greek yoghurt and berries
This versatile yoghurt is a pre-workout win. It’s packed with protein to help maximise your sweat sesh. We suggest adding a few blueberries too so your body can use its sugar as energy.
3. Apple slices and peanut butter
This easy food combo is one of our faves. Simply cut an apple into wedges (or slices) and spread with a tablespoon of peanut butter. Your body will use the sugar from the apple as fuel and the peanut butter will keep you full and satisfied.
4. Keep it Cleaner Bliss Ball
These are the perfect option for pre workout as they are full of goodness to energise you for your workout but won’t leave you feeling heavy while you are working out. They are always our go to! Steph’s fave is Choc Hazelnut and Laura’s is Fig and Walnut.
Post-workout
Help your body recover and those muscle repair with these tasty food ideas.
1. Keep it Cleaner Choc / Cherry Protein Bar
This is seriously the best post workout snack ever! It is a great source of protein to help your muscles recover, full of nourishing ingredients and as a bonus tastes like a chocolate brownie. Our fave!
2. Tuna on corn thins
Tuna is an excellent source of protein which is essential to help your muscles recover. But you’ll also need some carbs – and that’s where the corn thins come in. Spread with a little hummus, a squeeze of fresh lemon and some cracked pepper, and your body will love you forever.
3. Avo on sourdough toast
Who doesn’t love avocado? Exactly! Avocados are packed with potassium, so you can replenish what you lost through sweat. And the carbs from the toast will help replenish the muscle glycogen that you burned during your workout.
4. Savoury muffin
We like to pre-bake a batch so we always have a post-workout snack at hand. Ours are made with eggs and a little cheese so our bodies enjoy that much-needed protein to help our muscles recover. And for an extra protein and fibre hit, we also add chopped chorizo, kale and cherry tomatoes.
Steph Claire Smith and Laura Henshaw are the founders of KICgirls.com. Their 28-day program is inspired by the girls’ love for boxing, running and strength training. And as the girls are also massive foodies, KIC’s food planner is one of the best going around. From tacos and pad Thai to smoothies and raw desserts, their menu will fuel you with energy and nutrition to help you take on the world.
This article originally appeared on Women's Health Australia
