• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

He & She Eat Clean logo

  • Recipes
    • Most Popular Clean Eating Recipes
    • Food Prep
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Lunch & Dinner Recipes
    • Appetizers, Sides, & Snacks Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Protein Bar Recipes
    • Protein Shake Recipes
    • Drink & Juice Recipes
  • Fitness
    • Hiking
    • Peloton
    • Workout Tips
    • Weight Training
    • Cardio/HIIT
    • Runners Resources
    • Fitness Challenges
    • Exercise Tutorials
    • Body Image
    • Education
  • Active Travel
  • Workout Plans
    • Workout Plans
    • Success Stories
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • Press & Media
    • Blogging Resources
    • Terms & Conditions
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
Home » Workout Tips » What to Eat Before (and After) a Workout

What to Eat Before (and After) a Workout

69 · Jun 28, 2012 · Leave a Comment

160.6K shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link.

two females standing back to back with text that reads what to eat before & after a workout

Fuel your body with what it needs pre and post workout using these snack and meal ideas. Eating the right foods in the right amount at the right time will help you get the results you are looking for.

Let us be your personal trainers with our detailed 4, 6 and 12-week She Sweats Workout plans! We guide your workout each day, telling you exactly what to do and what intensity to work at. We have everything you need! Find out more!

WHAT TO EAT BEFORE A WORKOUT

Here’s the lowdown on what you should consume before a workout:

  • Cardio ONLY workouts (44 min or less): Have a few extra minutes to squeeze in a quick HIIT workout or even just go for a power walk? If you are only doing a cardio workout, you should have a 50-100 calorie source of quick-digesting carbohydrates to rev up your metabolism and keep your body burning fat throughout your workout.
  • Cardio ONLY workouts (45 min +): Hitting the streets for a hardcore run? (I would consider anything over 3 miles hardcore – I am not a runner! Yet!) You should have anywhere from 100-150 calories of a quick digesting and a slower digesting carbohydrate source. Skip the protein source until after your workout.
  • Weight Training/Lifting Session: Planning to pump iron before breakfast? Not so fast! Make sure you eat 150-200 calories of a quick digesting carb (such as one 30 cal rice cake), slower digesting carbs and a lean protein source. Don’t waste your hard work – you want to build those muscles!

Below is a quick list of snacks you can use to create your pre-workout snack. Please note there are many other snacks you can choose from – I included only these as they are quick to prepare, travel well and tend to cause the least amount of stomach issues once you are working out. You can definitely add to this list!

Quick Digesting Carbs

  • Low Sodium White Rice Cake – approximately 30 calories per rice cake
  • Banana – approximately 105 calories per medium (7″) banana
  • Green Apple – approximately 72 calories per medium (3″ in diameter) apple

Slower Digesting Carbs

  • Low Sodium Brown Rice Cake – approximately 50 calories per rice cake
  • Oats (Quick Cooking, Steel Cut, or Old Fashioned) – approximately 80 calories in 1/4 Cup of oats
  • Sweet Potato – approximately 90 calories in 1/2 Cup of baked sweet potato
  • Brown Rice – approximately 54 calories per 1/4 Cup of cooked brown rice

Lean Protein Source

  • Protein Shake – this is sometimes the quickest way to get your calories if you are in a hurry! Calories will vary depending on your brand of protein powder (here’s our review of clean protein powders).
  • Scrambled/Boiled Egg White – approximately 17 calories per large egg white (4g of protein per egg)

WHAT TO EAT AFTER A WORKOUT

What should you eat after a workout?

That’s pretty simple: a 100-200 calorie snack consisting of a lean protein source and a quick digesting carbohydrate source. The carbohydrates will help your body to digest and use the protein source that you have consumed and repair your muscles (this is how you build muscle. Tear it down to build it up!). Try to eat within 30 minutes of your workout!

MORE WORKOUT TIPS:

  • 10 Tips to Stay Motivated for Your Workouts
  • 5 Reasons Why You Need a Workout Plan
  • 6 Tips to Get Over Your Fear of the Weight Room
  • The 80/20 Rule for Dieting
69

All Time Most Popular, Most Popular, Workout Tips

Reader Interactions

« Should You Eat Before You Workout?
Cottage Cheese Protein Pancakes »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hi! We're Scott & Whitney. Together we changed our life through clean eating and weight training and now we share our healthy recipes, workouts, and tips and tricks with you! We also take you on our adventures from hiking and backpacking to skiing. Read more here.

Footer

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact Us
  • Press & Media

Copyright © 2023 He & She Eat Clean on the Seasoned Pro Theme

160.6K shares