Pre and Post Workout Fuel 🎉

Ready to Run Far and Get SWEATY?! Not so fast! Before you get started on your training, you need to make sure your body is functioning optimally and your muscles are growing strong! The main goals of your Pre-Sweat session nutrition are to: • Reduce muscle glycogen depletion (AKA reduce hitting a wall during your workouts) • Reduce muscle protein breakdown (AKA reduce muscle damage) • Reduce post workout cortisol levels (AKA reduce having a muscle meltdown) Okay, okay, enough with the science terminology. Let’s actually make this happen!! In order to make this happen, carbohydrates and proteins are going to be your new BFFs. Here are a few of our favorite pre-workout snacks that do just that! Whole Wheat Toast with Sliced Banana and Cinnamon As we said earlier, you will make carbs and proteins your new gal pals. You never want to favorite a gal pal, so it is crucial to not favor either carbs or proteins, but get the perfect mix of both. Greek Yogurt and Granola Getting ready for a long run? Eat some yogurt first. It's easy on your stomach, and when paired with granola or trail mix (without the good stuff) it can give you the little boost of energy your body needs to get you through a run! Apple Wedges with Almond Butter Eat the right kind of sugar before your workout and while you're at it, slap some almond butter on your apple. This will amp up your energy levels and help with hunger! Apple > Candy If you are in a hurry, one of our favorite quick snacks are protein balls. Check out PopSugar's Peanut Butter Protein Balls here. Seriously, it's almost like a treat, but keeps you energized throughout your whole workout! After you are finished breakin' a sweat, you should eat your post workout snack within 60 minutes of your workout. This repairs the damage done to your cells and helps you recover faster! It is usually a small protein snack or shake, but we have a few different options to keep you on your toes! Chocolate Milk Our favorite post workout snack at Sweaty Bands is chocolate milk. Yes, you read that right, chocolate milk! We have even heard that chocolate milk can be better than sports drinks. Got milk, anyone? Cottage Cheese + Fruit; simple as that. BOOM! Veggie Omelet with Avocado We know you all already know eggs are a great source of protein and help aid in muscle recovery and growth. So switch up your daily boring routine of scrambled eggs and make this amazing omelet!! And we like to put avocado on everything. If you don't, it’s okay we still like you. Band can be found here! Salmon and Sweet Potatoes Salmon is always the talk of the town around Sweaty Bands Headquarters. Customs Manager, Sheila, is always on top of her A-game when it comes to new salmon recipes. One of her favorite foods to pair with salmon after a work out is sweet potatoes. They both play an excellent role in helping to regulate insulin levels and give your joints the support they need. Sweet potatoes are a perfect way to get those complex carbs in and help restore glycogen levels (which we mentioned above). For an even longer list of pre and post workout snacks, check out the list our friends at Greatist made here! Let us know what your favorite pre and post workout snacks are below!