Best Food to Eat Before Workout

Coffee/tea or something else with caffeine? Quick carbs?

I don't usually do anything super-special before a workout, though if it's been a while since I've eaten and my energy level feels a little depressed, I might eat some dried fruit or even candy. For a while, I was on a kick of caramel apple Tootsie-Pop lollipops/suckers, around 70 calories of nearly pure sugar, before weight training. I've also kept unsweetened applesauce packets in my gym bag to eat when I had back-to-back group classes (to eat quickly between) or shelf-stable chocolate milk in single-serve boxes.

I don't get very technical or fancy about this stuff, though. Mostly I focus on eating nutritiously in ways that keeps me reasonably full and my energy level up most of the time, and just extend that idea to pre-/post-workout eating. If I subjectively feel like things could be improved, I experiment.

I do supplement creatine among other things, but not timed around workouts.

Others will probably give you better (more technical) advice.

I’m with @AnnPT77, I don’t do anything technical. I generally have a coffee, and then a slab of cake or something like flapjack. I often eat raisins during my session or fudge, then I have a protein shake made with skimmed milk after. I just need to eat enough calories to get through the session, then I make sure I get enough protein for the rest of the day.

Fruit is usually good because it absorbs fast. Cinnamon toast crunch was a favorite of mine back in the day.



A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

ninerbuff wrote: »

Fruit is usually good because it absorbs fast. Cinnamon toast crunch was a favorite of mine back in the day.



A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Is cinnamon toast crunch something you made or bought? Sounds interesting!

cwolfman13 wrote: »

claireychn074 wrote: »

ninerbuff wrote: »

Fruit is usually good because it absorbs fast. Cinnamon toast crunch was a favorite of mine back in the day.



A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Is cinnamon toast crunch something you made or bought? Sounds interesting!

It's a sugary breakfast cereal



To the OP, I don't really do anything in particular for a gym workout. It's usually in the evening after work and I've consumed enough throughout the day to have good, stable energy. Weekend workouts are in the AM and I usually have a few cups of coffee when I wake up and then I go to the gym and eat breakfast when I return. When I was heavy into cycling I did carb load the day before long training rides or races and I had dried fruit and/or jolly ranchers with me for the ride to keep my energy up.

Most pre-workout supplements are primarily caffeine and B vitamins.

Ohh right, thanks! Disappointed, I thought it was like a toast recipe 🤣

I have 4 ounces of lean protein with either one cup (cooked) of barley or a serving of oats 30 minutes before working out.