A more nutritious lifestyle and snacking definitely go hand in hand. Especially when you exercise regularly, your body needs extra energy on a regular basis. Read all about smart snacking in this post!
Exercising means asking your body for a solid dose of energy, which it gets from food. If you train without topping up your energy, you'll quickly hit the wall! That's why it's best to choose nutritious snacks before, sometimes during (depending on how long you train), and after your training. This also keeps your blood sugar levels steady and helps you avoid energy dips or cravings for something less nutritious.
What should I snack on for my training?
Heavy meals are now a no-go. Choose a light snack a few hours before your training with the goal of giving your energy levels a gentle boost. In technical terms, we're loading the body with glycogen. In short, glycogen is what gets stored in the muscles and liver and comes from the carbohydrates we eat. Our body can then use that glycogen as fuel.Â
An ideal snack for your training (ideally 1 hour beforehand) contains the necessary carbohydrates, but alsoproteins and a small amount of fats and fibre. Ready to go!
A few options:
- Fresh fruit or dried fruit (do note, these can affect your digestion due to their fibre content)
- Peanut butter
- Yoghurt
- Wholegrains
The best approach is even to combine the ingredients above into a delicious pre-workout snack.
From the snack box:Â
- Bombus energy bars
- Freee oat bars
- Roo'bar bars
- Bear YoYo dried fruit
- Nakd dried fruit and bars
- Dried fruit
- Kookie Cat cookies
- Innerme oat & superfood bars
What should I eat during my training?
Most of us have enough glycogen in our bodies to get through a (relatively easy) workout of around 90 minutes. Especially if you've chosen to have a small bite right before training. If you're planning to exercise for longer than 90 minutes, or for a shorter but really intense session, you'll also need to top up your energy along the way. Carbohydrates (unprocessed, from natural sources) are then the key nutrient for extra energy, but don't forget to drink to replenish the fluids you've lost too.Â
A few options:
- Carb-rich snacks like dried fruit Â
Give these a try (from the snack box):
- Get fruity fruit bars
- N'eat bars
- Roo'bar bars
- Perkier bars
- Raw Bite bars
- Nakd bars
How do I treat myself after training?
Your body needs to recover from physical effort, and for that it needs building blocks. Within the first half hour after exercising, take in enough carbohydrates and protein (topped up with some healthier fats), which help replenish lost energy and support muscle recovery. Protein especially is made up of amino acids, the essential building blocks of your muscles.
Smart snacks (from the snack box):
- Complex carbohydrates like whole rice, crackers, oats, potatoes...
- Raisins
- Nuts, kernels, seeds
- Yoghurt
- Avocado
- Fish / Chicken
- Eggs
- Vegetables
Here too, you can combine the ingredients above into a delicious snack for after exercising.
Smart snacks (in the snack box):
- Raw-Bite Protein bars (10 g protein)
- TREK bars (9 to 10 g protein)
- Products made from nuts, kernels and seeds, like Brave, Bites We Love...
But chip alternatives made from popcorn, chickpeas and beans are also packed with protein that supports recovery.
Got a competition coming up?
Hold off on introducing new things like specific training methods or certain foods for now. Testing them first during your training (competition simulation) is the smartest choice!
Questions or comments? We're happy to help! Feel free to leave a message or get in touch via info@justbite.eu.