Don’t exercise on an empty stomach!

A lot of Americans know the importance of exercise, but do they know how important it is to eat the right foods before a workout?

After an intense workout our muscle fibers and body overall needs to heal and begin to rebuild. That means you need to give it the right nutrients so it can begin to quickly get repaired.

Here are the 10 best foods to eat before a intense workout session thanks to Buzzfeed:

Caffeine

While caffeine is known to give you extra energy a surprising fact is that caffeine also boosts your body’s ability to burn fat during exercise. So drink up!

Bananas

Bananas are loaded with fast-acting carbs which means you will get the extra fuel needed to workout even harder. Additionally, the potassium will aid in nerve function.

Fruit Smoothies

Fruit Smoothies deliver optimum protein to your body which will help you gain muscle and recover quickly. It also has simple and complex carbs which is beneficial when exercising.

Oats

oats are jam packed with fiber which will help in sending carbohydrates into your bloodstream to give you enough energy to power through your workout.

Chickpeas

Eating 1/4 to 1/3 of chickpeas alone will give your a huge amount of protein, carbs, and fiber to help you maximize your gym session.

Egg Whites

We’ve all seen Rocky eating raw eggs before his big fight, but did you know that the egg whites alone are one of the best foods to eat as a pre-workout? Egg whites contian around 4 grams of protein and 0 fat.

Dried Fruit

These take little to no preparation and are great to eat just before a workout. They are simple carbs so dried fruits will give you instant energy.

Whole Grain Toast

Whole grain foods are full of fiber and give long lasting energy to help you get through a long workout. You can add jam for the simple carbs as well to get the added benefits of quick energy.

Chicken Breast and Brown Rice

If you workout after lunch/dinner, you can eat chicken breast and brown rice because it will low fat and a good source of fuel for the tough workout. You will get complex carbohydrates from the brown rice and the chicken will provide protein.

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt had nearly double the protein of normal yogurt and half the sugar. If you are able to consume dairy products definitely give it a try.

* Additional Disclaimer: All content provided by this newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only and is not meant to represent trade, investment, or healthcare recommendations.