What to Eat Pre & Post Workout

We try to live a healthy and active lifestyle and love reading and sharing new recipes and tips to help. We also love teaming up with nutritionists and health experts to offer their best tricks, so today, we’re excited to share Neda Varbanova’s, of Healthy with Nedi, tips for what to eat pre and post workout. This is an area where certain food groups are particularly important to ensure you’re getting the most out of your workout! Neda not only provides helpful insight but also a few super yummy recipes to start with!

 

What I Eat Pre-Workout

Carbs are a great way to get fuel before a work out. Don’t worry too much if you’ve been watching your carb intake, you’ll be burning them off as you go. I also like to add a bit of protein and fat to the mix to keep me satisfied until my post-workout meal. Make sure to keep the portion sizes small and don’t eat too close to your workout time. I usually eat breakfast about an hour and a half before beginning my workout. It is also crucial to hydrate before and during a workout.

Strawberry Cashew Smoothie: This smoothie has a great balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It is packed with many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This cashew smoothie is so delicious and super easy to throw together in the morning before you run out the door for your workout!

Ingredients (serves 2)

1 cup raw cashews
1 cup water
1 cup almond milk
2 cups strawberries
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 banana
1 tsp chia seeds
1 droplet liquid stevia
4-5 ice cubes

Directions

1. Soak cashews in a cup of water for two hours or overnight, until soft.
2. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Healthy with Nedi’s Avocado Toast: Who doesn’t love avocado toast? This easy to prepare snack has both carbohydrates and healthy fats making it a great pre-workout fuel. I use bread that is whole grain and high in fiber such as Ezekiel to make sure the meal is as healthy as possible. If you are gluten-free or paleo, there are plenty of great options on the market. I also love to add a hard-boiled egg to boost protein content and flavor!

Ingredients (Serves 1)

1 slice Ezekiel bread
1 avocado, mashed
1 tbsp feta, crumbled (optional)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp pink Himalayan salt
chili flakes to taste

Add a soft-boiled egg (6 minutes if you like it medium cooked, 8 minutes if you prefer it hard) over the avocado toast for extra flavor & protein!

Directions

1. Toast the Ezekiel bread.
2. Peel and mash the avocado in a bowl. Add the feta, lemon and salt. Mix well.
3. Spread avocado mixture over the toast. Top with egg and chili flakes.

Beautiful Berry Muesli: Nina’s natural muesli is a healthy source of quality carbohydrates as it is loaded with good for you superfoods like raspberries, cranberries, goji berries, chia seeds and pumpkin seeds. This muesli is also high in fiber and protein, so it will keep you full for a long time. I like to top it with fresh berries and some hemp seeds or nuts for an extra boost of protein.

Ingredients (Serves 1)

1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla cashew milk
1/2 cup Nina’s natural muesli
1 drop stevia
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp honey/maple syrup for topping
fresh berries for topping

Directions

1. In a saucepan, heat the milk and stir in the muesli. Add stevia and cinnamon and cook on low to medium heat for 5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving bowl.
3. Top with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup and fresh berries.

 

What I Eat Post-Workout

Protein is the nutrient of focus following workout as it helps repair the muscles, which will eventually grow stronger (especially if your workout included weight training). It is important to eat 30 to 60 minutes after exercising to replenish the glycogen your body used while working out. Make sure to hydrate post-workout too – even better if you can replenish your body with electrolytes. I usually add eboost’s pow to my water for a natural boost of vitamins and electrolytes. Nothing is more satisfying than a delicious smoothie after a challenging workout, but be careful of the ingredients, as some are full of empty carbohydrates and unnecessary sugars. Instead choose a smoothie that is full of protein, fiber and only contains natural sugars from the fruit.

Morning Sunrise Smoothie: This is my favorite post-workout smoothie. Not only does it contain a good amount of healthy protein from the almonds and hemp seeds, it also contains collagen, which is an important protein for rebuilding tissues that support athletic performance.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

2 peaches
1/2 banana, can be frozen
1 cup spinach
1 tbsp hemp seeds
1 tbsp DR Axe collagen
2 tbsp almonds
1 cup filtered water
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
handful of ice

Directions

1. Blend all of the ingredients in a blender and enjoy.

 

Baked Eggs With Spinach & Mushrooms: This egg dish is high in protein as well as vitamins A, D, E, and K, calcium, iron, zinc, folate, vitamin B6 & B12. It also gives a healthy dose of fiber from the vegetables and is absolutely delicious. In my mind, eggs are the perfect post-workout recovery meal.

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 tbsp grass-fed butter
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cups baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups spinach, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven at 400 F / 200 C.
2. Heat butter and olive oil in a pan and sauté the onion and mushrooms for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add minced garlic, spinach and cook for about a minute, (spinach cooks very fast) and then add the heavy cream and stir well. Turn off heat.
4. Transfer the mixture in a baking dish, I used a Pyrex 8 x 8 baking dish and with a spoon form 4 nests and crack the eggs in.
5. Bake on 400 F for 7-10 minutes, until slightly firm.
6. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

 

Grilled Chicken Burger With Yogurt & Sumac Sauce: This chicken burger is a flavorful burst of protein. It will help restore your muscles and is so satisfying, it will keep you full for a long time!

Ingredients (Makes 5 burgers)

For The Burger:

1 large zucchini, grated and salted
1 large chicken breast
1 egg
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1 tsp curry
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp oats
Optional: 1 serrano pepper if you like it spicy

For The Sauce:

1 cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tsp sumac
2 tbsp mint, chopped
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Grate the zucchini and sprinkle with salt.
2. Squeeze out all excess water from the zucchini. The zucchini will be should look like a size of a tennis ball after the excess water is squeezed out.
3. Blend the chicken breast in a food processor and mix with the remainder of burger ingredients.
4. Mix the meat well and form 5 well rounded burgers.
5. Place parchment paper on a cutting board and grease it with extra virgin olive oil.
6. Place each burger on top of parchment paper and cut each one so it can be transferred to the grill easier.
7. Grill the burgers for 4-5 minutes on each side. If they need extra time, place them in a well-heated oven for few extra minutes.
8. Chop the fresh mint for the sauce and mix it with yogurt, sumac, garlic and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to your liking.
9. Serve the burgers with sumac sauce and enjoy!

Looking for even more delicious & healthy recipes? Check out this awesome detox smoothie from Healthy with Nedi too!