Power Foods to Energize Your Day & Fuel Your Workout

Fitness, Nutrition -

Power Foods to Energize Your Day & Fuel Your Workout

by Tami Mittan

power foods to fuel your exercise
Nutrient-rich almonds are a great pick-me-up and will help your performance.

While talk of eating super foods for their numerous health benefits–from staving off cancer, to lowering your blood pressure and promoting weight loss–is all the rage these days, let’s set those aside for a moment.  I’d like to chat about power foods.

Power foods are those which give your body better-than-normal rates of return.  Foods that can deliver that raw, priceless energy we all so desperately need to get through our busy day, and hopefully also fuel our workout.

If you find yourself struggling in the late afternoon or are tiring more than usual during your workouts, then you probably need power food!

Because I eat small amounts frequently throughout the day, I’m always on the lookout for healthy power snacks to boost my energy levels.

Power Foods For Energy

This Power Foods for Energy list is easy, convenient, and primarily filled with things that can be taken on-the-go.   Here are a few things that help me:

  • Greek yogurt with walnuts
  • Apple slices with natural peanut butter
  • Veggies with hummus–carrots, cucumbers and red pepper are my favorites
  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • GORP (Good Old Raisins & Peanuts). Customize with your favorite dried fruits and nuts.
  • Bananas
  • Fruit & tofu smoothie
  • Raw almonds
  • Oatmeal (…is underrated!  One of my favorite long-lasting breakfasts.  I add walnuts to this, too.)
  • Whole grain crackers with avocado slices
  • Energy bars (look for whole grains and high protein)

Yum!  Not only do they taste good, these foods just plain make you feel good.  Keep in mind that studies show it’s not sugar, but protein that can help you beat an afternoon slump, restoring your energy level and even preventing you from feeling sleepy.

Timing is key. Sprinkle your power food intake throughout the day. Don’t let your batteries run too low, as this can be detrimental to your metabolism, and leads to overeating. Experiment with how much time prior to a workout your body best handles eating, and then tapping into, your power food fuel. I find that snacking 1 hour, 45 minutes prior to a workout works best for me).

Dehydration can cause a lack of energy, so always remember to drink plenty of water. Although some of them are obviously more portable than others, I rarely leave home without one or more of these power food items in my bag along with a filled water bottle.

You may already eat many of the power foods included here, but hopefully this will re-motivate you to be conscious about putting them to good use.

Be determined to let power foods energize your day and fuel your workouts!

Read more great tips from Tami on her blog Colorado Mountain Mom.

The post Power Foods to Energize Your Day & Fuel Your Workout appeared first on Live Stonewear.


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