While you may think about being healthy and eating your greens and proteins, you may be surprised that your body actually needs carbs before you start doing physical activity, no matter how hard, or how easy, you go at it. I’m going to tell you today that you need to ditch the kale shakes (for pre-workout at least) and instead focus on taking in some good carbs as you try to build muscle and lose weight.
Why Bagels Make Sense as a Pre-Workout Meal
Every time you do an activity that makes you work hard, such as lifting heavy weights or running at any decent pace, your body burns calories. However, when your body doesn’t have calories to burn, it’ll go into a defense mode and hoard fat and calories the next time you have a meal. If you are trying to lose weight, you could become frustrated when you try to stick to your workout routine because you aren’t seeing the desired results. When you start to work out and feel fatigued or dizzy, this is due to the fact that your body has simply run out of fuel. When this happens, your workout gets the best of you, instead of you getting in the best workout.
For this reason, you need to have yourself a healthy snack before you get after it each morning. Sure, a kale shake may seem like a good fit because it’s low in calories, but your body needs carbohydrates and fiber in order to run efficiently.
A small, whole grain bagel is a perfect item to consume pre-workout. If you are looking for a topping, go for protein. Personally, I like to add peanut butter as the healthiest of options, but I know people who will go all the way with an egg and if you aren’t caring about dairy, add the cream cheese for a delicious alternative. Sure, it’s not the healthiest thing, but your alternative is that you go into your workout without any fuel to work out optimally, so pick your poison!
When you consume bagels prior to working out, you will remain satisfied, and also get into fat-burning mode rather than panic-hoarding mode. You’ll definitely work up an appetite, but post-workout is when you need to add protein to your body in order to repair and rebuild muscles.
Of course, these are great snacks as well. They are easy to find, provide fuel, and will help you get the most out of your workout. Don’t overlook the trusty bagel when it comes to pre-workout meals!