I’ve been asked by a reader to share some of my favorite pre and post workout snacks. Obviously, in my opinion, they’re the best healthy workout snacks! 😉 I’m a big believer in fueling your body for exercise and optimal living. My favorite snacks aren’t revolutionary or different than what you might expect but they work and I keep coming back for more!

You may recognize some of these foods from my favorite snacks post a while back. I’m a big eater and I love indulging in good food. When it comes to working out, you may notice that you feel ravenous afterwards, and that’s a good thing. It means your body worked hard and it’s ready for you to replenish it.

Best Healthy Workout Snacks:

• Protein shakes. This is a great all in one perfect replacement to get everything you need in to replenish your body. I recently ran out of my favorite mix and am shopping for a new kind. What’s your favorite?
• Greek Yogurt. Again, I’m getting in my protein and it’s easy to carry with me on the go!
• Banana and Peanut Butter. Bananas are so healthy for you in so many great ways but one great thing about them in this instance is they supply the carbs needed to replace the muscle sugars (laymen’s terms) needed. Peanut butter will also give you some extra energy to carry you longer.
• Coffee. Research has shown that coffee can help you prepare for a workout because it acts as a stimulant. The caffeine jolt gives you extra stamina & increases your heart rate, improving blood flow from the heart to the rest of your body.
• Chocolate Milk. Even though I don’t take advantage of this one as much as I’d like to, research has shown that chocolate milk may be one of the best recovery drinks for after your workout because it significantly replenishes exhausted muscles!
• Eggs. When I’m in a pinch for cutting costs or for time, I’ll make several hard boiled eggs at the beginning of the week to take with me to work to snack on before my workout. I also like to do scrambled eggs on whole wheat toast or with avocado in the morning before a workout.
• Whole Wheat Toast & a side of Fruit. I switch up my toppings to keep it interesting. Sometimes I’ll do peanut butter and honey or peanut butter and banana on my toast and then have some grapes or strawberries on the side.

The main thing to remember when eating to fuel or recover from your workout is that you want to include complex carbohydrates and protein. These are the mainstays of your body’s energy powerhouse. As always, drink tons of water, water, water all throughout the day when you workout (not just during) to stay well hydrated. See my best tip for getting all the water you need here!

What are your favorite pre and post workout snacks?