Busy lives mean hectic schedules and, for many of us, lunchtime is the only time to sneak in a workout.
If this is your main exercise slot be sure to start the day with a filling breakfast (something like poached egg on grainy toast with some fruit would be ideal), and then follow up mid-morning with a targeted pre-workout snack. If you eat a little something before you hit the gym or pound the streets, you will have more energy and you will boost your calorie-burning power.
Eaten an hour or so before you work out, these snacks are just the right size to stop hunger pangs mid-exercise, and not so big that they will interfere with your weight-loss plans or make you feel nauseous. Eat your normal lunch when you get back and you will be getting the best possible results from your midday workout.
SNACK 1
Ingredients:
30g Special K
125ml semi-skimmed milk
half a banana
Total Serving
Calorie counter: 221 calories
Fat: 3g
Why it’s so good: Special K is higher in protein and has a lower GI than many other cereals, which makes for a sustaining pre-workout snack. You will get plenty of iron and B vitamins too, so it is a particularly good choice if you are prone to anaemia. With semi-skimmed milk and half a banana this is an intelligent carb-boosting choice. Ditch the half banana (50 calories) for a more slim line choice.
SNACK 2
Ingredients:
½ bagel topped with a
dessertspoon of peanut butter
Total Serving
Calorie counter: 167 calories
Fat: 5.8g
Why it’s so good: Fast-releasing carbs from the bagel teamed with high protein, monounsaturated-rich peanut butter makes the perfect medium-GI snack. It is also a good source of B vitamins, particularly niacin, which is important in the release of energy in cells.
SNACK 3
Ingredients:
3 Fig Rolls
Total Serving
Calorie counter: 189 calories
Fat: 1.5g
Why it’s so good: One of the quickest, easiest and most delicious ways to fuel up before exercise! Fig rolls are high in sugar but relatively higher in fibre than many biscuits, making for a slightly lower GI option. Good eaten half an hour to an hour before lunchtime run.
SNACK 4
Ingredients:
150g low-fat natural yogurts with a handful
of berries and drizzle
of honey
Total Serving
Calorie counter: 140 calories
Fat: 1.5g
Why it’s so good: Lactose (milk sugar) is released quite slowly and, along with its protein content, yoghurt makes a good choice if you are combining aerobic and resistance exercise. Plus, berries are packed with the antioxidants you need to mop up the extra free radicals produced during exercise.
SNACK 5
Ingredients:
250ml smoothie made with apple juice
half a banana
big handful of berries
plus a tablespoon of wheatgerm mixed in
Total Serving
Calorie counter: 165 calories
Fat: 1.5g
Why it’s so good: This is a super-healthy pre-exercise snack that you can make in the morning and take to work. The high-in-good-fats wheatgerm slows down the delivery of sugars to your bloodstream, making it very sustaining. It is also a great source of the protective antioxidant vitamin E.
SNACK 6
Ingredients:
4 wholewheat crackers
80g tuna (in spring water)
Total Serving
Calorie counter: 171 calories
Fat: 4.7g
Why it’s so good: This snack is high in protein, making it a particularly good choice if you are weight training; however, it also contains sufficient carbohydrates for practically any half-hour-long athletic pursuit. Also a good choice if your breakfast was a pure carb one, with no protein. Protein is needed for the repair and renewal of tissues after you have exercised.
SNACK 7
Ingredients:
half a sandwich
(made with wholegrain bread)
reduced-fat hummus
grated carrot
Total Serving
Calorie counter: 164 calories
Fat: 6g
Why it’s so good: If you are watching the calories particularly closely, eat half your sandwich before you exercise and the other half when you get back. Reduced-fat hummus and grated carrot makes a great sustaining mix to get you through your workout without hunger pangs.
With thanks to Good Habits.