Today we are going to dive deeper into what makes a quality pre-workout meal. We qualify pre-workout as any time within three hours of your workout and this meal can make a big difference in how you feel during your workout as well as how well you recover from it.

The Best Pre-Workout Meal 

Some of the main goals from the meal are to:

• Increase your performance in the gym;
• Fuel your muscles;
• Increase or sustain energy;
• Aid in the recovery process.

A Good, Quality Protein Source

As you workout, you are breaking down muscle. Having available amino acids in your system will help build those muscles back up right when you need them the most! We all know how important building muscle can be for overall health and body composition, so anything we can do to preserve (and build) muscle is a good thing!

 Now it is tough to digest protein and workout so either keep it light, make it a shake, or eat far enough way from your workout that it doesn't effect your energy. Usually 90mn is enough time. 

Carbs to Help Fuel Your Workout

 This is almost required before a workout! (unless fasted workouts are in your program) We've seen it all from a full blown meal from Denny's to rice krispie treats. Rice tends to digest the fastest and is a very reliable source of energy.

Quality Fat

In addition to providing some good vitamins and minerals, fat can also slow digestion. This will help maintain your blood glucose and insulin levels while working out.

Now it should be said that if you are going to be eating within an hour of your workout, make sure you eat something that you can digest easily and you know how it reacts with your body. The last thing that you want is an upset stomach while trying to rock it at the gym!

Personally, Ilove 50 grams of white rice or a chocolate chip cookie!