If you look around on the street or in the supermarket these days, you can immediately see that more and more people are turning to fitness snacks. Practicing a sport and a health-conscious lifestyle probably play an important role in today's society. Weight training and other sporting activities have become so popular that they are turning into a passion that we can view as fuel for the body and mind. Whatever your favorite activity, it seems that performance from an athletic and mental perspective depends heavily on diet. From this perspective, starving the body while asking it to do strenuous exercise is rarely an option. That's why it's so important to eat regularly.
To smallGaps between training and mealsTo fill up, you can prepare high-protein, low-calorie, sweet, savory, low-carb and, above all, quick and healthy treats at home. For this reason, we have provided simple recipes for fitness snacks for you in this guide. Plus, discover delicious ideas and balanced suggestions that will help you maintain your energy and satisfy your hunger before and after your visit to the gym.
What are fitness snacks actually good for?
Furthermore, properly prepared fitness snacks have a high concentration of fortifying nutrients, which can be important not only for athletes, but also for people with various protein deficiencies or other illnesses. The fact that we don't move much at work or in the evening doesn't mean that our body doesn't need energy from the right diet. So snacking on one or two sports snacks a day will help you keep your metabolism active and moderate.
Among athletes, fitness snacks justify themselves in the menu of men and women whose physical activity is quite intense. The essential task is therefore:daily calorie intaketo supplement what our body needs in addition to the usual diet. In addition, these small snacks contribute to better glycemic regulation and a feeling of satiety. It is worth noting that the consumption of fitness snacks is mainly determined by the individual, his body and his daily rhythm. You can also individually adjust the type and number of daily portions.
Pay attention to the body signals
There are basically two main types of fitness snacks: those between breakfast and lunch and those between afternoon and dinner. To know what type of snack is best for you, you should monitor yourself and pay attention to the signals your body is sending you. Why is this important? Because if you are clear about your needs, you will choose the best fitness snacks to combat fatigue, reduced energy, feelings of hunger and so on.
Fitness snacks to combat fatigue and loss of energy
You can recharge your batteries with a healthy snack between meals. Lipids, dried fruits and carbohydrates would be the right choice to combat energy loss. Accordingly, you can, for example, combine a banana with a portion of nuts, a handful of dried fruits, fresh fruit and some raw cocoa beans.
Ideas against feeling hungry between meals
Although hunger strikes from time to time during the day, you can prepare good snacks for the office or on the go that consist of vegetables, eggs or rice. An additional,low calorie intake of fats, proteins and carbohydrates helps you avoid the unpleasant moments and unhealthy food cravings between normal meals.
Eat before and after fitness training
The other type includes the so-called pre- and post-workout. This diet was, logically, originally intended for athletes. Especially for those who train at least four times a week and at high intensity. These small snacks enable better performance without exhausting the body's strength.
Protein bites with dates, cocoa, walnuts and almond butter
Pre-workout fitness snacks should ideally consist of a source of easily digestible protein and carbohydrates. In the following lines we offer ideas for various quick pre-workout fitness snacks that you can prepare yourself at home before your next fitness training.
First put a nice handful of nuts in a cup with dried fruits or almonds. Then add cashews, Brazil nuts, goji berries and cocoa beans. Finally fill with grated coconut, dates and cranberries. This combination is similar to trail mix, which is also an energy-packed version of fitness snacks.
Sprinkle rice cakes with almond butter and banana with cinnamon
Protein Shake
1 part protein powder
¾ cup almond milk
1 to 2 tablespoons grated coconut
1 tablespoon almond leaves
Natural yogurt with fruits, healthy cereals and nuts
Tuna on whole wheat biscuits
The perfect trio: apple slices, light cheese and nuts
Fitness snacks with oat flakes, fruits, nuts and cinnamon
Homemade protein bars
These gourmet treats are easy to prepare and take with you anywhere.Bars with lots of protein to make yourselfare a great snack for competitive athletes. Discover the recipe below.
Ingredients:
1 + ½ cup gluten-free oatmeal
¾ glass of whole almonds
½ cup dried blueberries
½ glass of pistachios
1/3 cup ground flaxseed
1/3 glass of nuts
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
¼ glass of sunflower seeds
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
¼ glass of unsweetened applesauce
1 Bag of Almond Butter
Preparation:
First place baking paper on a baking dish. Mix first 8 ingredients in a large bowl. Pour in maple syrup or honey and apple puree. Mix well and add the almond butter to the mixture. Distribute the mixture as evenly as possible on the baking dish lined with baking paper. Put the whole thing in the oven for 15 minutes at 180 degrees.
Before cutting into 8 long pieces, the baked mixture should cool for about 1 hour. Finally, cut the pastry in half to make 16 pieces in total. That's all.
Portion egg whites into almond milk or water
Furthermore, please note the following: The fitness snacks listed above are a good choice for people who have a period of 60 to 120 minutes before fitness. So if you train early in the morning, a small snack like this just before training can go a long way in achieving the results you want. We also recommend that you focus on quickly digested protein sources and carbohydrates if you are short on time.
Protein-rich smoothie with avocado
Furthermore, fitness snacks after training are a must, especially for those who don't have the opportunity to snack beforehand. Recovery after sporting activities also plays a crucial role. A snack is therefore only recommended if no meal is planned within two hours of physical exertion. Ideally, you should consume 10 grams of protein and 30 grams of carbohydrates. In addition, these amounts vary depending on the sport, duration and intensity, although individual physical condition must also be taken into account. So, if you exercise from 3 to 10 hours a week and the training intensity is low, you can focus on the combination of 10g proteins + 30g carbohydrates. Here are some snack ideas that work for this:
Banana with orange in a cup of milk
Delicious fitness snacks with yogurt and berries
Whole grain bread with cottage cheese
Whole wheat toast with peanut butter, bananas and avocado
With an average of 10 to 20 hours spent in the gym per week, you need to reconsider your intake of carbohydrates and proteins in post-workout meals. Here are the recommended amounts:
¾ cup oatmeal with 2 tablespoons raisins and 125 ml milk
½ cup diced pineapple, ½ cup cottage cheese + ¼ cup walnuts
1 glass of yogurt + 2 large kiwis + matcha powder
Finally, if you exercise 15 hours or more per week, you'll need a post-workout snack that's around 320 calories. That's why we offer you some fitness snacks that you can integrate into your daily menu:
