The Best Pre-Workout Snacks to Fuel Your Fitness Goals
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Are you for it or against snacking before a workout? Our take: Although there are times you should opt not to nosh before a sweat session (depending on a workout’s timing and intensity), by and large, pumping yourself up with a pre-workout snack is an excellent way to maximize your output. A pre-workout snack can help you improve your performance by increasing your energy, endurance and focus.
However, in order to enhance rather than detract from your fitness goals, a good pre-workout snack should feature certain beneficial macronutrients for muscle growth and stamina, and limit or exclude harmful others. Here, we’ve compiled some of the most well-established pre-workout snacks and supplements as backed by studies and science. Each recommendation has also been peer reviewed by Sports Illustrated Showcase contributor and performance-focused nutritionist Pete Nastasi, although always be sure to talk with your healthcare provider regarding dietary changes.
Healthy Pre-Workout Snacks
“Healthy” is a broad term. In this context, we're referring to snacks that are full of vital nutrients, but low in needless additions—the type of snack for instance that’d be free of an “excessive sugars” or “excessive calories” warning label that you’ll see in other countries. In the U.S., our closest equivalent of this is the “added sugars” nutrition label, adopted in 2016. Here are a few examples of solid healthy pre-workout snacks:
- Fresh fruit, dried fruit or a fruit smoothie
- Granola or low-sugar cereal
- Oatmeal with peanut butter and fruit
- Toast or rice cakes with peanut butter or jelly
Pre-Workout Snacks for Muscle Gain
Protein is king when it comes to pre-workout snacks for muscle gain. Protein is required to supply the body with nine essential amino acids, which are the building blocks of our muscle tissue. Recommended protein intake will depend on your age and weight, and the Food and Drug Administration recommends at least 50 grams of protein a day (bear in mind that if you’re in a muscle building regimen, protein requirements will be higher). These high-protein snacks are just a short list of the many ways you can get more protein in your diet.
- Greek yogurt (low-fat)
- Keto fat bombs with peanut butter
- Hard-boiled eggs (with or without yolk)
- Protein bars
- Protein shakes
Pre-Workout Snacks for Energy
Carbohydrates provide one of the best boosts of energy because of the high speed with which the body turns simple carbs into glucose and absorbs them into the bloodstream. Look for carbs with dietary fiber, which promotes a feeling of fullness. You can also opt to grab a snack with cocoa, for the caffeine content. Caffeine is a stimulant, so consuming foods or drinks with caffeine can give you an energy boost if timed well before a workout—30 minutes or so before is best.
- Fresh or dried fruit
- Low-sugar cereal or granola
- Whole grain bread with hummus
- Energy drinks
Low-Calorie Pre-Workout Snack
A pre-workout snack that's low in calories is typically lower in carbs and free of added sugars. One good option is a protein shake—but you should choose wisely. Protein powders geared toward body weight loss tend to be denser in protein and lower in carbs by using whey protein isolate (rather than whey protein concentrate). Just be sure not to pour in needless extra calories and added sugars to your protein shakes—opt to add milk or milk alternatives, rather than juices. Some other excellent options are:
- Cottage cheese
- Egg whites with avocado
- Rice cakes
Pre-Workout Snacks vs. Pre-Workout Drinks
Personally, as someone who is saying “see ya!” to a lifetime of cardio-based workouts and entering the brave new world of full-body resistance training, I especially rely on a solid pre-workout supplement for women to help me squeeze in those extra reps that are critical for building muscle.
But what's the difference between a pre-workout drink and pre-workout snack? The main distinction is the nutritional value. Unlike a pre-workout snack packed with macronutrients like protein, carbs and fat, a drinkable pre-workout supplement is typically a zero- or low-calorie drink geared toward enhancing performance at the gym by instead relying on stimulants like caffeine, micronutrients like B12 and B6 and other compounds that claim to enhance performance. We've run down a few of our favorite pre-workout drinks (typically shortened to just "pre-workout" in fitness world parlance) below:
Our Favorite Pre-Workout Brands
Transparent Labs BULK Black
Transparent Labs
Transparent Labs' BULK BLACK pre-workout boasts 17 carefully curated ingredients that work in tandem to boost your energy and optimize your workouts. Caffeine, l-theanine, citrulline malate and beta-alanine support your muscles, nervous system and energy levels. Transparent Labs also has its BULK BLACK pre-workout formula third-party tested for anyone who wants more in-depth info on exactly what it contains.
XWERKS Ignite Pre Workout
XWerks
If you're new to the idea of consuming a beverage to amp you up pre-workout, you may want to start with something less intense like XWerks Ignite, which has less caffeine than a cup and a half of coffee. Amino acids also help you pump up and recover, and vitamins like B6 and B12 jumpstart cellular energy growth and metabolic processes.
Related Post: XWerks Grow Whey Protein Powder Review
Jacked Factory NitroSurge Max
Jacked Factory
Jacked Factory NitroSurge Max is another top pre-workout pick, boasting two serving sizes of caffeine (175 milligrams in one scoop or 250 milligrams in two scoops). The formula includes PureCaf, an organic type of caffeine that lessens the risk of a crash later. The mix is available in three flavors, including cherry, blue raspberry and watermelon.
Best Pre-Workout Snacks FAQs
Do I need a pre-workout snack?
Whether or not you should have a pre-workout snack depends on your preferences and goals, and we’ll dive into the reasons why you should—or should not—have a pre-workout snack. If you do chow down, aim for foods that are easy to digest, and provide a combo of carbohydrates and protein to power your workout. If you need more snack ideas, we’ve gone over lots of great ways to get more protein.
Should I eat before going to the gym or after?
Typically the answer is that it’s best to eat both before going to the gym and after, although there are nuances, of course. A small snack pre-workout is an excellent way to fuel your routine, adding to the duration and quality of your workout. A healthy snack post-workout is an excellent way to restore the glycogen (glucose stores) your body has used and promote muscle protein synthesis. Just be wary that if you go to the gym in the evenings, you may want to avoid a pre-workout snack that has caffeine. Fortunately, there are lots of stim-free pre-workout options available.
Should you train on an empty stomach?
Whether you should train on an empty stomach or not depends on your personal fitness goals. There’s some evidence that fat burning is increased during exercise on an empty stomach. However, the same study showed fasting participants experienced decreased energy levels and performance. That could be a big drawback if you’re training for competition or trying to bulk: It’s important to get enough reps to reach muscle failure, especially if you need the stamina to lift lighter weights for a longer period of time.
Does working out while fasting burn more fat?
Again, the evidence of increased fat burning while fasting is mixed, at best. A 2014 study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition for instance showed that fasting versus eating before aerobic exercise on a controlled-calorie diet had no impact on weight loss.
What are fast carbs before a workout?
Fast carbs, also known as simple carbs, are carbs that are quickly absorbed by the body, leading to a spike in blood sugar levels, which can up your energy level. Some of the most typical fast carbs that are good to snack on pre-workout are breakfast cereals, smoothies, gels and fruit juices. A good rule of thumb is that if you have less than an hour before your workout, then you should choose simple carbohydrates to maximize your energy. On the other hand, if you have one to two hours before your workout, then you may want to opt for more complex carbohydrates, which contain starches and fiber. They take longer to digest, but will keep you full for the entire duration of your workout. These include fresh fruit like bananas (also a good potassium source), potatoes, whole grains, oats and hummus.
What should I not eat before going to the gym?
Before going to the gym, think twice before indulging in fatty foods, spicy foods and foods in general that don’t jive with your gastrointestinal tract. Eating beyond satiety can also make you feel sluggish and bloated. Lighter, nutrient-dense fat burning foods will fuel your body without weighing it down. That being said, be sure your meal contains some form of carbohydrates for energy—although a salad with grilled chicken is healthy, it won’t provide the energy you need for your workout. It's also important to make sure you're well hydrated before your workout. While water alone is great, we also like mixing in an electrolyte powder to help rehydrate our body
Final Thoughts
While it’s great to seek out pre-workout snacks to help reach ambitious strength training goals, always be sure to allow adequate time for proper muscle recovery. Consulting with a registered dietitian is a great avenue if you want expert advice on healthy eating, and may be covered by insurance (especially if you’re at risk for chronic disease). If you’re short on time to prepare nutritious pre-workout meals and snacks, prepared meal delivery kits are another excellent option to stay properly fueled.
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