What To Eat & When To Eat It

Here’s the real deal on what to eat to fuel u recover no matter when you hit the gym.

- Allison Young

High-five to you for finding the workout time that works for you. That’s half the battle. The other half is fueling your fitness to match your power hour. Whether you’re an early morning exerciser, a night owl or somewhere in between, when and what you eat before and after your training session can be the difference between killing it in the gym (and on the scale) and losing energy midlunge. Here, we dig into preworkout and postworkout eats so you can get the best nutrient bang for your body — morning, noon and night!

If you are …

An early-bird exerciser

PREWORKOUT: If you roll out of bed and go straight to the gym, you could putter out during push-ups. “Working out on an empty stomach can result in low blood sugar, a sluggish workout, unfueled muscles and low energy,” warns Jessica DeGore, RD, a Philadelphia-based registered dietitian. But a big breakfast can slow you down. Go for a combo of carbs and protein 30 minutes before your workout, and because you might wake up dehydrated, don’t forget H20. “Dehydration affects your workout performance and your mood, so it’s important to drink water in the morning and throughout the day,” DeGore says.

Whole-grain toast (1 slice) + natural peanut butter (2 teaspoons) + fruit

Morning smoothie (1 cup 1% milk + ½ cup Greek yogurt + ½ cup frozen blueberries + frozen banana)

Overnight oats (½ cup old-fashioned oats + 1 cup almond milk + ¼ cup blueberries)

Rice cake (1) + natural peanut butter (1 tablespoon) + jam (1 teaspoon)

Dates (2) stuff ed with almond butter (2 teaspoons each)

A lunchtime lifter