6 Super Foods That Give You Super Energy For Working Out
If you are anything like we are, then working out is tedious, fun, and probably really new to you. The first few days we worked out, we found that we were becoming incredibly low in energy. So much so that we just didn’t want to work out anymore. After researching ways to bring our energy up, we realized besides protein powders; there weren’t many options for healthy foods to give you that power to keep you going. If you aren’t interested in protein bars and energy powdered drinks, then here are six super foods that give you the energy you need to work out!
Fruits
Fruits are an essential part of our daily lives and the best super foods to eat. They have vitamins and minerals that can keep us healthy and keeps us protected from different bacteria and viruses. How are they important for working out? Well, two significant fruits, bananas, and apples have so many important benefits to keep our energies going.
Banana is literally one of the biggest super foods for energy since it’s always recommended to eat one before working out. It’s full of carbs, potassium, and vitamin B6. According to the government website, NCBI, a few scientists conducted research that included a banana and two 75-km cycling time trials. You can tell where we’re going with this. The one where the cyclists ate the banana was done better and faster compared to the one where they didn’t! Because of the potassium, carbs, and vitamin that crammed into a single banana, it helps boost our energy levels in our bodies, which in return is great for when we work out.
Apples are also great in giving your body the natural energy that you need! An apple is so full of natural sugars and fiber that it provides a slow and sustained energy release over an extended amount of time. Think of it this way, you can eat a piece of candy that will give you the immediate rush you need, but it will provide you with a loud crash of reality when you finally become sluggish mid-way through your work out. While an apple won’t necessarily give you the jolt of jitters, you might want it will provide you with this need of the ‘up and go’ feeling that can get you moving in the gym.
If bananas and apples aren’t your favorite go-to fruits, there are others such as Goji berries, strawberries, oranges, and so much more to choose. Just a small reminder because of the natural sugars’ fruits carry they do have a ton of carbs – a small amount goes a long way!
Brown Rice
Brown rice is known as a complex carb. Rice isn’t traditionally the first item you think of as part of the long list of super foods when you decide on pre-workout meals, but it is an excellent choice as long as you aren’t doing the keto diet. It’s less processed than white rice and is full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals!
One cup of cooked brown rice helps your enzymes break down carbs and proteins to generate the right energy for you! It’s also great because it regulates your blood sugar levels. Your power stays level throughout the day, not just when you work out.
Almond Butter
Almond butter (or your choice of nut butter) is one of our favorite things to inhale. It’s our go-to snack! Pair it with apples, and we’re pretty much satisfied until the next time we’re hungry.
Almond butter is rich in calcium, protein, vitamin E, and filled with what is known as the “good” fat which is why it’s most people’s go-to super foods. Think avocadoes! It’s perfect for an energy-boosting snack before you work out or the ideal ingredient for a great smoothie post-workout! Whatever you decide on how to consume almond butter, you won’t regret it. Just like brown rice, it doesn’t cause a massive spike in blood sugar levels and cause a crash mid-day.
Water
Water one of the biggest super foods from this entire list, and it makes up about 60% of our body weight, and it has many benefits! It’s great for our skin, hair, and even our nails! However, that’s not all water is good for! Water is excellent for energy production.
When we get dehydrated, your senses slow down – which is why you feel so sluggish and tired. When you feel sluggish and tired, you tend not to want to work out. Your body needs an average of about 64 ounces a day to keep your energy up, so continue drinking that water even if you aren’t thirsty and remember to drink water throughout your work out, so you don’t end up dehydrated.
Dark Chocolate
Who doesn’t love chocolate? Chocolate is probably almost everyone’s downfall when it comes to trying to lose weight. However, dark chocolate? A total game changer! This is probably our personal favorite of all super foods. Besides helping us lose weight, dark chocolate is excellent in helping oxygen flow through to the brains and muscles (two of the most important things for when we work out), and it helps heighten mental energy. So far, we’ve talked about physical energy and how to obtain it through foods. However, mental energy is just as vital. How many of us have wanted to not go to the gym because we ‘don’t feel like?’ You have to force yourself – it’s all mental fatigue. This is where dark chocolate comes in and helps.
Eggs
When speaking to a group of gym-goers, one of the top super foods they had chosen was eggs. What’s the reasoning behind a food item that probably will leave you feeling bloated? Two essential things – energy and fullness.
Many people complain of feeling hungry when working out, and that in itself is tough. Eggs are packed with a lot of protein – 6 grams of protein, to be exact. The reasoning as to why protein-packed foods like eggs are great is because they don’t cause a spike in blood sugars. When eating a piece of candy, your blood sugar spikes so incredibly high, and then it crashes just as quickly. Eggs are great in the sense that energy is steadily being released, so you don’t get that crash that usually happens. You also stop thinking about food because of being full – a win, win!
All-in-all, to have the best work out is by eating and drinking the best super foods. Drinking water and eating protein-packed, complex carbohydrates and natural sugars are all necessary. Switch it up every time you work out, so you don’t get bored, and here’s to being our best selves! Let us know in the comments below what your go-to super food is!
