Sitting in your desk chair at work, you’re counting down the minutes until your next, boxing class begins at the gym. Perplexed, you’re grappling with one of life’s most troublesome issues. Should you or shouldn’t you eat a snack before and after your workout? If you can relate to this mind-blowing situation, consider the following pre-workout snacks and post-workout foods to fuel your next fight with a punching bag.
The 5 Best Pre-Workout Snacks to Kick Up Your Boxing Game:
1) Bananas
According to Dr. Louise Burke, coauthor of The Complete Guide to Food for Sports Performance: Peak Nutrition for Your Sport, bananas are “nature’s PowerBar.” This type of endorsement explains why monkeys load up on this bright, yellow fruit before energetically swinging from tree to tree in the jungle. If you want to last twelve rounds in the ring at your next, boxing class, power up on this carbohydrate loaded with energy supplying, natural sugars.
You May Also Like: Protein-Rich Diet Hacks: 5 Ways to Cook Your Eggs in the Morning
2) Plain Greek Yogurt with Fresh Fruit
Plain, Greek yogurt is one of the best, pre-workout snacks on supermarket shelves today. This thick, creamy concoction is packed with protein. Eating a protein filled, pre-workout snack will provide you with a sustainable energy source. Powered by protein, your body will be less likely to convert your coveted muscles into energy.
If you equate eating plain, Greek yogurt to consuming glue, wet cement, or Plaster of Paris, top your snack with fresh fruit such as:
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Grapes
- Honeydew
Besides making your snack tastier, the fruit will provide you with an additional energy boost.
3) Whole Wheat Crackers
Have you spent countless hours pondering the reason why “Polly wants a cracker?” Well, like you, Polly might be heading to a no holds barred, boxing class. Whole wheat crackers are complex carbohydrates that release energy over an extended period of time. Even better, eating this tasty snack will likely boost your stamina during your grueling class.
4) Salmon
In addition to providing you with sustainable energy during your boxing class, protein helps to repair torn muscles and enhance muscle growth after your workout. While eating protein after a boxing class is crucial, steer clear of waistline expanding, calorie laden-options like:
- Milkshakes
- Rib-eye steaks
- Pizzas
Instead, choose healthy selections such as salmon. Besides protein, salmon contains inflammation reducing, omega 3 fatty acids.
5) Beans
Bursting with protein, beans are a great, post-workout snack. These nutritious, delicious morsels are naturally low in fat and calories. If you’re not a fan of eating beans as a stand-alone, side dish, consider:
- Tossing them on top of your green salad
- Incorporating them into pasta salads
- Spreading them on whole wheat tortillas
Because beans make some people experience gas on their stomachs, consuming them before hitting the gym probably isn’t a good idea. You likely want to impress your class with your stellar, boxing moves instead of some unexpected sounds and stifling smells.
If your goal is to punch the living daylights out of a bag in boxing class, consuming a pre-workout snack consisting of complex carbohydrates and protein can help you accomplish this task. Perhaps, you’re also tired of feeling like you’ve been run over by a train after a strenuous, boxing workout. Downing a protein filled snack after a boxing class can help diminish soreness by repairing your torn muscles. To maximize your results at the gym, consider fueling your body with the aforementioned best pre-workout snacks and post-workout foods.
