The Best Low-Calorie Foods to Eat Before a Workout

Eating before aerobic or strength training is about timing and quality. Picking the best low-calorie snack to eat before a workout can be done relatively quickly without buying expensive specialty foods. Educate yourself about what foods fuel your body for workouts.

Fuel for Workouts

You need fuel to perform physical activity. Glucose is your body's favorite and optimum source of energy. Most of the fuel you use during a workout comes from the glucose that is stored in the muscles as glycogen. What you eat on Monday and Tuesday could be fueling your workouts on Thursday and Friday.

The rate at which foods convert into energy depends on the type of food. This rate is also referred to as the food glycemic index. Foods high on the glycemic index will convert quickly to fuel and can energize your workouts. Complex carbohydrates are the greatest source of glucose.

Low-Calorie Complex Carbs

Never skip a meal or work out on an empty stomach. Without energy to fuel your workout you are going to exhaust much faster. Eat low-calorie foods before a workout in order to improve your performance and feed your muscles. Use foods that have complex carbohydrates to gain the best source of energy. Your goal is to have 100 to 200 calories about 30 minutes prior to physical activity.

Sample Snacks

Some of the best low-calorie foods to eat before a workout are

Half a bagel/piece of toast
Fresh fruit
Fruit juice
Sports drink/sports energy bar
Pretzels
Fat-free yogurt
Cereal

Mix and match from these food groups in order to eat the appropriate number of calories before a workout. Eating fewer than 100 calories may result in poor workout performance.