You do not have to be a professional athlete to care deeply about what you are eating in relation to your fitness goals. You could be bulking and looking to eat more in general, you could be cutting and trying to find a healthy way to lose weight. In addition, you could want to eat foods that will help fuel you for your daily movement. For example, if you and your friends like switching up fitness activities, you may run a 5k one week, go to the shooting range to try out your new upper receiver, and then go surfing later. All of these workouts would benefit from a thought-out meal plan.

Toast and Eggs

If you are someone who really enjoys having a full meal before they workout, making two pieces of toast with eggs, done to your liking, is a great option. Whether you are choosing to do some heavy lifting or going on a long jog, this type of meal can always be beneficial to your body. One of the best things about this meal is that it is very customizable. There are tons of different breads you can choose from: whole grain, sourdough, protein bread, and you could even do gluten free! Once you have your toast decided on, you can also choose how you want to make your eggs. You could scramble them, cook them sunny side up or over-easy, and you can even hard boil them and eat them on the side.

There are good carbs in the bread, and the eggs have protein and fats. Anytime you are eating a meal, for whatever reason it may be, you should also focus on making sure that those three macronutrients are included. Please, do not be afraid of any of these types of food. Fat is great for when your body needs to bulk and protect itself from going into starvation mode. Protein helps to feed your muscles and aid them in recovery during the workout. Carbs are going to give you a lot of energy and help you to push through to the end of your workout while giving it your all.

Greek Yogurt with Granola and Fruit

This is another great option if you are looking to have a more filling meal before you decide to workout. This option may be better for people who like sweet breakfasts, do not like cooking, or are on much more of a time crunch. This is another meal that is completely customizable. You can choose to do regular yogurt or one with a flavor to it, and the possibilities are endless for the type of fruit. Put some Greek yogurt in a bowl, add some berries or banana, and finish it off with some granola. If it is not sweet enough, I recommend putting some honey on top for added flavor. There is fat in the yogurt, carbs coming from the fruit and granola, and if you choose wisely, you could get some protein packed granola as well. This meal will keep you fuller for a long time while additionally aiding in muscle recovery.

Protein Shakes

Many people do not like to eat before a workout if they are going early in the morning. This could be because they are going so early that they are not hungry, or because eating a big meal can make them feel heavy, inhibiting their running and lifting performance. While some people may choose to go on an empty stomach, others want to have a little something for their muscles to burn through. Opting for a protein shake can help you reach your daily protein intake in a more efficient way, while also allowing you to get some nutrients in before your exercise. Just remember, even if your exercise and daily diet revolves around cutting, do not only drink protein shakes. It is not good to only have one macronutrient, and it will only make your body store fat in the long run. It is often okay to use a protein shake as a replacement for one meal, but then you need to make sure that the other meals for the day are very nutrient dense.