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“What should I eat?” If you’re trying to lose weight, you might think the answer is “as little as possible,” but the truth is that “under-fueling” can actually sabotage your results, especially if you regularly hit the gym. Your body needs a balance of nutrients to help you power through your workouts, and to aid in the post-exercise recovery process that results in lean, metabolism-boosting muscle mass.
Need to fuel up before a run? Need to feed your muscles after a tough training session? These low-calorie snacks from 101 Muscle Meals will help you slim down and perform at peak efficiency.
Sliced tomato with a sprinkle of feta and olive oil
Lunch left something to be desired? This savory snack will make your tastebuds happy and keep you energized.
Bananas
Naturally prepackaged goodness you can take anywhere, with the added benefit of cramp-preventing potassium.
½ cup edamame (shelled)
Eating this protein-packed pick-me-up out of the shell will help make the snack last longer.
Greek yogurt
This bone-building goodie provides 20 percent of your RDA for calcium and Vitamin D, and a healthy dose of protein to keep muscles strong.
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4 shrimp with cocktail sauce
The perfect appetizer—and no one at the table will know you’re counting calories.
2 light string cheese snacks
Any food you can play with is a great distraction—plus, the protein battles midafternoon hunger pangs.
Granola bar
Stash a tasty chocolate-peanut or strawberries-and-cream bar in your glove box to help you resist the lure of the drive-thru when you're on the road. Just be sure to avoid sugar-loaded varieties, which can promote weight gain. (Try to aim for fewer than 10 grams of sugar per bar).
1 cup baby carrots with 2 Tbsp hummus
The crunchy texture keeps choppers busy, and tangy hummus feeds your need for flavor.
1 1/4 oz turkey jerky
When you must have meat, chew on this low-cal, low-fat power snack.
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1/2 cantaloupe
Like most fruit, melon contains a lot of water. So you get a lot of food—and beta-carotene—for not a lot of calories.
1 cup vegetable juice and 2 oz oven-roasted turkey breast
An antioxidant- and protein-rich hunger buster.
1 Tbsp peanuts and 2 Tbsp dried cranberries
Toss together this pared-down trail mix and premeasure into plastic baggies to toss in your gym duffel.
1 cup strawberries and 3 Tbsp fat-free whipped topping
For a totally guiltless dessert, dish up a bowl of this sweet, fiber-rich combo.
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1 cup raspberries with 2 Tbsp plain yogurt and 1 tsp honey
This sweet mix does the job until you can break away from your desk for a full meal.
2 egg whites with1 slice whole-wheat toast
This protein-and carb duo gives you a light but energizing start to your day when you have a belly-busting lunch on your calendar.
1 oz yellowtail and 1 oz tuna sashimi
The protein will keep you from getting ravenous later.
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18 mini pretzel twists (whole wheat)
Kill a carb and salt craving in a single snack session. Plus, this smart munchie will keep you fuller longer, so you won’t reach for a higher-calorie food.
Chocolate milk (1 cup fat-free milk plus 1 Tbsp chocolate syrup)
Quell your inner cocoa monster and get a hit of calcium. Plus, studies show chocolate milk is even better than a sports drink for post-workout energy recharge.
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
They’re packed with nutrients, and snacking on a handful may regulate your nerves and muscles.
1 1/2 cups plain frozen yogurt with fresh fruit
It has less fat than ice cream but 5 grams of filling protein per serving. Fruit gives it more flavor, texture, and vitamins.
30 in-shell pistachios
Just one helping will satisfy a salt craving while delivering more natural antioxidants than most other nuts. Plus, the shells will slow you down.
Want 150 more great recipes? Check out The Runner's World Cookbook.
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