No matter your sport or the season, nutrition, hydration, and recovery are essential to get you through the season feeling your best!

Just think, if you were planning to take your car on a trip through the mountains, wouldn’t you make sure it was fueled and running efficiently before the trip. Thinking of your body in the same way will help you perform your best.

One question to consider, are you fueling your workouts, or working out on an empty tank?  

Your car will not run very long without gas in the tank and your body can’t perform at optimal levels with no energy (calories) in the tank!  So, if you’re continuously training in a fasted state, your energy and performance may suffer.

It is important to have a pre-workout meal or snack to fuel your training and give your body energy to perform at its peak!

To do this, your body needs carbohydrates for energy and protein to supply muscles with amino acids.  Eat something easily digestible 30 minutes - 3 hours before your training session depending on the length and intensity of your session and how quickly your digestive system works!  It is important to try different foods to see what agrees with your stomach and gives you the best sustainable energy.  However, to avoid tummy issues, limit fat and fiber the closer you get to exercise.

A few of my favorite pre-workout snacks and meals:

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Melissa’s Energy balls (see recipe)

Overnight Oats

Frozen Banana with nut butter

Greek Yogurt with berries

No-Bake Energy Bites
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Our family and friends love these super simple treats instead of other snacks filled with artificial ingredients and junk!

Serves: 18-20 bites

Ingredients:

1 cup oatmeal
½ cup organic almond butter, sunflower butter, peanut butter etc
⅓ cup honey
1 cup coconut flakes (optional)
½ cup ground flaxseed
½ cup mini chocolate chips (look for 65% or higher cacao)
1 tsp vanilla

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Instructions:

Mix everything above in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.  Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy!
Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week. I keep them in freezer and send to school for lunch.

**You can substitute almost anything for any of the ingredients to work around food allergies, special diets, etc.