What you eat can help you stay energized or may make you fizzle out. Here, we break down the best and worst foods for maintaining high energy.
Big Sapper: Doughnuts
Sugar-crash alert. Doughnuts are one of the worst culprits for sapping your energy. If you're craving something sweet, try one of these healthy dessert recipes instead.Big Sapper: White Bread
Like sweets, refined carbs boost blood sugar fast for quick energy. But they leave us more lethargic than ever. Try whole-grain bread instead—it provides more fiber than white bread. Better yet, ditch the bread altogether and instead opt for one of these even healthier whole-grain recipes.
More: 5 Best Carbs for Athletes
Moderate Pick-Me-Up: Spinach
Cash in on B vitamins to fuel metabolism and cell-protecting antioxidants. Spinach is also a good source of belly-filling protein and fiber, as well as bone-building calcium. It's also among the superfoods that fight disease.Moderate Pick-Me-Up: Beans
All the fiber in beans slows digestion and leaves you feeling full. Try one of these easy black bean recipes.
More: 9 Reasons Why Athletes Should Eat More Beans
Big Booster: Greek Yogurt
By now, everyone you know probably has a container of Fage or Chobani sitting in their fridge. With a hefty dose of protein along with an ideal proportion of carbs and fat, eating Greek yogurt will give you a sustained charge. Best yet, it can be worked into tons of recipes. Try these Greek yogurt recipes to start.Big Booster: Quinoa
An energy trifecta, quinoa is fiber-rich, has healthy fats, and is a complete protein. Try this tasty quinoa recipe: toasted quinoa with chiles and corn.
More: Toasted Rainbow Quinoa With Roasted Tomatoes
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