Pre-Exercise "Quick Fixes"
These choices lack nutritional value but are easy to digest, provide the quick energy the body wants, and when eaten five minutes pre-exercise, are unlikely to create rebound hypoglycemia (also known as a "sugar crash").
- Pop-Tarts
- Nabisco Sugar Wafers
- Rice Krispie Treats,
- Toast with jelly
- Marshmallows
- Gum drops
- Jelly beans
- Licorice
- York Peppermint Patties
- Jell-O
- Sports drinks (Gatorade, PowerAde, etc.)
- Fruit juice
- Sweetened iced tea
- Defizzed Coke
- Homemade "energy drink"*
*To avoid red dye and questionable ingredients, make your own energy drink. Simply add 7 packets (teaspoons) of sugar to 8 ounces of coffee. You'll end up with 80 mg caffeine and 110 calories, similar to what's in a Red Bull but at a fraction of the price.
Pre-Exercise High Sodium Snacks
For athletes who sweat heavily; Consuming a salty food before exercise helps retain water in your body and delays becoming dehydrated
- Pretzels
- Salt bagel
- Baked chips
- Ramen noodles
- Chicken noodle soup
- Canned broth (chicken, beef or vegetable)
- Beef consomme (jellied)
- Boiled and salted red potatoes or potato chunks
- Ham & cheese sub with mustard
- V-8 Juice
Fuel During Exercise That Lasts for 2 to 4 Hours
Buy sports clothes with pockets, so you can carry these with you.
- Gummi bears
- Starburst Fruit Chews
- Jelly beans
- Licorice
- Butterscotch candies
- Peppermint Patties
- Tootsie Rolls
- Whoppers Malted Milk Balls
- Mini MilkyWay Bars
- GoGurt
Engineered options:
- Gu
- Carb-Boom!
- Clif Shot
- Clif Shot Bloks
- Gu Chomps
- Honey Stinger
- Hammer Gel
- Jelly Belly Sports Beans
- Sharkies
- PowerBar Energy Blasts
Fuel during exercise that lasts >4 hours
For example, during a long bike ride, cross-country ski, or adventure race
Any of the above snacks that you might consume during 2 to 4 hours of exercise, plus more substantial fare:
- Peanut butter and jelly on bread, bagel or flour tortilla (wrapped "burrito style" to keep the jelly from oozing out)
- Gorp (raisins, peanuts, M&M mixture)
- Trail mix
- Ham and cheese in a pita pocket
- Beef jerky (for sodium)
- Noodle soup
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Chocolate bars
- Any food that tastes good, settles well and helps you survive the event. (We'll talk "good nutrition" at another time)