What you should eat BEFORE a morning work-out, according to an ex-marine turned ... trends now
Morning workouts can leave you feeling energised for the day, that is, if you can be bothered to drag yourself to the gym.
But what you eat before you break a sweat can determine how much progress you make, according to one expert.
Ex-marine Patrick Dale, now a gym owner and fitness writer, has shared his tips on the best pre-workout breakfasts.
From low-fat cream cheese English muffins to turkey bagels, Mr Dale has revealed his top meals for maximising your morning energy levels.
Fitness expert and gym owner Patrick Dale has shared his tips on the best pre-workout breakfasts, from low-fat cream cheese English muffins to turkey bagels
Other energy-boosting breakfasts he suggests include ripe mashed banana on toast with honey, oatmeal with berries or cereal and low-fat milk.
If you're in a rush, an energy bar or granola bar are also good snacks to have before exercising, according to Mr Dale.
He also suggests eating scrambled egg whites and rice crackers as your pre-exercise breakfast.
British-born Mr Dale, who now lives in Cyprus, says that your pre-workout breakfast should be packed with fast-acting and easy-to-digest carbohydrates.
Ex-marine turned fitness freak Patrick Dale (pictured) says your pre-workout breakfast should be packed with fast-acting and easy-to-digest carbohydrates, as your time between waking up and working out will be limited
He suggests you eat foods that rank moderate to high on the glycemic index chart — which measures how fast-acting a carbohydrate is.
When you eat carbohydrates, they are broken down into glucose — which the body uses as fuel.
Mr Dale claims fast-acting carbs are best for your pre-morning workout meal as you might not have much time between waking up and exercising.
Dates, breakfast cereal, white bread, ripe bananas and white rice are examples of such carbs.
The type of exercise you are doing will also determine whether fast or slow-acting carbohydrates are best.
For a short and intense work out, experts suggest consuming fast-acting carbs, for the energy burst.
For longer workouts, slow-acting carbs, such as brown rice or quinoa, are recommended, as they release energy gradually.
Yet for time-strapped gym-goers, fast-acting carbs are best, as Mr Dale describes them as an 'immediate source of energy'.
While he claims you can start the day with just carbs, he said research suggests it is best to combine them with protein.
Dates, breakfast cereal, white bread, ripe bananas and white rice are examples of fast-acting carbs
Protein
