Category — Pre-workout

All of us have sweet cravings, but very rarely can we satisfy those cravings with something healthy that your body can actually use for sustainable energy.

Well, I recently came across a snack that can do just that. It’s from Hollywood icon Sylvester Stallone’s book Sly Moves (which is a great book on health and fitness). It’s actually a cookie he created when he was filming the Rocky movies that would keep his energy levels up all day.

So give them a try! I usually double up on the recipe because they go so fast (you can’t eat just one), and that’s okay because they’re good for you!

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/8 cup brown rice flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/8 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup Quaker old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 egg
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons water
1/2 tablespoon molasses

Preheat over to 375 degrees. In a medium-size bowl, combine wheat and rice flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, brown sugar, and oats. Make in indentation in the center and add egg, olive oil, water, and molasses. Mix vigorously until the dough is moistened. Roll into tablespoon-size balls and place two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until done. Remove cookies from oven and cool on wire rack. They should be soft and slightly chewy.

Okay so you’ve just left work and are heading to the gym, but you can feel your stomach sucking up against your spine. Your blood sugar is low and you need a jolt of energy before you start your workout. What do you do?

Ideally, a baked potato is the perfect pre-workout snack due to its high carbohydrate content. However, it’s not very practical. And although you do need carbs, it is important to mix in some protein as well so you don’t deplete your body’s stored protein during your workout.

I like to grab a peanut butter sandwich on whole grain bread right before I hit the gym. The bread is a great source of complex-carbs and the peanut butter serves as my “good fat” and protein source. Sometimes I wash it down with a glass of milk to create a real “power snack.”

Again, it’s all about finding what works for you and what leaves you feeling your best before you get into the gym. Feel free to comment and share with us what you like to down before your workouts.

It’s happened! It’s finally happened! A sports drink without the loads of sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Simply put, it’s calorie-free and it’s a great complement to your workout regimen.

I used to feel guilty drinking regular sports drinks while working out because I knew I was putting back obscene amounts of sugar and calories back into my body. Well, our friends at Powerade (a.k.a. the Coca-Cola Company) have developed a drink that tastes just as good, but doesn’t have all of the unnecessary additives. Powerade Zero is available in Grape, Mixed Berry, or Strawberry and contains 25% of your daily recommended allowance of vitamins B-12 and B-6 per 20 ounce bottle. It also contains vital electrolyes potassium and sodium in each serving.

Powerade Zero may be on the sweet side in terms of taste for some people, but that’s because it’s sweetened with sucralose (Splenda). Just remember, there’s no calories!

So throw one back before, after, or during your workout to replenish those electrolytes. This drink is definitely a knockout!

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Serving Size: 8 fl oz, Calories: 0 Total Fat: 0 g, Sodium: 55 mg, Potassium: 35 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 0 g.

This could quite possibly be the greatest bar ever made! Supreme Protein Incorporated, a company based out of Manasquan, New Jersey has come up with the best tasting, most satisfying bar on the market. First let me give you a rundown of the nutritional information. One Supreme Protein Bar contains 360 calories and 16 grams of fat.

Now I know 16 grams is a lot but only 5 grams are saturated and the rest is the “good fat” coming from flaxseed oil.

Supreme comes in two flavors, Caramel Nut Chocolate and Peanut Butter Crunch. Each bar is packed with 30 grams of protein consisting of whey isolate, whey concentrate, and milk protein isolate. The abundance of whey makes it a great post-workout snack. It also contains 31 grams of sugar, however 27 grams are of the sugar alcohol variety which have little effect on your blood sugar. Both bars are “Carb Conscious” according to their labels. These bars are also packed with the full array of multivitamins you get from most protein bars.

Guys, if you’ve never tasted a Supreme Protein bar it’s almost like eating a candy bar. In fact, it’s better than most candy bars. If you didn’t know any better you wouldn’t have a clue you were eating a protein bar. The chocolate and caramel actually taste like chocolate and caramel.

I think Supreme has set a new standard in protein bars. I don’t think I’ll ever have to try another nasty one for the rest of my life.

Rating: 5.0/5

Serving Size: 1 bar, Calories: 360 Total Fat: 16 g, Saturated Fat: 5 g, Cholesterol: 20 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 34 g, Dietary Fiber: 1 g, Protein: 30 g

When you’re focused on hitting the gym and pumping some serious iron that last thing you’re usually worried about it stretching your muscles. Well, you might want to think twice about that for your next workout.

The science of muscle building really revolves around the small tissue strands that make up your muscles called fascicle. When a muscle contracts, the fasciciles constrict. The more you workout the more the muscle fibers breakdown. Stretching helps to speed up the recovery process from this breakdown by realigning those fibers.

Simply put, stretching is good for you and your muscles! It will expediate recovery after a strenuous workout and decrease lactic acid.  In the end you’re going to reap the benefits by allowing yourself to workout longer and recover more quickly from soreness.

Tip: Make stretching a part of your workout (like a bicep curl or lateral pulldown). If you keep a log of your exercises make sure you include stretching before and after your regimen. If you usually do cardio after the exercises then stretch afterwards.