Pre-workout meal ideas using oats
Whether you are a regular gym goer or someone who is fairly new to health and fitness, everyone wants to maximise their performance during a workout. The cornerstone of a good workout is to nail your pre-workout meal to fuel your body for some high intensity exercise.
Knowing what to put in your body before a workout can be tricky, and it can vary depending on your own personal goals; be that fat loss, maximum performance or both. Our mission at White’s Oats is to help you reach your fitness goals by showing you how the humble oat can be used to fuel your workout.
Are oats a good pre-workout meal?
Oats are a great form of healthy whole grain carbohydrate which is incredibly beneficial for preparing your muscles for working out, as carbs supply the body with the energy it needs to exercise.
The health benefits of oats don’t stop there, they are also packed full of fibre, protein for muscle support and essential fats for joint support. Making it the perfect base ingredient for a pre-workout meal that can be tailored to your specific requirements and tastes.
Why is it important to eat before working out?
Fuelling your body with the correct nutrients before exercise will give you the energy and strength you need to perform your best.
Each macronutrient in your meal plays a specific role before a workout, so it is important to know what each nutrient does and how it is going to affect your performance. The ratio of each nutrient that you should include will depend on your own goals, and the intensity of the exercise.
Oat nutrition
When it comes to your fitness goals it is vital to keep track of the three key macronutrients; protein, carbohydrates and fats. Take a look at the role of these macronutrients and how they affect exercise performance.
Carbs
Whole grains are complex carbs that pack a lot of energy. Your muscles use the glucose from the carbs contained in oats for fuel. The carbohydrates contained in oats are slower to be released into your bloodstream, so you won’t have a blood sugar spike and crash.
For short high intensity workouts (HIIT), your glycogen stores are your muscles main source of fuel. These stores are depleted at a rate proportional to the intensity of the activity. So HIIT workouts break down glycogen at a faster rate compared to exercise over a sustained period.
Protein
Oats are packed full of protein for muscle support, making them the perfect thing to eat before a workout, or after for recovery. Porridge oats contain around 11-15% protein which equates to 11.1g of protein per 100g.
It is important that you get plenty of protein in your diet, especially when you are training as your body needs protein to repair and grow muscle that is broken down during exercise. Regular exercise will mean you need a little bit more protein than usual.
Fats
Most people don’t consider oats to be a fat-rich food, but they do in fact contain a considerable amount of good–polyunsaturated and monounsaturated–fats when compared to other grains.
Fats are an essential energy source but It’s best to avoid too much fat right before a workout. This is because, although high in energy, fats are slow-digesting. This means, instead of making you energetic, too much can actually make you feel sluggish and heavy. So timing your pre-workout meal is essential for optimum performance.
When should I eat a pre workout meal?
When it comes to eating a complex carb meal like oats a good general rule of thumb recommends that you eat them between 3 hours - 1 hour before your workout. If you plan on working out as quickly as 45 minutes after eating, then it is best to have a pre-workout meal that consists of simple carbs such as greek yoghurt and berries.
No matter what you’re eating, try not to eat until you’re totally full as you don’t want to feel weighed down or bloated during the workout.
Pre workout meals using oats
Eating a protein bar before a workout can help you perform better and recover faster. Many shop-bought protein bars can be full of sugar and sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup, so this is a great recipe to avoid any nasties and are super easy to whip up.
This recipe is packed full of nutrient dense ingredients like cranberries, pumpkin seeds, toasted pecans, oats and almond nut butter.
Banana, Oat and peanut butter smoothie
This is an excellent choice for an early morning workout, especially if you don’t enjoy eating a lot first thing in the morning.
The creaminess of the oat base feels more gentle on the stomach than a super green smoothie and the peanut butter is an excellent dose of protein and healthy fats. This smoothie also has the added benefit of tasting like a delicious cookie-dessert - without the added calories!
You can even add a couple of scoops of your favourite protein powder to make a nutrient filled protein shake.
Coconut & apricot energy balls
These coconut & apricot energy balls are full of protein and fibre to keep you full between meals and give you a pre or post-workout boost. Easy to eat on the go, this recipe uses rolled oats and dried apricot which are both great sources of simple carbohydrates that are easily digestible - perfect for a quick bite before a workout.
Sumac Salmon With Roasted Beetroot & toasted granola
Do you prefer savoury pre-workout foods? Both granola and salmon are high in potassium and protein which makes them a great pre–or–post workout meal.
The healthy sugars in the granola will send quick-digesting carbs to your muscles for energy. The granola is also an excellent source of Vitamin E, calcium, dietary fibre and iron. The edamame beans are also a great source of plant-based protein and contain leucine, an essential amino acid that aids the body in muscle building.
The protein and Omega-3 fatty acids in salmon offers a healthy–and delicious– way to jumpstart your muscle recovery.
Mango & coconut overnight oats
Overnight oats are a perfect pre-workout meal for busy lifestyles. This recipe is packed with muscle-loving nutrients like chia seeds, and oats, to not only give you the energy and power you need for a great workout but also helps you recover quickly.
Chia seeds are also one of the best superfoods for losing weight, as they contain both fibre and protein which can temporarily suppress appetite by making you feel fuller for longer. Moreover, a standard serving of chia seeds contains only 138 calories, making them a low calorie, nutrient dense snack. So having chia a few hours before a long, intense workout can help provide fat for fuel after the carbs burn off.
Oat Pancakes with spiced apples
These simple oat pancakes with spiced apples are high in natural plant based protein! This recipe uses a simple oat flour made from our Speedicook Oats. Oat flour is full of antioxidants, healthy fat and protein, it can be used interchangeably in most baked goods recipes too.
There are so many tasty oat pre-workout options out there. Be creative and keep yourself motivated with some of the many delicious recipes to fuel your workout the right way. Want to learn more about workout nutrition? Check out some of our videos featuring expert advice from Team Joe Barr nutritionist, Jillian Mooney for some top performance nutrition tips.
Read More
