Tackling a big workout ahead? If so, it’s critical that you think hard about the food choices you make in the hour or two leading up to that session. You want to eat foods that energize your body but never weigh you down and likewise, foods that will also help ensure that you are getting a kick-start on the recovery process.

Too many people completely overlook what they eat before a workout – or worse yet – skip over eating entirely.

Don’t let this happen to you. What you eat will make a big difference, so it pays to get it on track.

Here are four great pre-workout meal options to consider.

A Banana With A Protein Shake

This fast and convenient meal can also double as a post workout option as well, making it great for any time around the workout session.

The banana will provide some starch (complex carbohydrates) as well as some natural fruit sugar to help give you the immediate energy you need. Pair this with a protein shake to give your body the amino acids it needs for tissue repair and rebuilding and you’ll be all set.

This meal comes in at around 200 calories, so is also a great option for those who are watching their body weight. Eat this around 60 minutes prior to the session for best results.

Chicken And Brown Rice

If you’re in need of a meal a little longer prior to the workout – chicken with brown rice is a great option. This will take slightly longer to digest, thus eating it about an hour and a half to two hours prior will be an ideal option here.

Chicken provides the clean source of lean protein complete with amino acids that you need for tissue repair and rebuilding while the rice provides the long-lasting source of energy in the form of complex carbohydrates.

This meal also keeps dietary fat on the low side, which is ideal for this time.

Egg Whites On A Bagel

Another quick and easy meal that you can whip up in a few minutes when you need to eat something in a hurry is egg whites on a bagel. Egg whites are a very low calorie source of protein, so again, this is something that works great for those trying to get very lean. Plus, they’re slightly faster digesting, so great for eating prior to exercise. They won’t give you that heavy feeling you’d get if you had something denser like steak or pork.

The bagel supplies a good source of carbohydrates that will fuel an intense workout ahead, ensuring that you have the glucose and muscle glycogen available to perform your best.

Do keep in mind that bagels can be very calorie dense however, so choose the size of bagel wisely (and consider eating only half if weight loss is your goal).

Yogurt And Dates

Finally, the last of the good pre-workout meal options to consider is yogurt and dates. Yogurt is a fantastic source of light protein that you can include in your day that will also provide a solid source of calcium, which is needed for muscular contractions.

Dates serve as the source of carbohydrates in this meal and note that just a few will do the trick perfectly. They are quite high in sugar, but given that you are heading into an exercise session right away, this can be an okay thing to have at this time.

So there’s a closer look at four great meal choices to consider if you’re heading into the gym shortly. Be sure that you do pay attention to your food choices and eat a meal that will support the effort you are putting in.