Morning Workout Fuel

 You’re going to come in for an early morning ride and you find yourself stuck about what to eat. Full breakfast? Coffee? Nothing?

The answer depends a lot on your own body. Does your stomach get upset after coffee? Do you feel nauseous if you don’t eat before exercise?

Rule of thumb is you should eat 60-90 minutes before you workout but I don’t know many people willing to wake up at 4am just to eat before a 530am workout. Instead, grab some easy to digest carbohydrates. Eating a cup of oatmeal, granola or dry cereal are great options. If you can add a little protein into the mix that’s even better. Try a piece of toast with peanut butter and even a little banana if you can tolerate it.

Now, if you’re looking at a 730am workout (hello, Saturday) and might have time for a bigger, more diverse breakfast, go for it.  If you don’t have a full hour or two before your workout, might shrink your portion sizes just slightly to aid in digestion before the workout. If you’re a coffee drinker, go ahead and have it before the workout. Studies show caffeine can boost endurance so go for it, if your tummy tolerates it.

One of my favorite make-ahead breakfasts for really early mornings is a Paleo granola bar with walnuts and dried fruit. Make sure you really only lightly toast the walnuts as it really does affect the flavor in a big way. I also use regular shredded coconut since desiccated can be hard to find.

See the recipe here or below. https://hedihearts.com/simple-and-clean-granola-bars/

Ingredients

·        1 cup pitted dates

·        2 cups walnuts or Brazil nuts

·        2 cups desiccated coconut (I used Coconut Merchant)

·        ¾ cup dried cranberries

·        3 tbsp water

Instructions

1.      First toast the walnuts slightly in an oven heated to 170 degrees. Let them cool down before adding them to your food processor along with dates, desiccated coconut and cranberries.

2.      Process until the mixture is well combined and has a crumbly texture.

3.      Now add gradually the water, a tablespoon at a time and keep processing until the mixture is sticky and holds together.

4.      Next get a square baking dish, line it up with cling film and press the mixture in. Press down firmly to ensure the mixture sticks well together.

5.      Pop in the fridge for a couple of hours, then cut in to bars and sprinkle with some more desiccated coconut