I often get asked what to eat prior to workouts. Without confusing you or saying what you should do, I’ll let you know what’s worked for me. There are hundreds of different answers, but it ultimately depends on what type of workout you plan on doing. Is it something intense like CrossFit? Plan on running for 3 miles? Signed up for a yoga class? Regardless of the exercises, you need some sort of fuel to give you energy that’s needed for you to get through the workout. For me, I’ve noticed that when I plan on taking a yoga class or run for 20-30 minutes, I drink more water and tend to eat something light about 45 minutes prior to the class/run. A banana with about 2 tablespoons of almond butter is enough for me.
If I plan on just working on high reps with low weight strength training, I tend to eat more protein and a good source of fat + carb like a piece of chicken with avocado or a ½ small sized sweet potato.
However, when it comes to something that requires more focus and exertion like a CrossFit class, I make sure I had a full meal a few hours before the class, and again about 30 minutes prior, a fruit with almond butter. Sometimes this is enough to get me through the workout, but I notice more often that when I take a Rhodiola supplement in addition to food, my energy and focus is through the roof, and I perform noticeably better than without the supplement.
How Rhodiola supplements make me feel indestructible and focused on my workout:
About an hour before I know I’m going to be doing an intense workout, I pop two pills – or 150mg worth of the stuff. 30-45 minutes prior to. If I’m going for a long run (for me, that’s 3-4 miles), I pop one pill 30 minutes beforehand.
Rhodiola rosea is an herb that’s known to enhance performance (work or sport), decrease fatigue and to stimulate the nervous system. I take a rhodiola supplement that also contains green tea extract, which is also known to give you energy. I’m less fatigued during the actual workouts (specifically when doing as many rounds of several movements within a set time frame) and definitely more focused on the actual technique and my pace of each movement.
Most people mention being in a zone during workouts or getting a runner’s high and for me, rhodiola not only enhances both of those feelings simultaneously, but shortens my recovery time after each workout.
I highly recommend this if you need an extra boost to get you through a workout.