The number one mistake that I see many people make when it comes to best sports nutrition is that they simply don’t know what to eat. They’re out at the gym during the day and don’t know what to have for a snack later on in order to refuel. This article lists some of my favorite snacks for bodybuilders who are trying to build muscle, train hard, and perform better in their sport or everyday life. The list includes foods such as protein bars, jerky, organic veggies, nuts, granola bars, bananas and peanut butter toast sandwiches.
Before discussing the list, it’s important to know why eating small meals throughout the day is beneficial. The following excerpt from a healthdoqtor.com article sums up the theory nicely:
“Numerous nutrition studies have confirmed that eating smaller meals more frequently supports better health, greater fat loss, and even muscle gains. Your metabolism stays higher by eating more often, and you’re able to fuel your workouts more effectively by consuming more carbohydrates on a more frequent basis. “
So now let’s get into some really good snack ideas for athletes. Remember the key here is to find foods that are high in protein and healthy fats, but low in sugar and refined carbohydrates (crackers, chips).
Protein bars: healthdoqtor.com has a list of the best protein bars for athletes. They’ve also created a really helpful protein nutrition calculator to get you started. The best part about protein bars is that they’re easy to carry around in your gym bag, as most are small enough to fit in a pocket or purse. The best protein bars for bodybuilders can also be found at your local grocery store’s refrigerated section alongside other healthy snacks like nuts, dried fruit, and hummus.
I personally love using natural peanut butter as my protein bar of choice. It contains all the healthy fats necessary to help promote muscle growth and recovery between workouts, along with a ton of fiber and protein to keep me fuller longer.