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Real Food Ideas to Eat While Exercising
If you are going to be exercising for a long time–more than 90 minutes or so–you will need to fuel during exercise in order to keep from bonking. Sports like cycling, running, triathlon, and athletes with long training sessions like soccer and basketball players need to eat during training.
Not all foods are great for eating during exercise. Foods with high fat, fiber, and protein are slow to digest. This means they will not get digested and into working muscles quickly. Instead, they will sit in your stomach. This may cause stomach distress, but also does not help your working muscles.
Aim for foods that have simple carbohydrates. Sports food companies have created a variety of products, like gummies, gels, chews, and drinks that all contain simple carbs to help fuel your workout. But these are expensive, and some people don’t really enjoy the taste of the sweet products.
Here are some real food alternatives to mix up your fueling routine.
- Dry, low fiber cereal (Rice Krispies, Chex, etc.)
- Pretzels (Bonus! The salt provides electrolytes!)
- White bagels or rolls (add jam for an extra carb boost)
- Rice balls (these can be plain, or with salt, nut butters, cut up dates, raisins, or soy sauce)
- Pop Tarts
- Honey packets
- Banana or other fruit
- Fruit leather/dried fruit
- Rice Krispie treats
- Saltine crackers
- Fruit juice
- Applesauce pouch
- Mashed potato
- Graham crackers
For more ideas with portion sizes, download our free fueling guide! Happy training!
~This is general information only and not medical advice. Always ask your doctor before undergoing any diet or lifestyle change.
