Happy Tip Thursday! We asked three of our personal trainers about their pre and post-work out food habits so you can try them yourselves. Read below to see what snacks/meals Martha Carascosa, Jenny Worthington, and Jarren Begg like to eat before and after they work up a sweat.

Martha Carascosa: HCI Personal Trainer

What is your go-to pre-workout snack/meal?

If you do not have a specific item, then what nutrients do you aim to have in your body before a workout?

I like to work out early in the day and for the most part I do strength training in the morning. When I get up I like to start off with 12 ounces of water and a dissolvable tablet called Nuun for extra electrolytes to rehydrate myself. If I am having a bit of a hard time waking up, I take a Nuun tablet that has caffeine to give me an extra boost while still making sure that I get hydrated.

What is your go-to post-workout snack/meal?

If you do not have a specific item, then what nutrients do you aim to have in your body after a workout?

After my workout I eat a meal that is high in protein, which is usually a smoothie that has five key components. I follow a nutritionist, her name is Kelly Lavee, and she calls the Fab Five components of preferred choice: fats, fibers, protein, fruits and veggies. If I am not feeling a smoothie, then I usually go for two or three eggs for my protein with some veggies like kale, arugula, or spinach. I always have some type of greens in the morning along with either some fiber crackers or a sweet potato toast with some almond butter on top. I always try to keep the Fab Five in my diet to ensure that I am getting everything my body needs.

Recipe For One of Martha’s Smoothies

-1 Quarter cup of banana

-Chia seeds as fiber

-Spinach as veggie

-Peanut butter or almond butter as fat

-2 scoops of chocolate/vanilla protein powder

Jenny Worthington: HCI Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor

What is your go-to pre-workout snack/meal?

If you do not have a specific item, then what nutrients do you aim to have in your body after a workout?

I typically work out after I get done with my group instructed classes and all my personal training, but I like to eat a protein bar and make sure that I am drinking my aminos about an hour before I workout. I like NuGo Carb Smart protein bars, it’s 20 grams of protein and 160 calories. I also like Think! Thins as well but I only like the crunchy peanut butter, and their brownies are so good that I eat them as a dessert.

What is your go-to post-workout snack/meal?

If you do not have a specific item, then what nutrients do you aim to have in your body after a workout?

I wait an hour for all my amino acids to be absorbed into my body so then after I can eat a high protein meal, and that’s when I make three eggs and oatmeal with pea protein powder, greek yogurt, honey, cinnamon, or pecans for healthy fats. I get a lot of my vegetables in the morning, so I do a morning vegetable and fruit shake smoothie, and after a workout my smoothie is more protein and fiber to feed my muscles. I also eat around six ounces of fish, chicken, or beef, and I typically eat those types of food at my third and fourth meal since I eat four meals a day.

Jarren Begg: HCI Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor

What is your go-to pre-workout snack/meal?

If you do not have a specific item, then what nutrients do you aim to have in your body after a workout?

My pre-workout snack would be like a peanut-butter and banana sandwich which is a great source of carbs and protein, while also having a high potassium fruit like a banana which helps when it comes to working out. The carbohydrates will also give you a nice source of energy and the peanut butter is also a great source to get your protein.

What is your go-to post-workout snack/meal?

If you do not have a specific item, then what nutrients do you aim to have in your body after a workout?

My post-workout snack is more like a drink; I will typically drink a protein shake. With my protein shakes, I typically use whey protein and either vanilla or chocolate protein because I don’t hate those. I also put BCAAs in my protein shakes to fuel my muscles and help them grow, while also decreasing exercise fatigue and muscle soreness.