My Favorite Paleo Pre-workout Snacks

On any given Saturday or Sunday morning, you'll find my husband and myself having our standard Paleo breakfasts to fuel us for hours of swimming, biking & running:

• My signature smoothie with egg protein powder, raw almond butter, a banana, chilled green tea and spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon & ginger.
• Leftover baked yams with a dash of salt.

This has been our standard MO for years and since it suits us so well, we're not looking to change it one bit.

However, when the weekdays come along and we've got a two-a-day session, that changes the game quite a bit.  Additional factors come into play including what and when we ate last, how long the workout we're about to do is, and at what intensity.   While our weekend breakfasts are several hundred calories and are eaten first thing in the AM, the weekday sessions needn't be as large, since we'd have been eating throughout the day.

Sometimes, you just need a little 'topper – offer' as I call it!

That topper – offer should NOT be a clif bar or a bagel, that is, unless you'd like a stomach ache or an urgent trip to the restroom mid workout!

Instead, try some of these pre-endurance workout snacks, all of which are completely paleo, and portable, allowing for you to keep at the office, or sometimes, even in your gym bag!

• Natural applesauce with egg protein powder
• Natural applejuice with egg protein powder
• Natural babyfood banana (only because it's not as perishable as fresh banana!) with egg protein powder
• If you DO have a fridge in the office, or a thermal bag, try: baked yam with lean turkey, or any of the above with a hard boiled egg.

As far as WHEN to have it, and how much, I'd suggest doing some experimenting with both.  The beauty of an individual's diet is just that- it's individual and we all have to find what works best for ourselves, above and beyond a formula in a book!  As long as the important part is kept true to form- eating only PALEO foods- you'll be in a great position to fuel cleanly and perform at your best!

Happy PALEO training!