If one of your New Year's resolutions was to eat healthier foods, chances are you may have overlooked the snack department [1]. The next time you crave that bag of chips or store-bought chocolate chip cookies, think about maintaining your energy levels with a healthy option.
To get you inspired to take your snack game to the next level, we checked in with eight fitness experts, from a New York-based SoulCycle instructor to a celebrity trainer. Find out the healthy snacks they swear by.
Jera Foster-Fell
"I always throw dried fruit in my bag, usually dried mangoes, as they're my favorite thing to eat right before I work out or teach a class. I find eating simple carbs about 20 minutes before I exercise gives my body a quick source of energy so I can perform to the best of my ability." – Jera Foster-Fell [5], New York City SoulCycle instructor
Yumi Lee Mathews
"Before a morning, cardio-based workout, I like to have an empty stomach [6]. It helps me to perform better and taps into body fat as fuel faster. Before a strength-based workout, I'll usually grab a FitAid Fuel [7], which has 12 grams of grass-fed whey protein and is Paleo-friendly. Then after any workout, I always drink my NF Sports Recovery Whey Protein shake, which is high in BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) to repair my muscles." – Yumi Lee Mathews [8], fitness celebrity trainer and co-owner of Reebok CrossFit LAB [9]
Gunnar Peterson
"Justin’s almond butter packets [10] are great pre-workout to keep me fueled, and Gatorade protein bars [11] are made with everything you need post-workout to begin recovery." –Gunnar Peterson [12], personal trainer
Nadia Murdock
"Whether I am craving something sweet or salty, I like to have a handful of almonds, one thin slice of rotisserie chicken breast, and a handful of raisins or Craisins [13]. The almonds and chicken are an excellent source of protein, which help repair muscles post workout and offer a boost of energy.
I also enjoy a sliced apple — a great source of fiber — with a packet of almond or peanut butter. It fills me up and is so easy when I am on the go." – Nadia Murdock [14], fitness coach and expert
Anna Kaiser
"I love Pure Protein Crunch [15]. They're delicious and easy to pop throughout the day. I get the protein I need, even with my busy schedule, and they have less than 5 grams of sugar in an entire bag." – Anna Kaiser [16], founder of AKT
Latham Thomas
"My favorite snack is spicy toasted pumpkin seeds [17], which I make at home. I like the crunchiness and flavor and pack them in my pantry on the go and munch on them after yoga class. Pumpkin seeds are a dietary source of tryptophan. The body converts tryptophan into a chemical that can regulate depression, stress, and anxiety-increasing serotonin in the brain." – Latham Thomas [18], maternity lifestyle maven, celebrity doula, founder of Mama Glow
Elisabeth Halfpapp
"Since I’m on the go, I keep snacks in my workout bags. I eat Kind bars, (especially the Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate [19]), non-salted roasted almonds, and sometimes a simple organic crunchy peanut butter and jelly sandwich (fresh or homemade from friends), which stays fresh in the heat or cold." – Elisabeth Halfpapp [20], cofounder of Core Fusion
Chris Sainsbury
"If it’s a low-intensity day, I eat on the lighter side. I'll grab a quarter of a banana (because of the high sugar intake) before a moderate workout. Afterwards, I'll have a salad with avocado and maybe fish. For intense workouts, I plan carb-heavy meals two hours prior to help me get through it. Sweet potatoes, veggies, and salmon fuel me for days when I plan to lift heavy.
Post workout, I blend fruits, such as strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries with a scoop of almond butter. Fruit contains natural sugar, which is a great carbohydrate fuel source and is dense in water to keep the body hydrated." – Chris Sainsbury [21], New York City performance coach and co-owner of CrossFit Kingsboro