An hour before a workout, your best bet is a small snack built around easily digestible carbohydrates with a modest amount of protein. The general target is about 1 gram of carbohydrate per kilogram of your body weight (so roughly 70 grams for a 155-pound person) paired with 5 to 10 grams of protein. That 2:1 ratio of carbs to protein gives your muscles quick fuel without sitting heavy in your stomach.
Why Timing Changes What You Should Eat
With only 60 minutes before you start moving, your body has limited time to break down food and shuttle nutrients into your bloodstream. Large meals with lots of fat, fiber, or dense protein won’t clear your stomach fast enough, which means cramping, bloating, or nausea mid-workout. The closer you are to exercise, the simpler your food should be. At the one-hour mark, you want something that digests quickly, spikes your blood sugar just enough to fuel your session, and leaves your gut feeling light.
Carbohydrates Are the Priority
Carbs are your muscles’ preferred fuel source during moderate to high-intensity exercise. Eating 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates in this window helps prevent early fatigue by topping off your glycogen stores and keeping blood sugar steady as you ramp up effort.
The type of carbohydrate matters, and the answer depends on what kind of workout you’re doing. For shorter strength sessions or HIIT, faster-digesting (high glycemic index) carbs like white bread, a banana, or rice cakes work well because they get into your bloodstream quickly. For longer endurance efforts like running, cycling, or swimming lasting 60 minutes or more, slower-digesting (low glycemic index) carbs may give you an edge. A University of Pretoria study found that athletes who ate a low glycemic meal before cycling reported significantly less physical strain than those who ate a high glycemic meal. The low glycemic group also maintained more stable blood sugar during exercise, avoiding the dip that can happen 10 to 15 minutes into a session after a sugar spike. In practical terms, that means choosing oats, whole grain toast, or an apple over white bread or a sports drink if you’re heading out for a long run.
How Much Protein to Include
You don’t need a full protein shake before you train. In this window, 5 to 10 grams is enough to start delivering amino acids to your muscles without slowing digestion. That’s roughly the amount in a tablespoon of peanut butter, a small handful of nuts, a couple tablespoons of hummus, or a single string cheese. The bulk of your muscle-building protein intake is better placed in your post-workout meal, when your body is primed to use it for repair.
What to Keep Off the Plate
Fat and fiber are both healthy in your overall diet, but they’re the two things most likely to cause problems when eaten right before exercise. Fiber demands a lot of digestive energy and can trigger gas, bloating, abdominal cramping, or diarrhea during your session. That means skipping high-fiber cereals, large salads, beans, or raw vegetables in this window. Fat slows gastric emptying, so greasy or fried foods, large portions of cheese, or heavy nut butter servings can leave you feeling sluggish. There’s no hard cutoff in grams, but keeping fat under 10 grams and fiber under 5 grams in your pre-workout snack is a practical guideline for most people.
Dairy is another common trigger. If you notice bloating or stomach discomfort after milk or yogurt before exercise, swap in a non-dairy alternative. This is individual, so pay attention to how your body responds.
Specific Snack Ideas by Workout Type
Strength Training
You want that quick carb-and-protein combination to power through heavy lifts. Good options include a few crackers with cheese, a banana with a thin spread of peanut butter, a small handful of pretzels with a couple slices of turkey, or a rice cake with a tablespoon of almond butter. These are small, fast to digest, and provide both fuel and a small dose of amino acids.
Cardio and Endurance
Prioritize carbohydrates and keep protein minimal. A banana, an energy bar, a small bowl of oatmeal with a drizzle of honey, or a slice of toast with jam all work well. If your session will last over an hour, lean toward lower glycemic options like oats or whole grain toast, which release glucose more gradually and help you maintain energy deeper into the workout.
Yoga, Pilates, or Low-Intensity Work
You don’t need as many calories here, but going in on an empty stomach can still leave you lightheaded. A fruit smoothie, toast with almond butter, or a small piece of fruit is enough. Keep portions on the smaller side since these activities involve bending, twisting, and core engagement that can amplify any stomach discomfort.
Adjusting for Your Body Weight
The 1 gram of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight guideline scales with your size. A 130-pound (59 kg) person needs roughly 60 grams of carbs, while a 200-pound (91 kg) person needs closer to 90 grams. To put that in food terms, a medium banana has about 27 grams of carbs, a slice of bread has 12 to 15 grams, and a cup of cooked oatmeal has around 27 grams. Combining two of these foods usually gets most people into the right range without overthinking it.
If you’re eating two hours before your workout instead of one, you can double the carbohydrate amount (2 grams per kilogram) and add more protein and a small amount of fat, since your body has more time to digest. Conversely, if you only have 15 to 20 minutes, stick to something liquid or nearly liquid, like a small glass of juice or a few bites of a ripe banana.
What If You Can’t Eat Beforehand
Training completely fasted won’t ruin your workout, especially for moderate sessions under 45 minutes. But if you notice your energy drops off sharply, you feel dizzy, or your performance has plateaued, adding a small pre-workout snack is one of the simplest fixes available. Most people perform measurably better with some fuel on board, particularly during high-intensity or longer sessions. Even something as small as half a banana can make a noticeable difference in how you feel by the second half of your workout.