Applesauce or Pudding
These scoopable snacks are easy to digest and won't cause GI problems, making them safe to eat just before your workout, says Nisevich Bede. Both options also provide a hit of carbohydrates with little or no fiber. A sweet bonus? One pudding cup supplies 10 percent of your daily need for calcium. Stick with varieties with 1.5 g of fat or fewer.
More: How to Carb-Load Before a Race
Snack Right
Choose applesauce without added sugar, as it has nearly half the calories of the traditional version.
Running in 30 to 60 Minutes
Cereal
Forget the Kashi GoLean before lacing up. While high-fiber cereals are a healthy bet any other time of day, they'll likely cause stomach trouble during a run.
"Muscles can convert simple carbs into energy faster than fiber-rich foods," says sports nutritionist Barbara Lewin, R.D, who works with endurance athletes. Stick to cereals with fewer than 2 g of fiber per serving, like Special K or Rice Krispies.
More: 12 Fast and Easy Breakfast Ideas
Snack Right
Eat it plain or pour it in milk, your choice. Top with half a cup of sliced strawberries or bananas for an extra kick of carbs and vitamins.
Dried Dates
The natural sugars in these little gems are a concentrated source of quick carbohydrates, says Dowell. They are also packed with potassium, which aids muscle function. Two dates contain 10 percent of your daily needs, the same as a small banana.
Snack Right
Dried fruit can have up to three times the calories of fresh, so stick to a quarter cup serving. Don't like dates? Try dried apricots, mangoes, cherries, or, Dowell's favorite, blueberry-flavored dried cranberries.
More: 4 Fruits You Should Snack On
Iced Coffee Drinks
A quick, drive-through option, Frappuccinos, iced lattes, and similar cold coffee beverages provide liquid to hydrate you while also cooling you down before a warm workout. The milk provides some protein, while the caffeine can improve your focus during a run. A recent study in the Journal of Applied Physiology also found that caffeine delays muscle fatigue during intense workouts.
Snack Right
Frappes can have around 100 calories, or 500. At Starbucks, order a tall (12-oz.) unsweetened coffee Frappuccino with fat-free milk for 160 calories. Skip the whipped cream.
More: Green Smoothies
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