Pre-Workout Snacks
The body works to build muscle and recover 24 hours a day, not just during that one-hour session at the gym. Luckily, smartly timed snacks can give the body the fuel it needs to gain muscle, burn fat, and recover as best it can. Pre-workout, that usually means grabbing a snack about 30-60 minutes in advance, depending on its size and contents, and how much that stomach’s actually grumbling. All ready to go? Check out these 25 options to start things right:
1. Protein Creamcicle: Put a twist on the classic kids’ treat by blending 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder, 1 cup orange juice, and 1 cup ice. Trainer and fitness expert @JCDFitness does it!
2. Fruitsation shake: Blend 1 scoop of your favorite whey protein flavor with ½ cup ice, and 1 cup frozen berries for a sweet energy boost, suggests strength coach @Roglaw.
3. Cha-Cha coconut shake: Infuse 1 scoop chocolate whey protein with 2 teaspoons of extra virgin coconut oil. Girls Gone Strong co-founder @JenComasKeck loves this!
4. Star-buffs shake: Need a pre-workout pick-me-up? Greatist’s fitness editor suggests blending 1 cup iced coffee (keep the ice) with 1 scoop chocolate whey protein.
5. Dressed up oats: Load up on carbohydrates for a longer workout with ½ cup cooked steel-cut oats topped with 1 tablespoon dried fruit and 1 tablespoon shaved almonds.
6. Perfect yogurt parfait: Feeling fancy, huh? Top ¼ cup nonfat yogurt with ½ cup whole grain cereal and ½ cup fresh strawberries.
7. Yoberries a-go-go: For the perfect blend of carbs and protein, try 1 cup non-fat vanilla beanGreek yogurt — which often packs more protein and probiotics than regular plain yogurt — with ½ cup fresh blueberries.
8. Eggs n’ toast: Have a heartier appetite? Try 1 or 2 hard-boiled eggs with 1 slice of whole-wheat toast.
9. Fruit and Cottage: Top ½ cup cottage cheese — a low calorie and higher protein option — with ½ cup fresh pineapple, berries, or melon. And voila!
10. PB Apple: For a quick carb fuel-up, slice 1 medium apple and serve with 2 tablespoons all-natural peanut butter.
11. Classic fruit cup: Prefer to keep it sweet but simple? Combine 1 cup berries, melon, banana, and oranges — oh my!
12. Dried fruit: For a quick pre-workout fix, try ¼ cup serving of dried berries, apricots, and pineapple, says Greatist Expert Jessica Redmond.
13. Fruit leather: Need something light that makes you feel like a kid again? Try 1 single serving of fruit leather. Have a little extra time? Roll some out in the kitchen.
14. Energy in a bar: With so many options in the aisle, try opting for a bar with the most naturalingredients. While protein count is key, also check the sugar content (it shouldn’t rival what’s found in the candy aisle!).
15. Chicken n’ sweets: For a fast bite, grab 2-4 ounces (or a palm-sized amount) of sliced chicken with an equal portion size of sweet potatoes, suggests Greatist Expert Dan Trink.
16. Oats n’ eggs: Not just for breakfast, try ½ cup cooked oatmeal and 2 whole eggs seasoned with salt and pepper.
17. PB & B toast: Fuel up with 1-2 tablespoons of all-natural peanut butter and half a sliced banana on whole-wheat toast, says Greatist Expert Lisa Moskovitz.
18. Turk-cado pasta: Add 2-4 ounces (or a palm-sized amount) of roasted turkey and 3-4 avocadoslices to ½ cup cooked whole-wheat pasta for some enviable eats.
19. Wafflewich: Spruce up this classic by combining 1 frozen Kashi waffle with 2 teaspoons of almond butter and 1 teaspoon of jam.
20. Better than a PB Cup: A half-cup cooked oats with 1 teaspoon defatted peanut flour, a dash ofstevia, and a sprinkling of cocoa powder on top — a concoction from the kitchen of Greatist contributor David Butler.
21. Veggie omelet: Add a little more color to your diet by combining 2 whole eggs shaken with 1 teaspoon of water cooked with 1 cup sautéed seasonal veggies.
22. Rice con leche: Got a long way to run? Fuel up with ½ cup cooked rice, covered with ½ cup milk, a scatter of raisins, and a dash of cinnamon on top.
23. Sports drink: An 8-ounce low sugar sports drink (keep it under 10 grams of sugar) will do the trick if you’re in a crunch. For a little more fuel, add a scoop of BCAA powder— branch chain amino acids that help maintain muscle and tissue health[1].
24. Hearty salad: Need some greens? Try 1 cup of salad greens with assorted veggies, 1 hardboiled egg, and a drizzle of EVOO and vinegar, or your favorite low-fat dressing.
25. Energy gel: Got a long way to go? Slurp down a energy gel (like Gu) prior to an endurance workout.
Post-Workout Snacks
After a tough gym session, post-workout snacks are an imporant way to restore energy and rebuild muscle, too. Downed within two hours after exercise, protein-packed shakes and snacks are a great way to rebuild tissue that breaks down during exercise. Here are 25 ways to end that workout on a high note:
26. Protein pancakes: From the kitchen of Greatist contributor Laura Skladzinski, mix 4 egg whites, ½ cup rolled oats, ½ cup low fat cottage cheese, 1/8 teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Cook on preheated griddle (medium low heat) until it bubbles, then flip and cook another 30-60 seconds. Top with fresh berries or sliced banana.
27. Sweet potato pie shake: This isn’t your grandma’s recipe. Combine 1 scoop of cinnamon bun whey protein, ¼ cup diced cooked sweet potato, 1 cup of ice, and 1 cup vanilla almond milk in the blender — a Kellie Davis original.
28. Chunky Monkey shake: Monkey around with 1 medium banana, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, and 1 cup low-fat chocolate milk blended with ice.
29. Double G shake: Aussie strength coach @Rachel_Guy1 recommends an 8-ounce greens drink (any superfood blend found at most health food stores) with 1 scoop of glutamine.
30. Double Trouble shake: To lengthen the delivery time of nutrients to your muscles, combine ½ scoop of whey protein blended with ½ scoop slower-digesting casein protein, plus a handful of your favorite fresh or frozen fruit.
31. Bananarama: One medium sliced banana with 1 cup low fat milk — it doesn’t get any easier than this!
32. Protein bar: For a quick, store-bought fix, feed those muscles with a protein bar. Just watch the sugar content. Look for bars with 10-30 grams of protein, less than 10 grams of sugar, and the fewest number of ingredients you can’t pronounce!
33. Beef and squash: Need something hearty? Try a handful of lean roast beef with an equal portion of butternut squash.
34. Tuna crackers: Mix up a batch of light tuna salad for a quick bite. Add two heaping spoonfuls to a handful of whole grain crackers, and chomp away.
35. Bagel with egg whites: Half a medium-sized whole grain bagel with 2 eggs whites makes a great post-workout sandwich.
36. Ants on a raft: The ants go marching… Spread a heap of natural peanut butter over a brown rice cake and top with raisins.
37. Milk and cereal: Any time is a good time for cereal. Add 1 cup of low-fat milk to 1 cup of whole-grain cereal. Nosh loudly.
38. Chocolate milk: One to two cups of low-fat chocolate milk seals the deal with extra carbs and protein.
39. Black bean omelet: Four eggs whites, 1 ounce low-fat cheese, and ¼ cup canned black beans — then spice it up with a savory salsa, if you dare.
40. Green Monster smoothie: Blend 4 cups spinach, ½ cup vanilla bean yogurt, 1 cup almond milk, 1 banana, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter with ice — a favorite of Greatist contributorClaudine Morgan via Iowa Girl Eats.
41. Cottage cheese crunch: One cup fat-free cottage cheese, 1 teaspoon honey, ½ cup whole-grain cereal, and a dash of cinnamon does a body good.
42. Eggy muffinwich: Ditch the fast-food and opt for 1 whole egg, fresh spinach, 1 slice low fat cheese, and 1 slice Canadian bacon served on an English muffin, suggests Greatist contributorLisa LaValle Overmyer.
43. BCAA n’ cakes: When in doubt, just add cakes! Pair up two scoops of BCAA powder mixed in ice water with two rice cakes.
44. Recovery in a bottle: When time is of the essence, grab a store-bought recovery drink to sip on after training. Just check the label — sports recovery drinks will provide plenty of carbs refuel, or opt for aminos to really rebuild.
45. Apples and cheese: Tease your taste buds with 1 medium sliced apple and 1 stick of low-fat string cheese.
46. Pita and hummus: One 7-inch pita with two spoonfuls of hummus adds a little pep back to your step with quick digesting carbs.
47. Egg scramble: Veg out after a hard training session with 2-3 whole eggs scrambled with a handful of chopped onion, spinach, and bell peppers.
48. Choco-tropical trail mix: Go bananas for a blend of ½ a handful of each: macadamia nuts, dried coconut, dark chocolate chips, and banana chips.
49. AB & J Rice Cakes: Almond butter takes the cake. For this healthier twist on the classic PB & J, sandwich 1 tablespoon of almond butter and 1 teaspoon of strawberry jam between two rice cakes.
50. Chicken hash: After your workout grab 1 cup cooked diced chicken, ½ cup butternut squash and apples, roasted in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Make a big batch and store it in the fridge!
WOOO
I went to the gym for the first time since April!
I have to admit, seeing these pictures of Blake Lively made me feel a little bit better about the fact that I (like most women) have cellulite on my upper thighs. She has one of the most enviable figures in entertainment and even she has to deal with dimples. Don’t bring yourself down over something you might not ever be able to fully get rid of.
And this is when they don’t use photoshop………..The company is all about making women look real and natural. :) I think even in their catalog stuff, they use minimal airbrushing, because they don’t want the models to look unreal and plastic-y.
And they’re all 100% beautiful.
Their boobs are all gigantic though, lol.
They didn’t really use any fat girls either. I have an idea. ;]
Define “fat.” All of us at some point in our lives have felt or been called fat, and none of us are exactly the conventional size used by models. I think we had a couple of dress size sixes at the smallest (and read dress, not pants!), but we were also shorter. I think we had people ranging from 6-14 in the top 10. Furthermore, it’s not the company’s fault for having nobody bigger, as these were the top 10 girls who worked hardest for votes. I would have liked to see more diversity represented, sure- the more diversity in modeling, the more often women can identify with someone and think “I’m not different or weird, yes!”- but only a couple of hundred girls entered, and the company could only make what they could out of who entered. In the past UK competitions, they’ve had gorgeous, bigger girls who’ve made it to the top 10, so here’s to hoping American adopts that mindset that our beauty isn’t dictated by our size. :)
Whoever said “their boobs are gigantic” is a fucking moron. It’s a bra company for larger breast sizes, so no shit their boobs are larger. They all look lovely. I’m especially digging the periwinkle bra set on the black girl!
A big misconception about the contest is that you need big boobs for it, which is totally untrue. A 28DD is the same cup volume as a 30D, 32C, 34B, 36A, but with a smaller band size. More people are actually a higher cup size and smaller band size than they realize, but America is really behind on bra knowledge. It’s a big reason this campaign was so powerful. I only hope more people listen to its many, many positive messages.
A lot of that misconception comes from people still thinking for instance Pamela Anderson was a 38D…couldn’t be further from the truth. My friend was wearing a 38D until I forced her, literally, to get fit…she ended up being a 34F/G. Friends don’t let friends wear the wrong bra size.
Ha, or people thinking that Christina Hendricks is a 36DD. I mean, look at my boobs. They don’t look “big” at all, but my size is the cup volume of a 36D on a 28 inch underbust. I don’t really look busty at all unless I wear a poorly fitting small bra that pushes ‘em together Victoria’s Secret style, but all that does is push my breast tissue away and forces it to migrate. It also makes you sag more prematurely.
Properly fitting bras are important, yo. If you’re curious, get a measuring tape and measure, without clothes, your rib cage right underneath where your breast tissue ends. If the number is smaller than the number of your currently fitting band size, guess what? You’re wearing the wrong bra size and not getting enough support. You don’t have to have extremely large breasts or even medium sized breasts to need proper support.
truth. i am a 28E/30DD. THEY AIN’T BIG. but these ladies are total babes!!
Can’t get to the gym? Use these!
I’m doing the Thursday one today since I can’t make it out to the gym. These were intended to be done throughout the day in addition to your regular workout, but if you can’t get out to the gym, doing these all together will definitely get you sweating up a storm and get your metabolism high enough to keep you burning through the day.
(Source: fit-girl-in-the-real-world)
perfection! I wish I was built like this.
(Source: mohawkchick)
Shit Fitblrs say:
- Fitblr: Wow my food looks really good...where is my camera!?
- Fitblr: Oh my god the world is over! We're out of peanut butter and oatmeal!
- Fitblr: Why am I aways broke?....Omg is that a sale on sports bras and spandex!?
- Fitblr: Okay who took the last Cliff bar?!
- Fitblr: I'm bored..what time is it...1:30 am...time to go workout.
- Fitblr: Noooooo my tea got cold!
- Fitblr: It looks like a water bottle grave yard in my room
- Fitblr: My pee still looks yellow.....brb guzzlin a gallon of water
- Fitblr: Omg I need to pee!...*5 mintues later*....omg I need to pee!
(Source: theoracleofsynergy)
boohoo
so unmotivated. haven’t gone to the gym since… April? i’m 112-116 lbs. right now, and i love the way i look with clothes on, but hate the way i look with clothes off. what a dilemma. in any case, i need to go to the gym and get my lift on. i need to squat away the cellulite i have on my bum and upper thighs. -_-


