Fuel Up! the 7 Best Snacks to Eat Before and After a Workout

Often, sizzling fat and staying fit depends just as much on how you eat as it does on how you break a sweat. Whether you're training for a marathon, playing in a regular pick-up game or simply hitting the gym to stay in shape, working out regularly means your nutritional needs will be different from those of someone who is sedentary. Before exercising, you will want to make sure your body is properly fueled, and after a workout you'll want to replenish nutrients you've lost. However, burning calories doesn't give you license to eat junk. Although indulging in heavily fried foods and sweets before or after hitting the gym may seem like it's a good idea (and perhaps a well-deserved reward), it's actually true that eating unhealthy food will set you back in achieving your fitness goals by making your next workout less efficient than your last. If you're not sure what food is safe to nosh on, don't fret. I've got a roundup of workout-ready recipes that are as tasty as they are healthful. Click through for the 7 best pre- and post-workout snacks! - By Elizabeth Stark and Brian Campbell

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