If you are feeling hungry before a workout, the best thing to eat is a carbohydrate.
Remember that episode of The Office where Michael eats a big bowl of fettuccine alfredo to prepare for a 5K run? It resulted in some funny scenes, but did not result in a very good digestive outcome.
You’ll want to avoid anything high in fat or fiber since they slow digestion and may result in stomach cramps or discomfort during your workout.
In fact, one of the best ways to maintain a high level of motivation and energy to workout is to stay properly fueled, not just immediately prior to your workouts, but for the day and maybe even days beforehand.
And contrary to popular belief, protein does not give you energy. If anything, it’ll sit in your stomach during the workout the same way a fatty or fibrous food would.
Good examples of carbohydrate sources are a small banana (or other piece of fruit), 6-8 ounces of a sports drink like Gatorade, a small bowl of rice, or half of a small bagel.
If you choose rice, opt for white rice which is lower in fiber than brown rice and if you choose a bagel, be sure not to cover it in too much butter or peanut butter as they are both high in fat.
It is helpful to have a small snack if you are feeling hungry so that you are not exercising on an empty stomach. If you have not eaten for several hours and try to complete a moderately intense session, you may experience dizziness or fatigue easily. Fueling properly will allow you to get the most benefit out of your workouts.
“But GUYS, don’t you need protein after a workout to maximize the gains?”
The short answer to that is no. Except in very extreme and limited circumstances, a protein feeding immediately after a workout probably won’t have much of an effect on your net benefit. This also goes for ingesting protein pre-workout or intra-workout to “get ahead” of that feeding – it’s a lot more trouble than it’s worth.
Eating protein to build a muscle is a little like pouring gasoline into the tank and wondering why the car won’t move on it’s own. You still have to press the gas (or accelerator, for our EV friends). That is, your protein dosing doesn’t matter nearly as much as your strength training regimen.