Go Nuts with your Pilates workout

By Jeanne M. Cummings

Do you find yourself rushing off to your Pilates workout feeling like you should have eaten a little something to keep your energy up? Or maybe you ate too much and you start to loath your Pilates session due to the heaviness in your stomach. Well jumping on the nut train might just be the answer you’re looking for.

Following are some quick, easy, nutritional snacks to get you going and keep you going for a successful Pilates workout!

Half a crisp apple or half a just ripe banana with a heaping tablespoon almond butter or organic peanut butter.

Half a piece of gluten free toast with almond or natural peanut butter.

Half cup oatmeal with almond or natural peanut butter.

A couple handfuls of your favorite natural nuts and seeds mix.

All natural snack bars containing nuts, seeds, dried fruit and natural sweeteners. Eg. Larabar, Greens Plus Natural Peanut Butter Protein Bar

Mix together cashews, pistachios, raisins, Goji berries, raw cacao nibs, and sunflower seeds

For those of you who stay away from nuts because you think they’ll make you fat… think again. Nuts contain functional fats, meaning they contain the type of fat your body needs for optimum function. Nuts are considered a perfect energy food containing vitamins, minerals, functional fats and protein. In fact, regular and moderate consumption of nuts is considered to be great for weight loss. When a body has a well rounded source of nutrients it is able to do its best work. In addition, the excellent source of fiber nuts provide curb ones appetite and leave the body feeling free from false hunger pains.

If that wasn’t already good enough, nuts provide anti-oxidants to the body and are proven to lower risk of heart disease and cancer.

Feeling a little low on iron? You got it… look to nuts for some help.

A handful or two of nuts are perfect to take care of hunger pains without making you feel full, providing you energy for a great workout.

Sip on some green tea after your snack on the way to Pilates and help aid the digestion of your performance food while getting an alkaline caffeine buzz.

Sign up for DietDirectives.com web based weight loss program that teaches how to eat less using Pilates training tools.

Tags: before workout snack, pilates weight loss