Time Your Pre-Workout Sugars Right
"The intensity and duration of the exercise is important to consider," Larson says. If you work out for more than 90 minutes, sip on a sports drink ahead of time to hydrate your body and spare glycogen stores, muscles' main source of energy.
If you work out for less than an hour and a half, but it's extra intense (HIIT workouts, FTW) or you sweat a lot (hello hot yoga), a sports drink can also help performance. These beverages deliver electrolytes — primarily sodium and potassium — to your body to up hydration and help muscles work efficiently.
If you're exercising later in the day and have been eating a balanced diet, skip the pre-workout snacks. Feeling like you need a boost to really push yourself in the p.m.? Yogurt and a piece of fruit about an hour before a workout will fuel you.