So, you’ve dusted off your running shoes, joined the gym, and started watching deadlift tutorials on YouTube. You’re all set, right? Well, kind of. Sadly, bodies aren’t built on good intentions. Nor are they built on endless weightlifting sessions and protein shakes. Nor, for that matter, are they built on starving yourself. As bodybuilder Vince Gironda once said, “Bodybuilding is 80% nutrition.” And while you might not be looking to bulk like Arnie, the same rule applies to almost every fitness goal. Without the correct fuel in your system, you’ll slow recovery, rob yourself of energy, restrict growth, and increase your risk of injury. All of which will derail your fitness plans before they’ve really got going. Often the most common problem is the same for fitness pros as it is for the rest of us: snacks. You can be as strict as you like at mealtimes, but in-between is usually a nutritional vacuum, a place where healthy snacks just don’t exist. For most of us, snacks – crisps, biscuits, pastries – are what undo all our good intentions. But get those in-betweener foods right and not only will they satisfy a hunger pang, they’ll help you achieve fitness and body composition targets, rather than make them harder. With the expert input of Jo Travers, registered dietitian and author of The Low-Fad Diet, and Daniel O’Shaughnessy (aka The Naked Nutritionist), we compiled a fool-proof guide to what to eat, and when – whatever your goals.

Healthy Snacks For Runners

“You don’t want to be running on a full stomach, so the timing of this one is as important as what you’re eating,” says Travers. “A low-GI carbohydrate-based snack like wholemeal pitta and humous a couple of hours before you start, means a steady drip-feed of glucose into your blood stream throughout your run.” Not a pitta person? O’Shaughnessy has a few other options. “Honey is a high-carb food which helps maintain muscle glycogen (also known as stored carbohydrates) which gives runners the boost they need when they need it most. And Greek yoghurt with banana, nuts and sprinkle of granola is perfect post-run fare, as it has both protein and carbs to aid recovery, meaning you’ll reduce inflammation, and be able to get out on the track again the next day.”