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It’s a new year with new fitness goals! Whether you are starting a new fitness routine for the first time or just hitting the “reset” button for 2020, choosing the right pre- and post- workout snacks (and even bedtime snacks) can help you optimize overall results.

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Today, I am sharing some of my favorite homemade workout snacks that can be incorporated into a training diet to help you make the most of all that hard work. All are vegan-friendly and gluten-free, but also tasty for us omnivores who are looking to add more variety and plant-power to our plates. Read on to learn more about pre- and post-workout nutrition and get my ideas for plant-based snacks to fuel fitness goals.

Kicking up a workout routine can create hunger, which is your body’s way of saying you need to replenish nutrients through food and drink. . . regardless of your intent to lose, gain, or maintain weight. In simple terms, proper pre-and post-workout nutrition will assist in the building of lean muscle by restoring hydration, replenishing spent glycogen and dispatching protein to repair muscle damage. In turn, this will allow you to recover more quickly, efficiently, and train effectively at your next workout. When you are nailing workouts, you feel GREAT and want to keep up the routine. Good nutrition and sports performance have a symbiotic relationship you don’t want to disrupt!

Starting and maintaining a fitness routine does not mean it’s time to “diet” in the sense of overly restricting calories, nor is it a free pass to eat whatever you want because you ran a few miles or did burpees. Still, the most common-sense approach is a diet of lean proteins (including plant-based foods like my favorite Silk® Almond Yogurt Alternative), unprocessed or minimally-processed whole grains, and an abundance of colorful vegetables and fruit. Calories consumed should, for the most part, match your “calories burned” to maintain weight. This will vary based on the type, duration, and intensity of sports or fitness activities you participate in.

I’m not big into advocating weight-loss diets (I think you should be fit and active and your body will do as it should). However, a personal example is when I want to lose a pound or two, I simply maintain (or slightly increase) my weekly fitness activities but cut out approximately 10% of daily calories. If I significantly cut calories, my workouts seem really hard and my recovery is really poor. I know what is happening to my body, because I’ve been living a fitness lifestyle for 30 years, but newcomers may blame this energy drain on their new fitness activities in general, when in fact, it’s the nutrition. The key is to EAT, but eat the right things!

As you get further into your fitness journey, you may start to experiment with various sports nutrition strategies to see what works best for YOU. But at the start, it’s really best in the beginning to follow a consistent strategy of three balanced meals with proper workout snacks. I aim for my post workout snacks to have a 4:1 to 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein with about 200 total calories (sometimes more, if it’s been a long workout).

I’m a fan of Silk® Almond Yogurt Alternative as a post run or workout snack. Whether you are lactose intolerant, vegan, or like the taste of dairy-free milk, this yogurt alternative is so delicious right out of the tub or used as the foundation for a recipe. Here are three super-simple, vegan snack ideas that fit the bill, using Silk® Almond Yogurt Alternative.

Fruit and Nut Parfait: Of course, Silk® Almond Yogurt Alternative is creamy and yummy enough to eat plain – or top with your favorite goodies like my favorite combo of seeds, nuts and berries. This post workout snack “no-recipe” recipe, just top this yogurt alternative (any flavor) with the nutritious toppings you love and grab a spoon! Eat it right out of the carton and you don’t need to wash an extra dish!

Creamy Peanut Butter Smoothie: Silk® Almond Yogurt Alternative is a fabulous foundation for a smoothie, providing a starting point of 5g protein and so much creaminess. Of course, your smoothie can have more protein, depending on what extra ingredients you put it. One of my tricks to adding in a bit more flavor and protein is to add a couple tablespoons of peanut butter powder (you can use regular peanut butter, that just adds more calories and fat). To make this easy vegan peanut butter smoothie, simply add 8 ounces of Silk® Almondmilk and a single-serve carton of Silk® Almond Yogurt Alternative (vanilla) into a blender along with a couple tablespoons of peanut butter (to taste), half a banana, and enough ice to blend into the desired consistency.

Blueberry Frozen Treat: This is the perfect workout treat for a summer day, but just so delicious that you’ll bundle up to enjoy it after a run or gym session even in the winter. To prepare, simply add four cartons of Silk® Almond Yogurt Alternative (vanilla) in a blender along with one pint of fresh or frozen berries and two cups of almondmilk; process until smooth. Place it all in an electric ice cream maker machine and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.

As I mentioned, I found Silk® Almond Yogurt Alternative at my local Walmart when I dropped in to grab a few groceries and gear for my morning boot camp – you can easily find it in the refrigerated cases where all the yogurt brands are stocked. I love how Walmart and Silk®​ make it easier to accomplish our health and wellness resolutions!

I encourage you to try these plant-based post workout snack ideas to fuel fitness goals, and also to take the Silk®​ 30 Day Challenge you can find out more here to improve your health and well-being. Also, check out my post from last week, also sponsored by Silk® – How to Become (and Love) Being a Runner for Life

When considering a fitness routine for the first time, it can all seem overwhelming – the gym equipment, the runner lingo, the “special” clothes, shoes and other gear.  None of this is actually necessary to achieve better health – the biggest “secret” beginner fitness tip is that you really just need your body, a positive attitude and consistency.  Strive to get 150 minutes of movement per week, broken out into segments that fit your lifestyle – that can be as easy as walking the dog 30 minutes, 5 days a week or doing 5 minutes of jumping jacks and/or jogging in place most every hour during your work week.  I like to do a combo of cardio and body weight-training, in my experience, it’s more fun than strictly cardio and also building a little extra muscle helps your body to burn more calories – that’s helpful for those trying to lose weight or maintain leanness.

This is a fun beginner fitness workout that lets you mix-and-match different workout moves that combine cardio and body weight strength. The good news is that you can do this “Six for Five Workout” almost anywhere, as it doesn’t need any special equipment. With so many combinations to create, you’ll never get bored. Remember, while each exercise is done for 5 minutes, you are able to modify the exercises for success (like doing push ups from knees) and take rest breaks, as needed. Go at your own rate and rest as long as you need to without letting your heart rate come all the way back down!​ Each small step can lead to larger progress!