What Should You NOT Have as a Pre-Workout Meal?

We can't stress the importance of a pre-workout meal enough. But what is a pre-workout meal, and what foods should you avoid before your workout? 

It is a meal meant to provide you with sufficient energy to keep you active throughout your workout. But certain foods don't provide enough fuel to your body, and in turn hampering your workout because you aren't functioning at your optimum level.  

So without further ado, here’s what you should avoid having prior to your workout:

Wrong Type of Protein Bars

Many people enjoy them because they offer a quick way to add protein and other nutrients to your busy and active lifestyle. We are spoilt for choice when it comes to this on-the-go snack, and it’s important to know that not all protein bars are the same. 

Check the labels to see if they have a lot of sugar. If they do, your body will burn through that fast, and you may not get much else. Many protein bars also use unhealthy sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup, and some don’t disclose any of their ingredients on the packaging (you’d want to stay away from those). 

The ones with excess sugar were made for taste and not as a pre-workout food. Additionally, while the fat in some protein bars often comes from whole nuts & seeds, others use highly processed plant oils, like palm, canola, peanut, or soybean oil. 

Select those with an ingredient list that primarily uses whole foods rather than highly processed ingredients. Choosing protein bars that have minimal to no added sugars is also recommended.

Although every product marketed as healthy may not be the same, some brands stand true to their claims. If you find it tiresome to check the ingredients behind your protein bars, make a deliciously wholesome pre-workout food using granola and muesli by The Rooted Co. Go to  to check out how to make protein bars at home using our granola cereal.

Energy Drinks

These might seem to give a natural pre-workout boost, but they have lots of things that can make you jittery and raise your heart rate and blood pressure. Moreover, sugary drinks make you prone to losing fluids. With no added electrolytes in most leading energy drinks, this sugar will only work against you and dehydrate you. 

Some energy drinks claim to have BCAAs, but they don't list the quantity/percentage. While these can be beneficial ingredients, it's hard to determine how much value they bring to your workout.

Fast Food

It might be tempting, but skip the drive-through on the way to the gym. Chances are, you’ll feel uncomfortably full, and the fat and sugar in most fast food items will keep you from getting the most out of your workout. 

While you may think that eating junk food and working out might cancel each other out, it's often a bit more complicated than that. Eating junk foods high in fat, sugar and refined carbohydrates (most of which are empty calories) can affect your performance by draining your energy and impairing your metabolism. 

While you must avoid some meals before working out, some of the best pre-workout food keeps you motivated throughout your entire session, irrespective of its intensity & duration. 

Visit to purchase healthy granola and muesli breakfast options by The Rooted Co to help you make some wholesome recipes that are perfect for your pre-workout meals. Our 6 exotic flavours can also be consumed right out of the pack, had with milk, or topped with yogurt.

So if you are a fitness enthusiast, always keep in mind that Workout Ke Pehle, Ek Bowl Zaruri Hai. Stay Responsibly Wholesome!