Eggs are the ultimate breakfast—scrambled, sunny side up, poached, over-easy, or hard-boiled—they are always a win. But can they also double as a pre-workout snack?
When it comes to working out, protein is key. It helps build new muscle tissue and keeps your hard-earned gains safe. Without enough protein, your muscles might not recover or grow as they should. While you can find protein in many foods, eggs are like a little nutritional goldmine in a shell.
What you eat before hitting the gym can seriously affect your performance. Eggs are often celebrated as a post-workout muscle booster, but they might be just as awesome for pre-workout energy. Ready to find out why eggs could be your next go-to pre-gym snack? Let’s dive in!
Egg-citing Gains: Why Eggs Deserve a Spot in Your Fitness Plan
Everyone needs protein, but if you’re active, you need even more. How much exactly? Well, the International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends:
- 0.8g/kg body weight per day for non-exercisers;
- 1.4 to 2.0g/kg/day for those who work out.
Endurance athletes should aim for the lower end of that range, while strength/power-focused athletes need more toward the top. This is where eggs come in handy! Eggs pack a punch when it comes to nutrition—while being relatively low in calories, they are really rich in protein. According to the American Egg Board, one extra-large egg gives you:
- 72 calories
- 5 grams of fat (2g saturated, no trans fat, 1g polyunsaturated, 2g monounsaturated)
- 186 mg cholesterol
- 6 grams of protein
- 0.4 grams of carbohydrates
Eggs also offer a variety of important vitamins and minerals like A, B2, B3, B6, B7, B12, D, E, folic acid, phosphorus, iodine, zinc, selenium, and choline. Although eggs contain cholesterol, they help increase “good” HDL cholesterol levels without significantly impacting “bad” LDL levels.
But how many eggs should you eat? The answer varies depending on your lifestyle, health, and tolerance. The American Heart Association suggests that one egg (or two egg whites) a day can fit nicely within a healthy diet for most people.
The Power Pairing: How to Amp Up Eggs for Your Workout
Eating eggs before a workout is a fantastic way to pack in protein, but here’s the thing: eggs are nearly carb-free. Since your body needs carbs (stored as glycogen) to fuel your muscles during exercise, pairing eggs with a good carb source can give you that energy boost for an effective workout. The foods you eat before and after your workout matter for muscle recovery and replenishing glycogen.
For the perfect pre-workout snack, try pairing eggs with carbs to stay fueled and keep your performance strong. Here are some tasty ideas:
- Top a whole-grain toast or a bagel with a poached egg
- Add leftover rice or quinoa into an omelet
- Pair scrambled eggs with beans
- Eat cooked broccoli alongside eggs
- Prep some roasted sweet potatoes for the week, and have half with an egg before exercise
- Try a Greek wrap with scrambled eggs, store-bought tzatziki, baby spinach, and feta
However you mix it up, eating eggs before a workout can be a solid choice—as long as you time it right. Try to eat at least two hours before a high-intensity workout to avoid feeling sluggish or bloated. That way, your body’s energy goes straight to fueling your performance, not digestion!
Oh, and skip the whole “Rocky-style” raw egg thing. Raw eggs can carry Salmonella bacteria, one of the main culprits behind food poisoning in the U.S. To keep things safe, store eggs in the fridge, cook them until the yolks are firm, and thoroughly cook any dishes with eggs. Looking tough is cool, but dealing with food poisoning definitely isn’t!
Conclusion
In general, we’re big fans of adding eggs to your diet—they’re a fantastic source of protein that can support muscle growth, boost performance, keep you feeling full, and improve overall wellness. Of course, whether to include eggs in your workout routine is up to you, based on your tastes, digestion, and fitness goals. But we think that eating eggs before or after a workout is a solid choice with proven benefits!
If eggs aren’t your thing or you want a bit of variety, plenty of other pre-workout snacks are nutritionally powerful. For those with an egg allergy, great alternatives for pre-workout fuel include Greek yogurt, whey protein, or plant-based proteins like quinoa, protein-rich nuts, and chia seeds. These provide essential amino acids and energy, much like eggs, giving you a solid start to any workout.
As always, it’s wise to check with a healthcare professional or nutritionist when making dietary choices, especially if you have any specific health needs or dietary restrictions.
