What to Eat Before a HIIT Workout? (8 Best Meals to Try)

I often recommend whole grain bread with scrambled eggs to my clients. This meal provides complex carbohydrates, protein, and essential micronutrients like selenium, magnesium, and iron.

Scrambling the eggs in a healthy fat like olive oil not only enhances their flavor but also boosts their nutritional value with healthy omega-9 fats and antioxidants.

Consuming this pre-workout meal combination before HIIT might help boost your immune system, improve blood flow, and reduce inflammation.

4. Boiled Potatoes and Hard-Boiled Egg

Boiled potatoes and hard-boiled eggs are excellent sources of carbohydrates, proteins, essential vitamins, and minerals.

And because they are cooked by boiling, they contain less fat. Also, according to WebMed, cooking potatoes with their skins has been shown to retain their nutrients [3].

Eating boiled potatoes and eggs before a workout can help power up your body while taking better care of your heart.

The combination of Greek yogurt, ripe berries, almonds, and ground flax seeds makes for a complete meal that includes healthy fats, carbs, protein, and vital micronutrients.

Choosing low-fat Greek yogurt and almonds can help protect your heart, while berries and flax seeds can provide stamina to your body.

Having a bowl of this mixture can energize you and properly fuel your whole body, allowing you to train longer.

6. Brown Rice and Lean Chicken Meat

One-pot rice and chicken dish is a healthy option for those who want to combine healthy carbs and protein in one meal.

But this dish can be more nutritious and heart-friendly by using brown rice, lean chicken meat without the skin, and chopped veggies like carrots, peas, and corn kernels.

Thus, eating a small plate of this meal an hour or two before your HIIT session can provide you with long-lasting energy and quick muscle repair.

In my role as a fitness trainer, I often suggest banana-whey protein smoothies, especially as a post-workout meal for those doing HIIT workouts.

These smoothies are a great source of simple carbohydrates and proteins, which are crucial macronutrients for such intense exercises.

A typical smoothie made with a banana and two scoops of whey protein powder contains approximately 2 g of fat, 4 g of carbs, and 32 g of protein.

This combination offers quick energy without significantly spiking blood sugar levels, while also providing essential amino acids that are beneficial for muscle gain.

Related: Is a Banana Good Before a Workout?

8. Whole Wheat Pasta, Leafy Vegetables, and Lean Chicken Meat

A meal of whole wheat pasta, dark leafy greens, and lean chicken meat is a good source of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and protein.

According to research by NIH, green leafy vegetables are high in iron, nitrate, and folate, which are all essential for mind and body functions [4].

Eating whole wheat pasta before workout with leafy greens and lean proteins can help your body get the energy and strength it needs for your high-intensity workouts.

As a fitness trainer, I emphasize to my clients the importance of eating nutritious foods before engaging in HIIT workouts. This practice not only helps in maintaining energy stores but also plays a crucial role in preventing muscle loss.

By supplying your body with carbohydrates, you're not depleting but rather replenishing glycogen stores, which are essential for your body's performance in your next workout session.

“A light amount of food will help you get through the workout session more comfortably and with more energy.”

- Douglas Paddon-Jones, Professor, University of Texas

Furthermore, according to NIH, supplying your muscles with essential amino acids can help you retain lean muscles and stimulate the production of new muscle tissue fibers [5].