For athletes in particular, a good morning often starts with a bowl of cereal. It provides important nutrients and a good amount of energy for the day, and it also keeps you full for a long time.
So it sounds like the perfect meal for a lively start to the day, doesn't it?
In this blog, we will show you why muesli can be so healthy, what to look out for when preparing it, and how you, as an athlete, can benefit even more from muesli.
Should I eat breakfast before or after exercising?
When you wake up, your glycogen stores, i.e. your carbohydrate reserves, are almost empty. If you do sports in this state, your metabolism will draw on your fat reserves.
The body burns more fat because sugar is no longer used as energy when insulin levels are low. In addition, the body learns to utilise the available energy more slowly and better.
On the other hand, the lack of energy during exercise can be dangerous. Especially for recreational athletes who are not very trained, a lack of water or low blood sugar can quickly occur.
This can lead to dizziness or impaired perception, which should be avoided at all costs, especially during exercise. It is therefore advisable to eat breakfast before exercising. Do you still want to boost your fat burning? That is of course possible.
Discover Verival's sports breakfast
In this case, your breakfast should simply be smaller. A simple porridge or overnight oats are delicious alternatives. If you want to lose weight, you should definitely not skip breakfast, because after exercise you are usually even hungrier and end up eating more, which means that you don't have a negative energy balance.
As a result, the extra pounds on your hips will not disappear, but increase. It is likely that you will gain even more weight.
Even as a trained athlete, you should eat breakfast before exercising. If you go without breakfast once a week, it's not a problem. Your trained body will still have enough energy to cope. It should just not become a habit for every day. You can easily make healthy Bircher muesli yourself!
Why is muesli good for you before exercise?
Bircher muesli was invented by Swiss doctor Maximilian Bircher-Benner. The basic ingredients are cereal flakes and dried fruits, which provide important vitamins, minerals and lots of fibre.
This is why it is so filling and helps to prevent food cravings. Various nuts and seeds also provide the body with unsaturated fatty acids.
This combination is therefore not only a good basis for athletes and their training, but also for anyone else who wants to improve their health.
Muesli is particularly good before exercise if it really consists of the natural basic ingredients and does not contain extra fats or sugars.
Although there is a huge selection of muesli in the supermarket with a wide variety of flavours, But unfortunately, many ready-mixes contain a lot of fattening ingredients.
Per portion, such a mixture can contain up to a daily recommended amount of sugar. So watch what you buy! Or, even better, put together your own breakfast. Then you know exactly what's in it.
Organic Bircher Urkorn muesli from Verival – discover it now
When it comes to ingredients, there are a few things you should look out for
The basis for your healthy muesli is clearly oat flakes. You can easily order the flakes made from oat in organic quality online from Verival. Oat flakes are suitable for many different dishes and can be wonderfully combined with various fruits, nuts, seeds and other ingredients. If you make your own muesli, ideally use dried fruit that is unsweetened.
However, especially in the summer months, you can also jazz up your breakfast with fresh fruit, such as berries. You don't always need exotic superfoods for this.
Your muesli is then mixed with milk or yoghurt. But milk alternatives such as rice milk, almond milk or oat milk are also suitable.
This is a good option for environmentally conscious, vegan and allergy-prone athletes. For a change, you can simply try out the different milk alternatives.
Muesli gives you plenty of energy for sports
If you have carefully studied your muesli and checked that it really is a healthy breakfast, then it will give you plenty of energy for your workout, but also for the day ahead. At first glance, this seems to be the case with all muesli, but you have to be careful and strict, as you have already learned.
Can I eat muesli after exercise?
Of course you can eat muesli after exercising. Muesli is actually a very healthy option for satisfying your hunger after a workout and, according to a US study, is at least as effective as an expensive sports drink for muscle recovery.
Oats – healthy proteins for your muscles
Wholegrain cereals, such as oats, are particularly suitable for an athlete's muesli. Oats contain a particularly high amount of proteins, which are especially important for building muscle.
But cereal flakes also contain long-chain carbohydrates, which supply the body with a steady supply of energy over a long period of time. Oats are also one of the most protein-rich plant-based foods.
Which athletes should eat muesli before exercising?
Muesli is suitable as a sports breakfast for anyone who wants to watch their diet. Long-term studies show that a healthy muesli can significantly reduce the risk of suffering from diabetes, bowel cancer and high blood pressure. Depending on the type of sport, daily routine and activities or movement in everyday life, the size of the muesli will of course vary.
Do you already know your BMI?
It doesn't matter whether you want to lose weight, just do something for your health or are currently in muscle-building training. The body mass index is often the first measurement that shows you whether you have your body weight under control.
With the BMI calculator you can calculate your BMI in a few seconds and find out more about this value.
Sport muesli from Verival – healthy energy, protein and full of flavour
Verival has put together a whole range of sports mueslis for an even better muesli experience to start the day with. Whether gluten-free, with a focus on protein, with or without toppings, there should be something for everyone.
Whichever one you choose, it will give you all the energy you need for your workout and the rest of the day.
