Exercise Efficiently: Products To Eat Before And After Working Out Slideshow

These bites are individually wrapped so that you can choose how many to eat based on the intensity and nature of your workout routine. They're meant to be eaten up to two hours before exercising — they come in cranberry pistachio, cinnamon raisin flax, and banana nut chocolate varieties. 

This energy bar from PowerBar is designed to support muscle protein repair and replenish vital nutrients that can get depleted during a workout. The bar is meant to be eaten within 30 to 60 minutes post-workout in order to give you the extra carbohydrate boost needed to restore glycogen in the body. The Recovery bar is available in cookies and cream caramel crisp and peanut butter caramel crisp flavors.

These power-packed bars are crafted to be enjoyed for breakfast; they can be eaten as a meal replacement or as a snack just before exercising. The combination of carbohydrates, protein, and fat was designed for quick digestion to get you primed for working out in no time. The breakfast bars come in iced oatmeal raisin, strawberry, cinnamon roll, and chocolate chip flavors.  

Similar to the Recovery bars, this PowerBar product is also designed to help you recoup from an intense workout routine. These bites are particularly effective when eaten after weightlifting or doing strength training exercises because it's formulated to promote muscle growth and repair damaged tissue — it also packs an extra serving of protein. The ProteinPlus Bites are available in fudge brownie and chocolate peanut butter.

These gummy chews, conveniently packaged like a pack of gum, are meant to be eaten before working out for an extra boost of energy or even during the routine to help maintain performance output and high energy levels. They're currently available in orange, fruit punch, and cool blue flavors.

This bar consists primarily of raw ingredients (such as sunflower seeds, chopped dates, and rolled rye) and is blended instead of baked. The combination of foods is designed to promote endurance and help your body recuperate from a workout, plus it's hearty enough to be eaten as a meal replacement.

Another bar formulated to be eaten in the morning, Wholly Oats includes a combination of protein and carbohydrates meant to prime your muscles for a workout while offering energy to sustain your body. The bar is available in strawberries and cream and chocolate peanut butter flavors.

These protein-packed morsels are crafted so that you can adjust the amount of protein you want to take in based on the nature of your workout routine. The bites (one package includes 10 Shot Roks) are comprised of whey/milk protein and a high concentration of amino acids to promote quick recovery and muscle recuperation following heavy activity. 

This bar should be eaten post-workout, as it includes a high level of plant-based protein formulated to help regenerate strained muscles. The bars are available in chocolate coconut and chocolate SaviSeed flavors.  SaviSeeds are a source of tryptophan and omega 3s.