Scenario: you’ve got a killer workout ahead, but you didn’t eat well leading up to it. Your energy is lagging. What do you do?
Solution: A convenient and portable fix is to grab an energy bar. The cal and carb content provides your muscles with quick energy to burn. Kristine Clark, director of sports nutrition at Penn State University, recommends consuming a bar at least two hours before a workout to allow digestion. Only have an hour? Try eating half.
Unsure about what bar to unwrap? Scope out the nutrition label and look for one that contains about (or less than) 350 calories, 35 to 45 grams of carbs and five to 10 grams of fat. Looking at the protein content, opt for less than 20 grams.  Protein is not a key pre-workout fuel source, since it takes longer for the body to digest and absorb.
Recommended options: Gatorade, PowerBar Triple Threat and Clif
Check out stack.com for more energy-bar-eating-advice.
Photo:  Clif Bar