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Over the past few years, it seems people have increasingly realized the importance of properly fueling up before intense workouts. Whether you’re gearing up for strength training or high-intensity interval training, the idea is that you have energy from food readily available in your body so it can be used to help you perform your workout.
In general, Matheny says that having a small amount of candy, such as a fun-size bag of M&Ms (Buy It, $20, amazon.com), Sour Patch Kids (Buy It, $8, amazon.com) or Nerds (Buy It, $12, amazon.com), about 15 minutes before your workout should help deliver a decent amount of energy to your body when you need it most.
The boost you’ll get from this “varies based on whether you’re eating it with other things,” says Matheny. If you eat sugar or candy by itself, it will digest quickly in your body, he explains. But, if it’s combined with fats, protein, or fiber (for instance, if you opt for a Snickers chocolate bar, which contains a little protein and fat), it will digest more slowly.
Overall, though, having a sugary candy about 15 minutes before you plan to start sweating should help you feel a little more power when it's go-time, says Matheny.
Are There Any Downsides to Eating Candy Before a Workout?
If you’re planning to use extra Halloween candy as pre-workout snack and you know you’ll be going pretty hard in the exercise department each time you do, you’re likely fine to do this, says Matheny. Still, both he and Reed caution against overdoing it, suggesting you stick with a small portion. Eating too much pre-workout can upset your stomach or make you feel sluggish, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The best scenario, according to Matheny, is if you’re planning a challenging afternoon workout and haven’t eaten since lunch, or you need a little boost before your morning exercise but don’t want to eat a full meal first. So, have a small bag of candy beforehand. “Look at the label,” says Matheny. “For the average person, 15 to 20 grams of sugar is a good amount. That will give you a nice boost and burn more than you’re putting in.”
And, of course, if you're going to try this workout hack, enjoy it. "Yes, food is for fuel and our bodies need fuel, but you can have fun, too," says Reed.
