Scone
Olympic cyclist and Stanford medical student Christine Thorburn downs the usual energy bars and soy drinks before heavy workouts, but on easy days she goes for easy carbs. “My favorite not-so-powerful snack is a coffee and scone! You do have to enjoy life still.”

Peanut Butter and Jelly
Trail runner Buzz Burrell is a fan of a childhood favorite—peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. He substitutes almond butter for peanut butter, then slaps it on slices of whole-grain toast. “It tastes good and digests well,” says Burrell of the sandwich he’s been eating for 20-plus years.

Granola
Organic granola is a great meal to start off the day, says ultramarathoner DEAN Karnazes. “It’s all natural, contains no hydrogenated oils or trans fats—plus, it tastes great plain by the handful.” Sprinkle granola over low-fat yogurt, and you’ll give your body a bit of needed fat along with protein and calcium.

Energy Bar
Angela Ruggiero, a Team USA hockey player, swears by the Geni-Soy chocolate mint protein bar ($16 for 12; 888-436-4769; www.genisoy.com). “It’s a great balanced snack that gives me energy throughout the day,” says Ruggiero. “I always have a few in my car and bag.… It keeps me away from junk food.”

Bananas
“Bananas are pretty benign in taste, so there’s no worries about the taste coming back later, and they’re easily digested,” says Ethan Hemphill, a snowshoe runner for the Atlas Snowshoe Team. “They keep me going without weighing me down or giving me an upset stomach.” Bananas are also full of fiber and potassium, which helps prevent cramps.

Jerky
Karnazes, who once ran 262 miles in one shot, can’t get enough jerky when he’s on long runs. His favorite? “Salmon jerky, because it’s high in protein, has lots of sodium [to replace sodium lost through sweat], and is a concentrated source of energy and light to carry,” explains Karnazes. “I also love soy jerky for the same reasons, and because it’s vegetarian and made without nasty preservatives or MSG.”

Cashews
“They’re calorically dense, so for a little bit you get a whole lot of calories,” says Rania Batayneh, a nutritionist at Sports Club LA in San Francisco and wellness coach certified through the American College of Sports Medicine. “They also have fat in them that helps to satiate you.” Plus, nuts can be easily stashed into a pocket or backpack.

Last Updated: Feb 24th, 2006 - 14:18:11
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