If you are headfirst into your workout regimen, but still struggling with losing weight, it’s possible that what your eating before and after your workouts are demeaning your workouts.

When first practicing a fitness routine, it’s important to eat before your workouts so that you can burn fat AND build muscle. Research shows that regularly eating on an empty stomach will cause muscle loss because your body will draw protein from your muscle rather than your kidneys and liver. It’s imperative that you fuel your body so it can function properly during intense training sessions.

Subsequently, eating after you workout is just as important. You should be eating within 30 minutes to an hour of your workout to restore any energy that you just lost.

Here are some suggestions from Nora Tobin, a fitness professional and GNC ambassador over at shape.com:

Before Workout:

• Brown rice (½ cup) with black beans (½ cup)
• Small sweet potato with steamed or lightly salted broccoli in olive oil (1 cup)
• Banana with almond butter (2 Tbsp)
• Multi-grain crackers (10) with hummus (3 Tbsp)
• Oatmeal (½ cup) with berries (1 cup), sweetened with stevia or agave
• Apple and walnuts (¼ cup)

Post Workout:

• Protein shake made with half of a banana, one scoop of protein powder, almond milk, and hemp seeds (excellent protein source)
• Salad with roasted chickpeas (½ cup), light olive oil and vinegar
• Sautéed or steamed vegetables (1 cup) with non-GMO tofu (½ cup)
• Quinoa bowl (1 cup) with black berries (1 cup) and pecans (1/4 cup)
• Multi-grain bread (2 slices) with raw peanut butter (2 Tbsp) and agave nectar
• Burrito with beans (½ cup), brown rice (½ cup), guacamole (2 Tbsp), and salsa