What you consume before, during, and after a workout goes a long way in making sure your exercise has the best impact on your health as possible.

Hydrate your body by drinking water in between workouts. Water is probably your best bet during exercise, even over sports energy drinks which could be loaded with sugar and calories. If you need to keep your drinks tasty, add a little lemon, lime or cucumber to it - people who drink flavored water tend to drink more during their workouts than people with straight water do.

Before your workout, eat a nice, low-glycemic-index meal (food that causes your blood sugar to spike less after eating) like high-protein and fiber rather than complex carbs.

After your workout, drink a tall glass of milk (or even chocolate milk) to recover. You can even eat a banana or peanut butter after your exercise. According to EatingWell, after your workout is where the carbs should come into play.