Healthy Pre Workout Smoothie

To fuel your body while you get that heart rate up, we suggest a nutrient-rich healthy pre workout smoothie. This recipe is packed with healthy fats and carbs to energize you.

Don't let the color scare you. This pre-workout shake tastes really good.

For me, drinking a daily smoothie isn't a diet—it's a lifestyle. It's about taking care of your body and saying yes to plants... every single day. In addition to fueling your body with tasty plant-based smoothies, it's important to exercise daily. Walking, hiking, bootcamp, chasing kids and biking are all great options.

I love to run, so that's my go-to mode of exercise. It's what clears my mind and burns off steam (if you know what I mean). I've even started a Rawkstar Running Club inside Rawk the Year and it's been great. We've got some friendly competition to motivate us to get in at least 7.7 miles each week and we're killing it so far.

Ingredients in Pre-Workout Shake

As an endurance runner, I don’t want super quick energy, I want constant, long lasting energy that doesn’t take much work for my body to break down. The combination of greens and fruit delivers the nutrients you need to keep you fueled for a long run or a big workout.

• spinach
• coconut water
• pineapple
• peaches
• banana
• coconut oil  

This is one of my favorite combinations. Yet you can boost your favorite smoothies with any of the ingredients below to help fuel your workout.

Healthy Pre-Workout Ingredients

Before your workout, stock up on healthy fats with a moderate amount of carbs and protein. You can add any of these to a pre-workout smoothie to boost the health benefits. Here's six foods that are perfect to eat before you get your sweat on:

Bananas

We love bananas as a pre-workout food for so many reasons! Bananas are packed with tryptophan, which your body converts to serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical the body creates that sends us happy vibes. Throw in the fact that bananas are loaded with carbohydrates that help energize your body, and you can see why we put bananas at the top of our list.

Oats

Oats make this list for one simple fact: they take a long time to digest. This means that they provide long-lasting energy during your workout! Oats also help maintain stable blood sugar during your workout, which is always a good thing. You can add dry oats, soaked oats or even cooked oats to your smoothie. We usually recommend adding 2 tbs dry oats, or ¼ cup cooked oats to any pre-workout smoothie recipe.

Apples

Apples contain a powerful antioxidant called quercetin. Quercetin's main role in the body is to deliver more oxygen to the lungs. When you get more oxygen to your lungs during a workout, you have more endurance. This makes it so much easier to get through that hour-long spin class!

Coconut Oil

If you're exercising for weight loss, then coconut oil will be an important ingredient for you in a pre-workout smoothie. The fatty acids in this superfood fight body fat by converting into energy that boosts your metabolism (as opposed to saturated fats that add body fat). Add coconut oil to your smoothie before you workout to help you maintain energy throughout your entire routine, while also fighting that body fat like crazy.

Nut Butters

Nut butters are quick and easy... just grab a spoonful and you're on your way. But the best reason to eat nut butter before a workout is because it's loaded with protein, healthy fats and fiber, which keep you feeling full and energetic throughout your entire workout. There are many kinds of nut butters to choose from, but my favorite is almond butter. Add 1-2 tbs to your pre-workout smoothie and feel the boost.

Plant-Based Protein Powder

Adding a scoop of a clean, plant-based protein powder can quickly boost the protein of your smoothie. Protein Smoothie Boost is my favorite because it is organic AND only has 3 ingredients: Hemp, chia and flax which is the perfect blend of protein and healthy fats.

 

3 More Healthy Pre-Workout Smoothie Recipes

Looking for more great pre-workout smoothies? We have tons of them on the blog because I love fitness and finding recipes that enhance my workout. You can access all of our fitness food recipes here. Or if you want 3 solid recommendations, check out these ones:

Try our Energizing Pre-Workout Green Smoothie, Vanilla Protein Shake or Berry Protein Smoothie.