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How Pre-Workout Smoothies Fuel Your Workout
Slurping down a smoothie before a workout is a quick way to give your body essential macronutrients to feel strong while also hydrating you. Yet not all smoothies are equal when it comes to helping your body perform. A pre-workout smoothie should contain a good mix of carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber.
I love to run far distances— I’ve done 6 marathons, 2 x 50ks, 100k and lots more. I’m one of those strange people that actually likes to run…for hours at a time. I’ve learned that having a smoothie before, during and after a long run improves my performance and recovery.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This pre-workout smoothie is my-go because it’s packed with quick energy to help my body perform. The combination of greens and fruit blended together in this smoothie delivers the workout nutrition you need to keep you fueled for a long run, deep yoga session or a HIIT workout.
- Spinach: Leafy greens are powerhouse plants that provide nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and protein to any smoothie, to help you build muscle.
- Coconut water + water: Coconut water acts like natural Gatorade, providing hydrating electrolytes your body needs to replenish the energy lost during workouts.
- Pineapple: Naturally fights inflammation, helping your muscles recover faster after a workout.
- Peaches: Frozen peaches are picked at the height of freshness and flash-frozen to preserve as many nutrients as possible, making them irresistibly sweet and healthy.
- Banana: Adds natural sweetness to your smoothie and is rich in vitamin C and potassium, which supports muscle function and helps prevent cramps, making it an ideal pre-workout ingredient. A frozen banana chills down your creamy smoothie.
- Coconut oil: If you are looking to shed a few pounds then healthy fat is actually your friend, not your enemy. It helps break down the natural sugars from fruit to aid in your digestion and actually keeps you full longer. Feel free to swap it for chia seeds or hemp hearts if you want healthy fats with a protein boost.
This is one of my favorite smoothie combinations. It’s lightly sweet, I don’t even notice the spinach, and I can definitely feel the energy boost that helps me run faster and lift better during a workout.
Plant-Based Protein Powder
Protein can assist with muscle growth, muscle recovery and boost energy levels. I like to boost my post-workout smoothie with protein and leave my pre-workout smoothie lighter. If you want to add more protein to this recipe, try my homemade protein powder. It’s a blend of hemp protein, chia seeds, and flax.
How to Make a Pre-Workout Smoothie
I can’t stand a chunky smoothie. If I’m going to put the work into buying good ingredients to make something at home then I want it to be smoothie and creamy. Here’s how I blend my green smoothies for the best result, every time:
- Puree the spinach, coconut water and water until smooth. If you aren’t using a high-powered blender then stop and scrape down the sides as needed to get rid of all those leafy chunks.
- Add the remaining ingredients and blend again until smooth. If you’re using frozen ingredients, let them sit out for about 15 minutes before blending to help soften them a bit.
Using this two-blend method you’ll actually save time and get a better pre-workout smoothie as a result. I’ve been blending smoothies for 13 years now and this method hasn’t let me down yet! When it comes to blenders, I recommend getting a high-speed Vitamix blender.
Common Questions
Yes! Smoothies are a great pre-workout fuel to give you quick and lasting energy for activities such as a long run or high-intensity workout.
It’s best to consume a pre-workout smoothie 1-2 hours before exercising, giving your body time to digest it and absorb the nutrients.
My go-to smoothie before workout contains coconut water, fruit, spinach, and coconut oil for a super fast snack that gives me the energy to maximize my workout without weighing me down.
Coconut water is loaded with natural electrolytes, fruit provides a great energy boost, spinach and coconut oil provide protein and healthy fat and fiber to help your body break down the natural sugar into usable energy.
More Healthy Pre-Workout Smoothie Recipes
Looking for a high-protein pre-workout recipe? I’ve got a few that’ll enhance your workout. Blending smoothies is easy and affordable— and make the perfect pre-workout smoothies at home.
- Vanilla Protein Shake: More delicious than any powered version you can find, this easy smoothie is tasty and fueling without artificial vanilla protein powder.
- Chocolate Protein Shake: This will give you great natural energy as well as keep you full while exercising with this almond butter and chocolate banana smoothie.
- Flaxseed Smoothie: A great energy and fiber boost with unsweetened almond milk and flaxseeds.
- Caramel Protein Shake: A dessert wrapped up in a smoothie, protein powered and delicious.
- Almond Smoothie: Almonds and strawberries combine for a delightfully smooth snack.
After you sweat it out, I recommend having a protein-rich Post Workout Smoothie to help build and repair skeletal muscle.
Please rate and review this recipe once you’ve blended it. I can’t wait to read how it turned out!
Healthy Pre-Workout Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup spinach
- ½ cup coconut water
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup pineapple frozen
- ½ cup peach frozen
- ½ banana
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Blend the spinach, coconut water and water until smooth.
- Add the pineapple, peaches, banana and coconut oil and blend again.
Equipment
Notes
- Use frozen fruit to make a refreshingly cool smoothie.
- Boost with your favorite plant-based protein powder for extra protein and healthy fats.
- Swap spinach with the leafy green of your choice.
- For a smoothie with less natural sugar, swap out 1/2 banana for 1/4 avocado.
I am have diabetes what are low sugar fruits what can I do.
Hey Jackie. Here is a link to our favorite low sugar fruits. https://simplegreensmoothies.com/low-sugar-fruits
I use avocado instead of a banana which is higher in sugar.
Great suggestion Shellie!
Hi!
Can you tell me, when do we need to eat/drink this smoothie?
I mean, how long before workout?
When I eat something right before, I don’t feel good during exercise. But I didn’ try these smoothies so I don’t know for them
Hey Rafaela.
Thanks for the comment. I am with you, I prefer not to eat before I work out, listen to your body.
We have other SGS team members that love to fuel their body before they work out, which is great. You just do what is best for your body. 🙂
I always try to eat something at least an hour before my workouts. I feel energized during them and not sick from eating right before.
Great tips. 🙂
This is a delicious smoothie recipe! I didn’t have any ripe bananas so I substituted a very ripe mango I had in the fridge. It turned out great and my daughter loved it too. Keep up the good work 🙂
Wonderful! 🙂
Hi. Thanks for the recipe. I’ve been looking for a great pre-workout smoothie. You mentioned in the 5 boosts article that almond butter can be added…can we add it to this recipe? My other question is it a such thing as too much? Now that my kitchen is stocked with chia, hemp and flax seeds I will throw all three in my smoothie…is that overboard and about how much of each would you recommend? Thank you!
Hi Nakia.
Thanks for reaching out. We would suggest using one or two in each smoothie, one serving of each. Hope that helps. 🙂
I love your smoothies but I have one comment. Eating kale and spinach every day is not recommended because it can mess with the thyroid. I know substitutes can be made anytime but I feel that since there are people that don’t know that about kale and spinach, smoothy recipes should include other greens as the first choice. It’s not just your site, its almost all the juicing and smoothy sites and it worries me.
Hey Betsy.
Thanks for reaching out. We love all leafy greens, here is a link to suggest to all of our rawkstars: https://simplegreensmoothies.com/leafy-greens
That’s an awesome link! Appreciate it, but still would like to see in the actual recipes other greens instead of the kale and spinach listed. I just think it’s an important change that needs to be addressed by all. Thanks!
Hi there, I enjoy the green smoothies first thing in the morning. I often add raw egg whites and a little organic raw cacao powder for the extra protein, energy and chocolatey taste.
SGS Godesses, I’m a registered dietitian, LOVE what you do, and I give every walking/talking patient and client this awesome website. Stacey, kale and spinach are both super high in vit K.
Cheers, you rawk! Thanks so much for spreading the green smoothie love!
Stacey, I’m a registered dietitian (I give every walking/talking patient this awesome website), kale and spinach are 2 of the highest food sources of Vit K.
Awesome, thanks so much, Stacy!
Hello,
I wanted to know is there a smoothie I can make that’s loaded with vitamin k. I heard vitamin k helps with the dark circles under the eyes.
Thank you
Hey Stacey!
Great question. Vitamin K foods are packed in leafy greens, especially kale. 🙂
How many calories?
Hi Tammy.
We personally don’t count calories, so we don’t include them in our recipes at this time. You’ll find that when you consume more nourishing whole fruits and veggies, you will not only feel full longer, but you’ll also have lessened cravings for high-calorie, nutritionally empty foods. So in the end it balances out. But we know many people would like to have calorie info. Three great resources for tracking calories are Self Nutrition Data and the phone apps My Fitness Pal and Lose It.
What are rolled oats?
Hey Jill.
Raw Oats. 🙂
I’m allergic to apples what can i use as substitute?
Tatiana – you can substitute the apple with a pear.
🙂 Perfect!
I absolutely love this smoothie!!!
We’re so glad!
Stacey, I have used mangos (usually frozen) as a banana substitute and they work great!
🙂 Great tips!
I have been putting a few fresh basil leaves in my smoothies. I bought a plant and was trying to figure out what to do with all the basil. Just a few leaves gives the smoothie a very elegant taste. It seemed strange at first but now I love the soft basil undertones!
We totally love herbs too: https://simplegreensmoothies.com/fresh-herbs Great thinking!
This is a great smoothie recipe but I am allergic to bananas. What do you suggest as a substitute?
Stacey, I have used mangos (usually frozen) as a banana substitute and they work great!
🙂 Great tip!
Hey Stacey!
Some great banana substitutes are:
Mango
Papaya
Pear
Chia seeds
Fresh dates
Nut Butters
Unsweetened applesauce
Avocado (won’t add the sweetness, but will definitely add the thick and creamy texture)