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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.
Excellent smoothie, not too sweet but good. I’m about to HIIT my morning workout. Thanks.
Hi there
How many calories are in this smoothie?
Thank
Hi Stacey,
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.
Hi! What can I replace the almond milk with in this recipe if I’m allergic to almonds? Thanks!
Hi Jillian,
Allergic to almonds. I’ve got you covered! Swap in another plant-based milk you love. Oat or hemp milk are both great options!
….except, it has been proven that coconut oil is bad for you.
Hi Randy,
Did you read that article from the American Heart Association? It definitely scared a lot of people in the health world, and it’s an important read. Curious about the controversy? Check out this article from The Food Babe here…
I hope I can do this.. I always try to research any idea I have for new weight loss. I am currently at a plateau even tho I’m working with a trainer and my muscle is building. I am almost off my metphormine for my diabetes(one pill to go for 6 more months) and I am trying to find something to help with sustaining my appetite and speeding up my metabolism like the metphormin does. I don’t wanna try anymore pills not to mention I am on blood pressure and heart pills as well as cholesterol( almost off as well). My goal is to reset my health and at my age(50) try and keep up with going to Anytime fitness and energy as well. I’m not a person to completely go smoothies but I come home at 830 at nite most nites so I wanna drink smoothies that late at nite. So YES I am very interested in researching your ideas.
Hi Margie,
I’m so happy you reached out + I hope our recipes are the right choice for you + your body. For any member of our community with health concerns, we always suggest reaching out to your physician first. They know you + your body first and will help you decide if our recipes are the right choice for you + your diet needs.
Have any questions? Reach back out, anytime! 🙂
Can I use Steele cut oats in place of rolled oats?
Hi Margie,
Totally!! You may find them a little grittier than their rolled version, but you can totally use them in this recipe. A way to get over that grit is to cook them + allow them to cool before blending.
Can I use regular milk instead of almond milk?
Hi Cheryl,
Of course you can! Personally, our team tries to avoid dairy. It’s the #1 undiagnosed food allergy and can be pretty tough on your digestion. So that’s why you won’t find it in our recipes. But if you love the way dairy makes you feel, then go for it!
It took me awhile to drink it straight or have it on cereal.. But I put it in my smoothies it really does taste creamier. I use Unsweetened Reg so it taste more like reg milk. I was really surprised after 6 months how my health, energy and blood work became so much better. They also have cashew, coconut and even Chocolate(taste creamier than normal choc milk). After awhile you cant tell the difference
Hi Jen
I recently switched to a plant based whole food way of living and just ordered a Vitamix to help on my journey. I want to thank you for your recipes .. they look delicious and nutritious and I can’t wait to try them. It’s amazing how you can impact a person’s life unaware..keep up the good work.
Thank you so much for the love, Mark! And I love how you’ve embraced whole foods, your new Vitamix will definitely be an amazing tool for you!
What is vitamix?? Is that a meal replacement protein powder?
Hi Margie,
Vitamix is a powerhouse blender! Learn more about our favorite blenders, including Vitamix here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/blenders-for-smoothies
This sounds yummy but I was wondering…if it’s two servings can I drink the other half the next day or will it not taste as good?
Hi Frankie,
You totally can! Our recipes will keep in your refrigerator for up to two days in an airtight container. Adding a small amount of lemon juice can help preserve all of their green goodness too!!
Just a heads up, separation is completely natural, as our recipes are free of any of those yucky additives or preservatives. Simply give your smoothie a quick shake + you’re ready to go!
Hey I love this smoothie. How many calories is in it?
Hi Harriet,
YAY! So happy to hear you love this smoothie. For a very long time, we’ve decided not to share the nutritional information of our recipes. Not because we were hiding anything – we simply wanted our community to focus on fueling their bodies with whole nutrition -packed fruits + veggies, rather than focus on the numbers. Over time, we’ve realized that these numbers are important to our community. So if you take a peek at our newest recipes you’ll notice we’ve begun to share that information. In the meantime, two great resources for finding the nutritional information of our recipes are LoseIt.com and MyFitnessPal. Hope this helps!
Great post shared thanx..
Thanks for the leafy love, Fraddy!
Great smoothie to start the day!
I tried this yesterday prior to my workout. It turned out pretty yummy and I had a good run
Rawk on, Brittany!
Hello SgS,
Thanks for responding! I thought this smoothie was for pre-workout? Would this be enough to get through my workout? And what be good for post workout? Thanks
Hi Maggie,
Whoops! That was my mistake! I meant to say pre-workout. And I definitely think this recipe is a great choice to help you get through your workout. But always listen to your body. If you feel like you need a little more fuel. Try having a handful of almonds or another protein along with a big glass of water.
Looking for a great post-workout recipe? Check out this one right here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/post-workout-smoothie
I do a 40 minute Zumba video and 20 minutes of walking following that. Will this smoothie be too heavy and any suggestions on what to have post workout?
Thanks so much
I also don’t have coconut oil Anything I can substitute it for?
Hi Maggie,
I love zumba!! I have no rhythm, but I still love it. And this recipe is a great choice pre-workout. Don’t have coconut oil on hand? No worries, swap in another healthy fat that you do. Some great options are flaxseed oil, avocado, or almond butter.
Learn more about our favorite healthy fats here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/healthy-fats
Hi,
This smoothie seems delisious. But I’m allergic to apple. Can I exchange it with something else? Any suggestion?
Hi Mary,
Pears are a great substitute for apple! Need more substitution ideas? Check out our Rawkstar Substitution Guide here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/substitution-guide
Hello, if I’m exercising first thing in the morning. Is it too much to have a pre-workout smoothie and a post- workout smoothie in one day?
Hi Taylor,
Definitely not! It all depends on your workout level + how much fuel + recovery your body needs.