Unsure about what to eat or drink before working out? I like to keep it pretty simple and this Berry Pre-Workout Smoothie is just that. I usually exercise in the morning and tend to wake up hungry. If I exercise first thing in the morning (I'm talking 6am ish) I can usually get through a session on an empty stomach, but the minute I leave it a bit longer (now I'm talking post 7am ish) some sort of feeding needs to happen to give me the energy for a good workout and this smoothie is my go-to quick energy fix before a HIIT session, swim or a yoga class.
My go-to quick pre-workout energy fix!
This smoothie has been designed for the everyday gym-goer who exercises for 45-60 mins and is ideally consumed around 1 hour prior to exercise. If you exercise for longer or for multiple sessions through the day I'd recommend specific sports nutrition advice for optimal performance and recovery.
When we exercise we need fuel in the form of carbohydrates and fats and smoothies aside, there are some other simple whole foods that I’d recommended to help keep give you that boost of energy. Fruits such as bananas or apples are great or a handful of raw natural nuts keeps things really easy. If I want something a bit more substantial but not a full-on breakfast, I make my pre-workout smoothie. This smoothie is designed for hydration and energy providing 25g of carbohydrates and tastes great!
Key Nutrients
Water – As we exercise our body starts to pump blood faster through our muscles causing our body to increase in heat. When we increase in heat, our efficient cooling mechanism known as sweat kicks in to help regulate our body temperature, so hydrating before exercise is a pretty important part of the process.
Banana – The energy booster, bananas are a really good source of carbohydrate energy to provide plenty of fuel for your workout.
Flaxseed – Offering so many benefits, in particular, an amazing source of plant-based omega 3 fatty acids, flaxseed also contributes to carbohydrate, protein, vitamins and minerals. You can read more here about the health benefits of flaxseed.
Pre-Workout Energy Boosting Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups water
- 1 banana
- 1 cup frozen berries (I used ½ cup blueberries and ½ cup raspberries)
- 1 tbsp flaxseed
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a blender starting with the water and blend until smooth.
- I would love your feedback and comments below on this recipe and don't forget to tag me in your photos @amysavagenutrition
Notes
Essential Equipment
BlenderTips
I use a standard cup measure. If you don’t have one you can use a mug and substitute the amount for ¾ of a standard size mug.Find your Ingredients
Flaxseed – health foods aisle
If you like this recipe, you might like my Cacao Post-Workout Smoothie, it's one of my favourites! Full recipe here.
Amy Savage is a qualified Nutritionist with a Bachelor of Health Science in Nutritional & Dietetic Medicine and is available for consultations online and in Sydney CBD. Email amy@amysavagenutrition.com for further details.
20 Responses
I do not like bananas is there a substitute I can use?
Hi Christine, thanks for your question. You could try using 1 cup of frozen mango instead or alternatively, make with a bit less water and use 1 apple or pear 🙂
Do the berries need to be frozen does it matter if they aren't?
Hi Lenah, fresh berries are absolutely fine too 🙂
This was an amazing preworkout. Not too heavy and provided just enough energy, naturally. Thank you!
Hi Cris, thanks so much for the feedback and really glad you found it energising 🙂
Hi, can i use unsweetened almond milk instead of water if i make this smoothie for pre-workout?thanks.
Hi Elaine, yes you can.. the milk will slow digestion of the fruits so rather than a quick energy fix, I would recommend if using any types of milk to make sure you allow enough time for it to be digested before your workout 🙂
So cook for 190 people i need 190 bananas
You would indeed 🙂
Can I use chia instead?
Hi Ellie, yes, chia works just as well as flax 🙂
Can I make it the night before then use it in the late morning?
Hi Ron, yes you can, it lasts really well overnight in the fridge 🙂
Delicious. I used some frozen black forest fruits and they worked really well.
It’s delicious.
Would it still work ok if I added some ice cubes? I like to drink my smoothies straight away and really cold.
Hi Peter, thanks for your kind feedback and yes, absolutely. Because the recipe uses frozen berries, this also makes it nice and cold too.
Hello can I use this for a post workout as well?
Perry
Hi Perry, I also have a post workout smoothie here https://amysavagenutrition.com/cacao-post-workout-smoothie/
Hi can I use strawberry and raspberry please