5 Best Smoothies for Pre & Post Workouts

Depending on your gym goal, you will need a different kind of diet so that you can meet it - for example, people who want to gain weight and muscle typically need a high protein and calorie-dense diet, while others with a weight loss target need to focus on reducing caloric intake, while still consuming enough protein.

Still, as busy professionals, it can often be hard to find time to cook full meals and take them to work or out and about, which is why many resort to shakes as their pre- or post-workout meals. With that said, not all shakes are made equal, and in this article, we’re going to give you five suggestions that are guaranteed to boost your results in the gym. 

5 Best Smoothies for Pre & Post Workouts 

Let’s start by saying that there’s no specific ingredient that will make your smoothie from just a decent one to the one hack for getting to the best shape of your life. There are no magic powders, nothing that will help you slim down or gain muscle in two weeks—when it comes to getting results, consistency is the most important.

Having said that, when it comes down to pre and post-workout nutrition, it’s vital to have two of the three macronutrients in your shake - carbs and proteins. In your pre-workout meal, you typically can opt for more carbs and less proteins, while the post-workout nutrition is the reverse - more proteins and less carbs. Still, you do need both to maximize results. There are many good combinations for shakes that contain both carbs and proteins, but you will want to make sure the ones you make contain zero sugar and also some fats so that they can keep you fuller for longer.

Now, without making you wait any further, here are our top 5 suggestions for the best pre and post-workout smoothies. 

Breakfast Bodybuilding Smoothie 

A quick smoothie that’s calorie-dense and protein-heavy, ideal for those mornings when you want to have a satisfying meal or for after heavy workouts.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mixed berries
• ½ cup of oats
• 1 scoop of protein powder (preferably vanilla)
• 2 tbsp of hazelnuts, chopped
• A handful of ice
• 1 tbsp honey

A quick tip is to choose a protein powder containing zero sugars, as you get those from natural sources such as fruits and honey. 

Vanilla Berry Protein Smoothie 

A terrific option for those of you who want to get their daily dose of vitamins in, as well as a healthy amount of protein and carbs.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup of water, yogurt or your milk of choice
• 1 cup raspberries
• ½ cup blueberries
• ½ strawberries
• ½ blackberries
• ½ banana
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• A few chunks of ice

If you want to make it more filling, you can add a tablespoon of nut butter or just a handful of nuts and seeds. 

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Smoothie 

A combination that never goes out of style - chocolate and peanut butter. This Reese’s cup-tasting smoothie packs a ton of protein while still tasting incredible. You can think of it as a dessert in a cup, making it ideal for your breakfast or your pre-dinner snack. 

Ingredients:

• 1 whole banana
• 100 gr of raspberries
• 200 ml milk
• 1 tbsp peanut butter (natural)
• 1 scoop of chocolate-flavored protein powder
• 100 g of low-fat yogurt

If you want to make this a more summer-y drink, you can add some ice - the more you add, the more it will feel like a milkshake instead of a smoothie, which is always welcome.

Health Booster Smoothie 

For those days when you feel like you need a health-boosting smoothie - a drink that’s not only fueling your muscles but your entire body, this one is the right choice. It has a ton of protein combined with healthy fats and a good amount of greens for that extra boost.

Ingredients:

• 1 large banana
• 1 cup of frozen fruit
• Handful of ice
• 200 ml milk (preferably plant-based)
• 1 tbsp almond butter (natural)
• 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
• A handful of spinach
• 1 tsp chia seeds

If you want to make this one a tad sweeter, either just choose a really ripe banana or opt for some honey.

Tropical Summer Smoothie 

Most smoothies contain the usual banana, berries, and peanut butter combo in various ways, so it’s fun to sometimes change things up a little and add some interesting fruits. This Tropical smoothie is ideal for summer while still being full of protein and healthy carbs.

Ingredients:

• 200 ml of coconut water or milk
• 1 cup of pineapple
• 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
• 1 cup of spinach
• 1 banana
• Handful of ice
• 2 tbsp of coconut flakes
• ½ cup of plain Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt

You can swap the pineapple for mango if that fruit is more to your taste, and you can add it frozen to make the drink feel even more like summer. 

In Conclusion 

There’s no end to the delicious and healthy recipes for smoothies online, so don’t hold yourself to just these five. Try others, experiment, and let us know what else you’ve been loving in the comments.