Best Pre-workout Smoothie for Muscle Gain and Weight Loss

Discover the ultimate pre-workout smoothie recipe for muscle gain and weight loss. Packed with essential nutrients, this delicious and energizing smoothie will supercharge your workouts and help you achieve your fitness goals!

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Comments

Are you searching for the perfect pre-workout smoothie that not only energizes you but also supports muscle gain and weight loss?

Pre-workout smoothies should have the perfect balance of protein, fiber, and slow-releasing complex carbohydrates to release energy as you exercise, and support endurance.

In this post, we reveal a delicious and nutrient-dense smoothie recipe that combines the goodness of homemade soy milk, endurance-supporting beets, Meedjol dates as a natural sweetener, fast recovery aid, and matcha powder for an energy boost, and natural electrolytes from coconut water.

This smoothie is your ultimate fitness companion, designed to fuel your workouts and keep you feeling great throughout your fitness journey.

Together, these wholesome ingredients create a powerhouse smoothie that not only tastes amazing but also provides the essential nutrients required for muscle gain and weight loss.

So, gear up and give your fitness routine a delicious and nutritious boost with this ultimate pre-workout smoothie. Your body will thank you for it!

Don't forget to pair this pre-workout shake with our post-workout smoothie, specially designed to provide the best pre and post-workout aids to maximize your efforts!

Jump to:

• 💚 Why you will love it
• 🧾 Ingredients
• 🍽 Equipment
• 🔪 Instructions
• 💡 Expert tips
• 📖 Variations
• 🥡 Storage
• ✅ Why use plant-based protein powder
• ❓ FAQ
• 📚 More smoothie recipes
• 🎥 Video
• 📋 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews and Comments

💚 Why you will love it

• Energizing Nutrients
• Muscle Support
• Tasty & Healthy
• Hydration Boost
• Easy Digestion

🧾 Ingredients

This delicious pre-workout smoothie is made with just a few delicious ingredients:

• Soy milk - serves as the protein-rich base of this smoothie, providing all essential amino acids to support muscle growth and repair.
• Beets - work wonders for endurance, thanks to their high nitrate content, which has been shown to improve blood flow and oxygen delivery to muscles.
• Meedjol dates - offer natural sweetness while supplying your body with essential minerals and fiber, promoting fast recovery and digestive health.
• Matcha powder - a potent source of antioxidants and caffeine, gives you the energy kick you need to power through your workouts and increase calorie burn. Check out our energy-boosting matcha smoothie.
• Coconut water - adds a refreshing touch and replenishes your body with natural electrolytes, ensuring optimal hydration and peak performance during your workout.
• Chocolate-flavored plant-based Protein powder - ensures that you're providing your body with a high-quality, easily digestible protein source that supports muscle growth, recovery, and overall workout performance. Plus, the delicious chocolate flavor makes it a tasty and enjoyable addition to your fitness routine.

Hint: we usually buy cooked, packed beets, but you can also consume canned or raw beets. Raw beets may affect the texture of the smoothie slightly. Be sure to wash, peel, and blend them well.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Substitutions

• Beets - these are truly one of the best additions you can make to your average green smoothie to raise your pre-workout game and support optimal fitness performance. given their endurance-aiding properties, but you can replace them and make a banana smoothie instead. A cup of frozen mango is also a great substitution.
• Soy milk - use your preferred dairy-free plant milk on any of your pre-workout smoothies. We try using the most protein-packed ones, but unsweetened almond milk, cashew milk, and homemade oat milk are also great options.
• Sweetener - use homamede date paste (made with hardened dates), agave nectar, sorbitol, stevia, or maple syrup instead of dates. Keep in mind that the selection of sweeteners will affect the final carbohydrate content. Beets and bananas are great because their natural sugars help to effortlessly sweeten this cold smoothie.
• Protein powder - feel free to use your favorite protein powder necessary to build muscle. We suggest those with low sugar and high protein content. Regarding flavor, vanilla, banana, and chocolate are the best pairings for this shake. We like the organic chocolate protein powder from Complement because the ingredients are 100% clean and organic; no funny, unpronounceable ingredients are added.

Hint: you can use unflavored protein powder or a vanilla-flavored one, and simply add raw cocoa powder or chocolate syrup.

🍽 Equipment

Blender- you will need a high-speed blender to make the perfect smoothie.

🔪 Instructions

Hint: add ice cubes to make a cold smoothie since we are not using any other frozen fruits, as you do with most green smoothies.

📖 Variations

Try out some extra ingredients that increase even more the nutritional value and help you make the best of a serious workout routine:

• Seeds - add some healthy fats to your pre-workout smoothie recipes. Our seeds of choice are flax, chia seeds, and pepitas.
• Nuts - add five almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, or any other of your favorite nuts for an extra dose of energy and healthy fats.
• Leafy greens and berries - try adding a cup of fresh spinach, goji, or mixed berries and frozen blueberries for a change. If you have some fresh berries that are about to go off, throw them in! They will increase the antioxidant content of the smoothie.
• Enhanced flavor - add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or coconut extract.
• Extra protein sources - add a cup of silken tofu instead of the regular Greek yogurt to keep the smoothie dairy-free. Hemp seeds rolled oats, and spirulina powder are also optimal additions.
• Energy-boosting add-ins: Try adding a tablespoon of your favorite nut butter; we like almond butter because it blends easily with any other flavor compared to peanut butter, which has a more distinct touch.
• Turmeric - is packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties. Adding turmeric powder with a dash of black pepper is a great idea to aid recovery, so be sure to add it to your post-workout smoothie.
• Sweet potato - Have some leftover sweet potatoes? Replace the beets. Sweet potatoes have usable energy in the form of energizing carbs that also support weight management and optimal performance.

🥡 Storage

Store this smoothie in a BPA-free, tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

You can freeze smoothie leftovers in an airtight container, but it doesn't stand up well to freezing for more than three months.

✅ Why use plant-based protein powder

Incorporating chocolate-flavored plant-based protein powder in place of the usual whey protein concentrate in our smoothie offers several benefits that can help optimize your workout performance and support your fitness goals:

1. High-quality protein source: Plant-based protein powder, such as pea or brown rice protein, provides essential amino acids for muscle growth and recovery. Consuming protein before your workout ensures that your body has the necessary building blocks to repair and grow muscle tissue during and after exercise.
2. Easy to digest: Plant-based protein sources are generally easier on the digestive system compared to animal-based proteins. This makes them a great choice for a pre-workout smoothie, as they minimize the risk of digestive discomfort or bloating during exercise.
3. Allergen-friendly: Plant-based protein powders are suitable for individuals with dairy or lactose allergies and those following a vegan or vegetarian diet. Using a plant-based protein source, the smoothie caters to a broader range of dietary preferences and needs.
4. Appetite control: Protein is known to promote satiety, helping you feel fuller for longer. Including a protein source in your pre-workout smoothie can help prevent hunger pangs during your workout, allowing you to stay focused on your performance.
5. Chocolate flavor: The chocolate flavor enhances the smoothie's taste and provides an enjoyable way to consume your pre-workout nutrients. Chocolate's rich and indulgent taste can make the smoothie more palatable and enjoyable, increasing the likelihood that you'll consistently consume it before workouts.

Overall, using chocolate-flavored plant-based protein powder in a pre-workout smoothie ensures that you're providing your body with a high-quality, easily digestible protein source that supports muscle growth, recovery, and overall workout performance.

Plus, the delicious chocolate flavor makes it a tasty and enjoyable addition to your fitness routine.

❓ FAQ

📚 More smoothie recipes

If you love beets, don't forget to check out our lemon hummus, Russian pink potato salad, and the stunning beet carpaccio, an authentic Italian gem!

⭐ If you try this smoothie for muscle gain, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

🎥 Video

📋 Recipe