What to Eat Before Working Out – Weight Loss Pre Workout Foods

Learn what to eat before working out, and use pre workout foods to help you burn fat faster!

Along with the 10 best pre workout foods, you’ll find some pre workout drinks and exercise recovery drinks.

Below you will learn what to eat before a workout to lose weight, along with 15 Recipes of Before Workout Foods!

All of these foods for exercise are easy to incorporate into your diet, or just to snack on while you drive to the gym! We’ve included recipes for pre workout energy drinks like smoothies and protein drinks. And recipes for natural pre workout food like protein balls below for you.

Learn what to eat before working out with these 10 pre workout foods…

What to Eat Before Working Out

Below, you will learn what to eat before working out to help you lose weight faster. These are natural foods for workout energy, and all can help boost metabolism and help you burn fat faster.

Along with the 10 recipes for pre workout foods recipes, we’ve included 5 extra before workout drinks recipes as well… So below you will find 15 recipes for pre workout foods.

Below you will find 10 pre workout foods and 15 recipes for exercise drinks, snacks and meals…

1. Nuts

One of the best before workout foods are nuts. Packed full of protein they give you lots of energy, and some nuts help boost metabolism too!

We prefer almonds as a pre workout food, as they naturally help your body burn fat. You can grab a 100 Calorie Almond Pack on the way out of the house for a good pre workout foods option.

You don’t have to just eat nuts by the handful. Swap out your cereal milk with Almond Milk, or your peanut butter with metabolism boosting Almond Butter.

Try This Recipe: Banana Almond Oatmeal has several pre exercise foods all in one bowl: Almond Butter, Oatmeal, and Bananas!

Try This Recipe: This recipe for an Almond Milk Smoothie is a fantastic workout drink! Packed with almonds and bananas it will help you get the most out of your workout!

2. Oatmeal

Not all carbs are bad… some help you and make wonderful foods for workout energy! If you’re looking for what to eat when working out to build muscle, carbs are key!

Oatmeal specifically is one of the best workout recovery foods, try having oatmeal before a workout to both full your energy and help you remove faster after.

You can add oatmeal to all types of meals, including easy prep meals like Overnight Oats. We actually like to make protein balls with our oatmeal, these travel friendly snacks are great for enjoying pre workout!

Try This Recipe: These pre workout snacks have several exercise foods in each. Oats, Almond Butter, and more healthy ingredients can be found in this perfect energy bites!

Try This Recipe: Looking for what to drink during workout times? This Oatmeal Smoothie is a great pure workout drink and post workout drink for weight loss!

3. Greek Yogurt

If you’re searching for before workout breakfast ideas, or asking yourself what should I eat before I workout… Greek Yogurt is a fantastic pre workout food!

Greek Yogurt is packed with protein for energy, calcium for strong bodies, and best of all, this superfood also naturally increases metabolism!

For breakfast you can enjoy a Yogurt Fruit Bowl (see the recipe below), at lunch you can boost your protein with Greek Yogurt Dip, and for dinner you can top these healthy Chicken Gyros with lots of cool cucumber yogurt sauce… yum!

Try This Recipe: Out 10 Greek Yogurt bowls are great breakfasts, making them good before workout breakfasts!

Try This Recipe: This Yogurt Smoothie is creamy and wonderful, plus it has 3 exercise foods in it: Greek Yogurt, Almond Milk, and Bananas!

4. Eggs

Eggs are packed with protein and a wonderful natural pre workout food. If you’ve been searching for what to eat before a workout for energy, eggs are a great option for you!

Searching for foods and exercise to lose belly fat? Eggs can help you trim down, and they are so versatile!

Eggs are a wonderful Metabolism Boosting Food for Weight Loss! We have lots of egg recipes on the website, including a Low Calorie Omelet, savory Dinner Shakshuka, and a life changing Low Calorie Breakfast Burrito!

Try This Recipe: These Low Calorie Deviled Eggs make a wonderful pre workout snack! They have NO MAYO, but instead lean on another exercise food in it’s place… Greek Yogurt.

5. Bananas

All the potassium in bananas make them a great pre workout food! Plus, they are already in their own little travel pouch! Perfect for pre workout snacks on the go.

Bananas are also great for weight loss, and are all about 100 calories per banana. Making them pre portioned and easy to snack on.

This creamy fruit can also help make wonderful drinks for exercise! You can add Banana Protein Powder to your pre workout smoothie to boost protein and potassium!

Try This Recipe: Banana Muffins are great for grabbing on the go, and give you a boost of potassium and a small amount of carbs to help you stay full during our workout.

Try This Recipe: This after workout smoothie is great before and during workout drinks as well.

6. Green Smoothie

If you want to enjoy a meal replacement pre workout smoothie, try a green smoothie. Packed with greens like spinach, kale, and romaine they give you lots of healthy greens to fuel your workout.

Plus most green smoothies including ingredients like bananas, oats, almond milk, and Greek Yogurt… all good pre workout foods.

We love Green Smoothies here at Lose Weight By Eating. We’ve even based two FREE Weight Loss Plans all around the power of green smoothies. Start out 3 Day Detox or our reader favorite FREE Detox Week Plan along with your daily workouts for fast weight loss!

Try This Recipe: New to green smoothies? Enjoy this yummy (but powerful) smoothie before or after your workout.

Try This Recipe: We took an old favorite, and added a bunch of fat burning spinach to it… because spinach has virtually no flavor! This “Blast From The Past” drink tastes like a sweet treat!

7. Quinoa

Just like we shared above, not all carbs are bad. And some grains can actually help fuel your workout and your weight loss.

Quinoa is a wonderful grain to help boost fiber for a great workout, and boost weight loss thanks to its Superfood Weight Loss properties!

You can try a quinoa salad… or you can enjoy quinoa for breakfast in place of oatmeal!

Try This Recipe: This nutty grain is amazing with sweet blueberries and fat burning almonds. Think of a crunchy, nutty oatmeal… that’s what you’ll get with this wonderful before workout breakfast!

8. Sweet Potato

This low calorie side dish, snack, main course ingredient can help fuel your workout!

Sweet potatoes have healthy carbs to give you energy for working out. This ultra filling pre workout food will keep you full and satisfied during a workout, without hurting your diet.

You can eat fries and lose weight! All thanks to the wonderful new invention, the Air Fryer… But don’t worry, if you don’t have an Air Fryer, you can bake sweet potato fries and still enjoy this yummy pre workout snack!

Try This Recipe: Just 101 calories for one cup of fries… need I say more? You can enjoy this pre workout snack without guilt, plus it will give you loads of energy for the gym!

9. Protein Shakes or Bars

Everyone knows protein shakes are popular with the body builders, but they are also great before workout foods for people looking to trim down!

All natural protein shakes and bard can help fuel your workout and help you shed fat faster! If you’ve been searching for what to eat before working out… try one of these protein packed shakes below.

The Best Protein Powders for weight loss can be found HERE. Try adding some Flavorless Collagen to your coffee or tea in the morning if you have a hard time eating before a workout.

Try This Recipe: This protein packed pre workout drink will help you burn fat fast, and give you loads of energy for the gym!

10. Watermelon

This yummy fruit has more electrolytes than water! Commonly found in during workout drinks, electrolytes can help quench your thirst and hydrate you through a workout.

Plus, watermelon can help curb your sweet tooth for just a few calories. Making this exercise food one of the best for light snacking before a work out.

Try adding frozen watermelon cubes into your water bottle to chill and flavor your workout drink with sweetness and extra electrolytes… Or try one of these Low Calorie Watermelon Drinks.

Try This Recipe: Watermelon is great for pre and post workouts, making these drinks great for anytime.

Try This “Before Workout” Breakfast:

These 10 pre workout meals for weight loss help you burn fat and built lean muscle.

With 10 meal prep before workout breakfast recipes, you’ll be ready all week for your morning workouts! And if you workout in the afternoon, try these pre workout lunches and dinners!

FAQ – Pre Workout Foods Q&A

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