To get the most out of your fitness app routine you’ve got to fuel your body. But, many of the quickest snacks to grab—read sugary snacks and soft drinks—can cause burnout mid workout.
To get advice on how to make the most of a gym sesh, we talked to New York based Nutritionist Lorraine Kearney. She created five strength-boosting, vitamin-packed smoothies to get you through your toughest circuit training program and beyond.
“To save time make two to three at once and store them in the freezer in your favorite grab and go container,” says Kearney.
“The Pro Athlete”
2 cups arugula
½ cup beetroot juice
¼ cucumber, diced
½ apple, chopped
5 mint leaves
Blend until smooth.
Arugula and beetroot are naturally high in dietary nitrates. Recent studies have found that dietary nitrates help lower blood pressure and also reduce the amount of oxygen needed during endurance sports, giving you the ability to perform better.
Kearney suggests having this smoothie a few hours before your workout because the nitrate plasma peaks around the 2-3 hour mark and can stay elevated for 6-9 hours. Talk about feeling energized now and later.
“Power Punch” (Gluten Free)
½ cup blueberries
1 cup spinach
¼ cucumber, diced
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon 2% Greek yogurt
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
Blend until smooth.
Exercising has been known to cause microscopic tears in your muscles. To help them heal faster, sip smoothies that are amped up with protein.
Add ingredients such as Greek yogurt to your recipe to help repair and build a healthy strong body. “Greek yogurt contains up to twice the amount of protein when compared to regular yogurt and has vitamins B6 and B12,” said Kearney.
The combo of B6 and B12 not only boosts your energy levels, but also, supports a healthy immune system meaning fewer skipped workouts! Plus, spinach provides iron which can help to oxygenate the blood.
“Fiber Kick” (Vegan)
1 cup arugula/spinach blend
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
½ apple
½ banana
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon rolled oats
Blend until smooth
Sadly, many of us are falling short when it comes to getting enough fiber—which has been shown to help reduce the risks of hypertension, stroke, GI disorders, and heart disease.
Smoothies can be a great source of that missing fiber. “Oats are an easy way to add fiber to your diet,” says Kearney. It is slow digesting and helps to stop that crash and burn feeling we get when we consume too much sugar.
“This can occur when sugar enters the bloodstream at a fast rate elevating your levels only to have it drop a short while after,” she says. Fiber also plays an important role in maintaining gut health by clinging to bad cholesterol and toxins that can build up in the body and can cause inflammation.
Once attached to the toxins, it helps to eliminate them from the body via excretion.
“The Cure All”
½ cup mint leaves
2 cups spinach
½ cup raspberries
½ lime, juiced
¼ cup pistachios, shelled
Blend until smooth.
Nothing can foil your workout plans faster than feeling icky. But don’t use the sniffles or a sour stomach as an excuse for skipping the gym. The minty goodness found in this smoothie may help soothe nausea and bloating.
“Maintain and Sustain”
½ cup blueberries
1 tablespoons almond butter
½ ripe banana
½ cup almond milk
1 teaspoon flaxseed, ground
1 teaspoon chia seeds
Blend until smooth.
Flax and chia seeds are a healthy way to get a dose of fiber and protein. They help the body to repair after a strenuous workout.
While the almond butter provides a protein kick so you remain energized during your sweat session. Bananas are high on the glycemic index—meaning they breakdown quickly and release sugar into the bloodstream.
“This is the ideal fruit for a person to consume pre-workout if they have hypoglycemia,” says Kearney. Bananas also contain potassium which can help you feel fuller, longer.
Now that you have your perfect pre workout snack, it’s time to do a workout. Open the Aaptiv app today and see all the newest classes we’ve added!