Whether you’re working out to gain muscle, lose weight, or simply stay active, it’s important to maximize your time in the gym.
This means going in with lots of lasting energy and equipping your body to properly burn fat, build muscle, etc. Much of this comes from what you eat and drink before, during, and after a workout.
While pre-workout supplements can be beneficial, they cannot replace a good pre-workout meal or snack. Many like to workout in the morning, meaning breakfast should be optimized for your workout. Even for afternoon or evening gym-goers, you shouldn’t neglect to fuel up.
Eating right should be a priority even during a busy day. Read on to discover some of the best vegan pre-workout meals that can be easily prepared prior to a workout, or even the day before!
Key Takeaways
Foods to Eat for a Great Workout
What you eat and drink before working out is crucial to the success of your session! You want to prioritize sustained energy to help you push through those final reps and adequate protein to help your muscles build and recover.
Keep the following in mind when choosing a preworkout meal:
Eating protein before a workout has been shown to improve muscle protein synthesis, meaning your muscles will grow faster. It also helps speed up recovery, improving strength and muscle mass overall.
Your muscles use the glucose they get from carbohydrates for fuel. Your energy and output will decrease as you burn through your energy stores during high-intensity workouts. This is why carbs are an essential component of a good preworkout meal.
The following are some healthy, effective, and vegan meals and snacks to help you train better.
Oats With the Works
Oatmeal contains a good amount of complex carbohydrates, which provide a solid and long-lasting energy source. They also help you feel full for a while, reducing fatigue through the workout. You can also tailor what you put in your oats to meet either high or low calorie goals.
While oats are a great base, you should add a few things to give it an extra boost, such as:
- Fruit is a great option for extra energy and hydration. Berries often go well with oatmeal!
- Nuts and nut butter are high in protein to support your muscles.
- Chia and hemp seeds are also high in protein and don’t change the flavor much.
Whole Grain Toast With Toppings
Whole-grain bread is generally much healthier and more nutrient-dense than white bread, making it perfect for a snack, breakfast, or sandwich! Some breads are chock-full of seeds, grains, and other healthy extras that also add some calories if you’re looking to fill up a little more.
If you want some whole-grain toast for a pre-workout, spruce it up with some toppings! Nut butters, for example, are great for a protein boost. Avocado is also a popular choice and provides plenty of healthy fats. Hummus, veggies, chia seeds—so many things pair well with a good old-fashioned piece of toast.
You can even go a sweeter route and add some peanut butter and berries for extra energy and hydration.
High Protein Smoothies
Smoothies are a classic pre-workout meal because the options are endless.
A good vegan protein powder is a great base if you want to power through a workout.
Vanilla is a versatile flavor if you’re going for something sweet, but flavorless is often available if you prefer!
Fruit is an obvious choice for smoothies, and there are so many delicious combinations. Berries are a classic, bananas are great at helping you feel full, and pineapple offers a more tropical experience.
For those who want to make a super high-protein pre-workout meal, add a spoonful of chia seeds or hemp seeds! Both of these don’t change much about your chosen flavor, but they add a plethora of nutrients, including protein.
Tofu Stir Fry
While morning workouts are popular for those who work during the day, there’s no wrong time to work out. Smoothies, toast, and oats make great breakfasts, but sometimes you go to the gym after dinner!
In this case, you want a full, high-protein, dinner-appropriate meal that will power you up and not weigh you down. Tofu’s high protein content and extreme versatility make it a vegan staple, and pre-workouts are no different.
Cooking tofu with a variety of veggies is a great meal before a workout. For extra sustainable energy, brown rice pasta or rice noodles add carbs and substance.
This versatile meal can serve the whole family while you simultaneously prepare to crush your impending workout.
Bean Burrito
Another good lunch or dinner pre-workout meal is a nice bean burrito! Burritos are another great meal that you can customize to your liking. Beans provide a high-protein base, and there are a few different types to choose from. For a healthier overall meal, choose a whole-grain burrito wrap.
Add some veggies of choice, a handful of rice, or some tofu or seitan for an even higher protein content. Bean burritos are another versatile option that can feed the whole family, so you won’t have to worry about making multiple separate meals.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Whether you plan to go hard in the gym or enjoy a slow, casual workout, it’s essential to adequately fuel your body. So many of the high protein foods out there touted as energizing and sustaining are at the expense of animals - but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a great workout. From oats, whole grains, nuts, and more, there are a myriad of ways you can fuel up for a workout as a vegan!
Some of these vegan pre-workout meals are quick and easy breakfast options, while others are great for lunch and dinner. They’re also great options for the whole family—you can make a healthy meal for everyone that also works as pre-workout fuel.
How do you get the most out of your workout?
