Is a smoothie a good pre-workout meal?

A quality pre-workout meal is an essential factor in having a good run. The meal should provide you with plenty of energy, but also not make you feel bloated or cause you stomach distress.

Tara Coleman has a good post on three good pre-workout meal options. One option she mentions is a smoothie that sounds really tasty.

Green Tea Smoothie

½ cup Salada Green Tea
½ cup milk
½ cup frozen berries
1 banana
1 scoop vanilla protein powder

I personally have thought of a smoothie as a good post-workout option – not a pre-workout meal.  However, I see no reason why a smoothie wouldn’t be a great energy boost before a run.

The one slight concern I have is the milk, which is not the easiest thing to digest.  If you have any digestion issues with milk, it may be best to cut that out of the recipe and substitute it for something else (water and crushed ice?).

[Tara Coleman]


Is it smart to eat within 30 minutes after running