13 Best Homemade Pre- and Post-Workout Drinks

The market is flooded with readymade energy drinks and post-workout meal replacement shakes. All of them claim to keep you energized all through your gym session. But experts recommend skipping the store-bought ones and making some natural pre-workout energy drinks as well as post-workout energy drinks and smoothies at home. Here’s why you should choose natural energy drinks over the readymade ones:

• Natural energy drinks contain less sugar (mainly fructose). As these nutritious drinks are homemade, you can easily alter their sugar content as per your requirements.


• DIY workout drinks do not contain more than 8% of carbohydrates, which eventually aids weight loss.


• The sodium content of these natural fitness drinks remains under control, which is essential for people with hypertension.

Hence, it makes perfect sense to make your own DIY recovery drinks for workouts. But there are certain points that you should keep in mind.

• Our body loses a considerable amount of water while working out. It is best to weigh yourself before and after exercise. Drink 16-24 ounces of fluids for every pound lost during exercise.


• Water is always one of the best choices that you can make. It is even better to have something that contains electrolytes to replenish the water-electrolyte balance in the body. Consume water when exercising moderately for less than 90 minutes. Choose zero to low-calorie electrolyte sports supplement drinks when you exercise moderately for more than 90 minutes.


• If you exercise longer than usual, consume muscle recovery drinks packed with protein and carbs within 2 hours after the workout. The carbs help refuel the cells and replenish glycogen stores, while protein helps rebuild muscle tissue.


• If you have diabetes or are obese, avoid fruit juices as they contain fructose or fruit sugar that leads to an insulin spike.


• Make sure that you consume the pre-workout energy drink at least 45-120 minutes before exercise (this depends on the person). Experiment with your pre-workout meal timing to see what suits you best.

A homemade pre-workout drink can boost your stamina and give you strength during your workout. Be it coffee, beetroot juice, or green tea, the options are many. Additionally, we have compiled a list of tips you should keep in mind for your pre- and post-workout drinks. Check out the infographic below to know more!

While there are many packaged drink options available, opting for natural energy drinks for the gym mentioned above would add to your workout benefits better. Homemade and nutritious, these healthy vitamin drinks not only help repair the wear and tear of muscles post a strenuous workout, but also help replenish the lost electrolytes and fill you up with vital nutrients. Beetroot juice, chia berry juice, coconut water, cherry lemonade, and watermelon energizer are some of the many options mentioned above that you can explore. Opting for a homemade energy drink helps you avoid the toxic ingredients and rush of added sugar in the readily available packaged energy drinks.