When on a keto diet, choosing your keto pre workout meal or snacks can be somewhat challenging because all of the pre workout supplements on the market have loads of carbs and sugar in them. To handle a tough workout well, you need a lot of energy but you cannot take these basic energy boosting ingredients since you’re on such a low-carb diet.
Don’t worry. We are here to help you with some easy pre workout keto recipes that are very low in carbs, yet will provide you the energy you need to push through the last few reps when the real muscle growth occurs.
Homemade Keto Pre Workout Meal, Breakfast & Snacks
Keto Pre Workout Snacks
In my opinion, snacks are the best form of pre workout because we can’t take a heavy meal right before hitting the gym and these grab-and-go snacks make for a great pre workout option. Here I will give 3 homemade gluten-free, sugar-free, low-carb pre workout snack recipes that you can easily make at home.
1. Low Carb Sugar-Free Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Servings: 16
Prep+Cook Time: 15+20 = 35 mins
Nutrition: Calories: 205kcal | Fiber: 7g | Fat: 17g | Protein: 6g | Carbohydrates: 13g
Ingredients:
- 2 cups sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/3 cup goji berries
- 1/3 cup fiber syrup
- 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup golden flaxseed meal
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 3 tbsp powdered sweetener
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 350° and line a baking pan (13×9 inch) with foil or parchment paper
- Chop the sliced almonds by hand or put them in a food processor and process till they look like oats. Now place the chopped almonds into a bowl that is medium sized.
- Chop the walnuts and pecans into smaller pieces and add them to the crushed almonds
- Now add the pumpkin and sunflower seeds, goji berries, chocolate chips, golden flax seed, powdered sweetener, cinnamon, and ginger into the bowl and mix well. Then pour the melted butter and fiber syrup, and mix again.
- Pour the mixture into the baking dish and distribute evenly. Lay one piece of wax paper on top of the granola mixture and firmly press the mixture into the dish with a flat-bottomed glass.
- Bake for around 20 minutes and when done, let it rest for 10 minutes. Now place it into a cooling rack and let it cool down completely and cut it into 16 bars with a chef’s knife. Store the bars into a container that is airtight.
2. Bacon-Wrapped Buffalo Chicken Bites
Servings: 10
Prep + Cook Time: 20 + 25 = 45 mins
Nutrition: Protein: 23g | Calories: 301kcal | Fat: 23g
Ingredients:
- 50 pieces of buffalo chicken bites
- 1 lb. boneless chicken breasts
- 1 lb. regular cut bacon
- 1/2 cup buffalo chicken wing sauce
- 1/4 cup buffalo sauce (for basting)
Directions:
- Cut the chicken bites into 1-inch pieces each, pour half cup of the sauce over the chicken, and mix well to distribute. Let it marinate in the fridge overnight
- Preheat your oven to 375°. Place the oven rack in the middle position and put a cooling rack in the middle of a sheet pan
- Cut the bacon into thirds and place one-third of the bacon on a chopping board in rows. Place one piece of chicken onto a piece of bacon and then roll. Do this for all the bacon the chopping board has.
- Now place the bacon-wrapped buffalo chicken onto the sheet pan and place the seam side down on the cooling rack. Then place the rest of the bacon on your chopping board in rows and continue the process till there is no chicken or bacon left.
- Get a basting brush and baste every chicken bite with the buffalo sauce.
- Now is the time for baking. Bake in your oven for around 20 minutes and then put under the broiler for 6 minutes. Turn these chicken bites over and then broil for another 6 minutes.
- Serve with blue cheese dressing and buffalo sauce. There will be more or less than 50 pieces of bacon chicken bites.
3. Banana Bread Muffins
Servings: 12
Prep + Cook Time: 10 + 15 = 25 mins
Nutrition: Calories: 165kcal | Carb 12.2g | Fat: 11.6g | Protein 4.9g | Sodium 164g
Ingredients:
- 2 cups mashed bananas
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup peanut or almond butter
- 1/2 cup almond or coconut flour
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Sea salt
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 375° and grease or use muffin liner cups and set aside
- Mix the mashed bananas, eggs, vanilla, and almond or peanut butter in a large bowl and whisk till it is mixed well.
- Then add the baking soda, baking powder, coconut flour, and a pinch of sea salt. Get a wooden spoon and stir till fully mixed
- Spoon the batter into the muffin tin, ¾ full. Now bake for 15 minutes and cool for 12 minutes before you remove the muffins from the tin. You can store these in the fridge for 4 days at most
If you are too lazy to try these recipes, here are some instant pre workout snacks that deserve your attention.
- A small handful of pistachios, almonds or walnuts
- Half of an avocado
- A cup of coffee
- Any type of meat with coconut oil
- 2 boiled eggs
- Ham & cheese roll-ups with cheese
- Few pieces of cheese
- Celery sticks with nut butter
Keto Pre Workout Breakfast
Ingredients:
- Eggs (1 dozen)
- Rotisserie chicken (5 ounces)
- Asparagus Spears (1 can)
- Shredded Cheese (4 servings)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cheese
Directions:
- Break 12 eggs into a bowl and scramble them up with salt and pepper
- Add one can of asparagus spears to a baking dish and get a fork so you can mash the asparagus down
- Now add 5 ounces of shredded rotisserie chicken to the bowl
- Pour the scrambled eggs into the baking dish
- Add 4 servings of shredded cheese to the casserole and mix everything inside the bowl with a fork before putting it into the oven
- Cook for 30 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Enjoy your breakfast 20-30 minutes before you exercise. Once prepared, you can take this breakfast 2-3 days at most.
Keto Pre Workout Meal
Ingredients:
- Broccoli (700 grams)
- Olive oil (4 tbsp)
- Seasoned salt
- Garlic salt
- Pepper
Directions:
- First preheat your oven to 400 degrees to roast the broccoli. Put two bags of broccoli into a bowl and add 4 tablespoons of olive oil, a bit of pepper, season salt, and garlic salt.
- Mix it all together and dump it on a baking sheet paper
- Put it in the oven for around 25 minutes until it’s crisp and roasted. Enjoy your delicious bowl of broccoli around 45 minutes to an hour prior to your workout session.
Ketogenic Diet Overview
In case you are not well familiar with the ABCs of ketogenic diet, here is a brief overview of the ketogenic diet that you might definitely find useful.
What is a Ketone?
In short, a ketone is a byproduct of fat that is being burned in the body. Basically, our body can run on two different types of fuel – sugar and fat. We get sugar (glucose) from high-carb foods like rice and potatoes to keep our metabolism running. But ketone is an alternative fuel source that everybody is talking about today. So, what is it?
If the human body does not have enough supply of carbohydrates and the blood sugar level is very low as a result, it switches to fat to be used as a fuel source. Some great fat sources are eggs, butter, meat, avocados, nuts, and olive oil. The liver is responsible for producing ketones from fat that are then used by the brain to produce energy.
Ketogenic Diet
The ketogenic diet has this name since the process which converts fats into ketones used by our body and brain is known as ketogenic, and any diet that helps our body generate this process is named ketogenic diet. This can be an integral part of your weight loss journey because your body will keep burning fat 24/7, which will suppress your appetite and provide your body with a constant supply of energy to keep you focused and alert.
Ketogenic Diet Types
a) Standard ketogenic diet or SKD:
The most basic form where you take 20 grams of carbs at most per day and fats and proteins will provide you calories.
b) Cyclic ketogenic diet or CKD:
This advanced level is suitable for athletes who take higher levels of carbs for 2-3 days before the competition to completely reload their glycogen storage.
c) Targeted ketogenic diet or TKD:
Perfect for gym-goers who have to consume 40-50 grams of carbs either right before the workout or after immediately to maintain their energy levels throughout the workout session.
d) Restricted ketogenic diet or RKD:
Especially used in healthcare settings, this keto diet plan includes fasting for a maximum of 3 days (drinking water is allowed) and during this time period, the participants are allowed to take 12 grams of carbs per day.
e) High protein ketogenic diet or HPKD:
This keto diet meal plan is focused on reducing only excess fat from your body, not the whole weight. The process involves taking a much higher amount of protein (1.5 grams of protein every pound of lean body mass) than fat.
f) Protein Sparing Modified Fast or PSMF:
A quick way to lose fat with lean proteins that provide 600 to 100 calories every day. This is followed for short-term only.
What Foods to Eat
When on this diet, we surely will look for low carb foods, such as:
a) Protein Sources: Beef, Chicken, Tuna, Salmon, Eggs, Bacon, Turkey, Sardines
b) Fats Sources: Avocado, olive and coconut oil, avocado, nuts, grass-fed butter, full-fat cheese, MCT oil
c) Carbs Sources: Cauliflower, Spinach, Broccoli, Zucchini, Spaghetti Squash, Carrots, Butternut Squash, Artichokes, Endive, Mushrooms
What Not to Eat?
a) Bread
b) Rice
c) Potatoes
d) Fruits
e) Pasta
f) Candy and chocolate bars
Keto Diet Benefits
Here are some of the major benefits of ketogenic diet that you can expect to gain if you follow this type of diet religiously:
a) Weight loss
b) Reduced hunger
c) Blood sugar control
d) Improved energy
e) Increased physical stamina and endurance
As well as these benefits, keto diet is also known to provide other benefits like normalizing blood pressure; reducing acne, heartburn, migraine attacks, and sugar cravings; and reversing Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Keto diet may be helpful to treat brain cancer and Alzheimer’s as well.
Finally, I am going to reveal my secret keto pre workout recipe to you! I personally take a tbsp of coconut oil, one or two tbsps of L-Carnitine, and a cup of coffee that literally makes me a raging bull. With that energy, I can do compound exercises like deadlifts or bench presses for hours without exhausting myself quite easily. Try any of these homemade pre workouts today as per your own preference and see the difference for yourself!
