Pre-workout gels or products often contain ingredients that go against the principles of healthy, naturopathic weight loss. I needed to fuel a long run so I mixed together some of my favourite energy and endurance foods to make my own pre-workout product. The result? A delicious, quick and easy to make gel… and it works! Have it about 15 minutes before you exercise and not only will it fuel your workout and help burn more body fat, but it will help you recover as well.

What’s so good about this Healthy Pre-Workout Gel?

Coffee: Caffeine has been consistently shown to increase your metabolism during exercise, leading to an improved and a more focused workout, plus improved fat burning. Chia: Known as Indian Running Food, these tiny nutritional power packs contain slow release carbohydrates. These feed your energy over a sustained period instead of spiking it and making you flag halfway through your run or workout. They’re also a good source of amino acids to help repair muscles and electrolytes to help with hydration levels. Raw Cacao: Raw chocolate beans contain chemicals that make you feel good and more motivated to exercise. They’re also known to reduce the development of DOMS – delayed onset muscle soreness – or the muscle pain you get the day after the day that you train hard. Coconut Oil: A food source of MCTs – medium chain triglycerides – which feed our cells, giving us more energy, boosting metabolism and increasing fat burning. It’s also thought that they help to spare proteins i.e. our muscles, while we exercise.

What about sugar for energy?

Having lots of carbohydrates or sugars in the form of fruit, bread, maltodextrin, dextrose, glucose etc. can actually stop you from losing body fat while you exercise because they spike insulin levels, which effectively lock fat into fat cells.

Mr Vitamins' Healthy Workout Gel Recipe

• 150ml                     Hot Fresh Black Coffee
• 2-3 tsp                    Chia seeds (or more if you like it thick)
• 2 tsp                       Loving Earth Chocolate Coconut Butter

Shake together in a glass jar and leave in the fridge overnight. This will last in the fridge for a few days, so you can multiply the quantities and so always have a batch on hand to fuel your workout the natural way!