Pre-Workout Nutrition and Supplements Guide

By Glenn Holmes, @GlennHolmesLA

Your pre-workout nutrition efforts support energy, focus, and endurance — and recovery after your sessions.

Why Pre-Workout Nutrition Matters

Pre-workout nutrition isn’t just about popping a supplement; timing the right foods, meals, drinks and choosing effective, proven pre-workout products can work together to give your body fuel to perform at its best.

Whether you’re lifting heavy for strength gains, running long distances for an upcoming race, performing in sports, or just trying to stay consistent in the gym to maintain health, your choice of pre-workout foods and supplements before your training will help you train harder and smarter, ultimately boosting your chances of attaining your fitness goals. 

Pre-Workout ‘Fueling’ Drives Performance and Recovery

A well-planned pre-workout meal or supplement stack helps maintain steady energy levels, so you can push through your session without burning out or crashing.

We’ll get to this later, but something like a high-caffeine energy drink may provide too intense a jolt, causing a crash during a workout or spiking the heart rate too high beforehand so recovery/rest periods in training become unduly challenging. 

Alternatively, training in a tired, not fully recovered state without correct fueling can “over-tax” the nervous system and actually do more harm than good to fitness progress and goals.

It’s crucial to fuel with real, nutritious foods as much as possible. 

Pre-workout nutrition can make or break your workout. The energy and nutrients in your body play a key role in preventing muscle breakdown, muscle cramps, fatigue, and poor performance – especially during intense or extended exercise.

The right nutrients fuel your body and brain, sharpening your focus and concentration levels during exercise, to help maintain your form and technique while supporting performance, endurance, and strength levels.

Perhaps most importantly, fueling yourself correctly sets the stage for faster, more effective recovery, so you're ready to go again next time and maintain your ideal training schedule in peak (well recovered and energized) condition. 

Think of your pre-workout nutrition as the fuel for your body to perform in your workout. 

What to Eat Before Your Workout

OK, so the best pre-workout meals and foods… This is fun. 

We have plenty of tasty, healthy, and exciting foods to choose from. So, you have plenty of options to pick foods you enjoy.

Personally, I like to train, run, etc., slightly hungry, so I feel light and lean, but clear minded. Not everyone may feel this way, so there is a degree of personal preference here, and fasted workouts are a whole different animal to take on in a future blog. Bottom line here, we do not want to over-eat or eat too much too close to training/performance time. 

So pre-workout meal timing and quantity is key. 

Of course these options also depend on your personal fitness goal, but for the purpose of getting the most out of your harder/longer workouts with the goal purely on performance, here is what I suggest…

⏱️ Timing Your Pre-Workout Meal

• 2–3 hours before (for hard, long, explosive, or HIIT training): A meal that includes carbs, protein, and fat.
  
• 30–60 minutes before: Fast-absorbing supplements.
  
  

🍽️ Macronutrient Breakdown

How your body uses the fuel...

• Carbohydrate: Your body’s preferred source of energy — especially for HIIT, explosive workouts / training. 
• Fat: Secondary energy source (or primary source if fasted), fat is crucial for longer workouts and endurance-based training. 
• Protein: Protects muscles from breakdown and supports muscle and tissue repair — even as you're training.
  
  

✅ Pre-Workout Meal Examples

Here’s a couple of suggestions for effective pre-workout meals based on timing:

Two hours before training, I recommend one of the following options: 

• Organic grilled chicken breast, sweet potato, avocado, sprinkled with Himalayan pink sea salt. 
• Smoothie: 25–30g protein powder, banana, blueberries, peanut butter, coconut water. 

Personally, I follow a fairly ketogenic (low-carb) diet for the most part, and as I touched on earlier, I enjoy workouts where I go in feeling light, not full. 

About 1–1.5 hours before a harder workout, or a longer run, I enjoy two or three pieces of organic watermelon. I cut one up for the week, and will have two or three pieces before I train or head to the gym. 

I also like a handful of organic walnuts with Himalayan sea salt. This gives me good fats, a bit of protein, and some salt for minerals/hydration — and walnuts just help keep the brain fueled.

My Top Pre-Workout Supplements (and their Benefits)

Supplements can be a powerful part of your pre-workout routine when chosen wisely.

They’re a great option if time or options are limited in terms of what foods you have available, but still want to optimize your body for training.  

Whether you're training for strength, endurance, sports performance, or overall functional fitness, here are some of the top pre-workout supplements I suggest to support your performance, including a few advanced additions from LivOn Labs to take it even further. 

1. Caffeine

• Benefits: Energy, focus, and alertness.
• How it works: Stimulates the central nervous system, reducing perceived effort and fatigue.
• Best for: High-intensity training, cardio, and lifting sessions.

I suggest 90–150mg of caffeine an hour or so before your workout. 

NOTE: Taking caffeine pre-workout depends on the time of day. If you are training late afternoon or early evening, and have an early or AM-based start the next day, I would avoid caffeine as it could affect sleep and recovery efforts. 

2. Creatine

• Benefits: Power, strength, and muscle volume.
• How it works: Helps regenerate ATP (your body’s main energy source during heavy lifting).
• Best for: Weight training, explosive sports, and bodybuilding.
  

NOTE: Creatine is best taken consistently, not just as a pre-workout. It also supports cognition, concentration, and mood stability. An absolute proven powerhouse for fitness, creatine is the most studied supplement on the market. 

3. Beta-Alanine

• Benefits: Muscular endurance.
• How it works: Buffers acid buildup in the muscles, allowing you to push harder for longer.
• Best for: High-rep training, HIIT, and endurance workouts.
  

4. Ketones (Exogenous Ketones/Ketone Esters)

• Benefits: Fast energy source, cognitive clarity.
• How it works: Elevates blood ketone levels, allowing the body to use fat-derived fuel more efficiently, especially helpful during endurance training or when carbs are limited.
• Best for: Endurance workouts, fasted training, and low-carb athletes like myself! 

5. Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)

• Benefits: Muscle preservation and recovery.
• How it works: Provides key amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, valine) that aid in recovery and performance.
• Best for: Fasted training, endurance sessions, or muscle maintenance.

6. Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)

• Benefits: Carbohydrate metabolism and energy conversion systems. 
• How it works: Helps the body turn glucose into ATP, fueling your muscles and supporting energy output during workouts.
• Bonus: A potent antioxidant, ALA also can also reduce oxidative stress caused by intense training, so it’s really useful for your recovery efforts, too. 

7. Choline

• Benefits: Exercise tolerance, mental clarity, and neuromuscular performance (the connection between brain and muscle, which enables coordination, balance, and agility). 
• How it works: Choline supports the production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter essential for muscle contractions and focus.
• Best for: Mind-muscle connection, focus-driven, high-performance workouts, and fatigue management.

NOTE: Choline is a core ingredient in LivOn Labs supplements, including Lypo-Spheric® R-Alpha Lipoic Acid. LivOn Labs’ liposomal delivery technology enables elite absorption, ensuring these nutrients are delivered efficiently for noticeable results.

8. Peppermint Oil (essential oil) 

This is a personal favorite ‘hack’ of mine. 

An instant boost in mental clarity and energy, this really works well for me. Try it out! 

• Benefits: Alertness, perceived effort, and breathing.
• How it works: The scent and direct absorption stimulate the nervous system and open up airways, promoting a feeling of wakefulness and improved oxygen intake
• How to use: Place 1–2 drops of high-quality peppermint essential oil on your gums or tongue about 15–20 minutes before training

Some athletes use this as a non-caffeinated energy booster, especially for evening sessions or when tapering off stimulants/caffeine. 

9. Beet Powder 

• Benefits: Blood flow, endurance, and oxygen cost reduction during exercise to make harder workouts feel more manageable and efficient. 
• How it works: Natural pre-workout option rich in nitrates, which help boost nitric oxide levels in the body. 
• Best for: Cardio, endurance sports, and high-rep training.
  
  

Do you need a Pre-Workout Supplement?

Pre-mixed pre-workout supplements are everywhere. They often combine key performance-enhancing ingredients like caffeine, beta-alanine, creatine, and metabolism boosters into one convenient scoop. 

If you're looking for a quick, all-in-one solution that delivers energy, focus, and drive, they can absolutely be effective.

However, here’s some food for thought…

You don’t NEED a pre-workout supplement to perform well.

For many people, a well-timed meal, a good night's sleep, and strategic use of ingredients like I’ve touched on above (carbs, moderate caffeine, beet powder, peppermint oil, or alpha lipoic acid) may give your similar benefits without the artificial sweeteners, colors and dyes, poor-quality ingredients, excessive stimulants. that are typically found in these formulas.

Pros of Pre-Mixed Pre-Workouts:

• Convenient
• Fast-acting
• Easy to consume

Cons of Pre-Mixed Pre-Workouts:

• May contain proprietary blends with unknown dosages
• Can cause jitters, crashes, or dependence (especially with high caffeine)
• Often contain unnecessary fillers, lower-quality ingredients, colorings, artificial ingredients, or high levels of sugar alcohols

If you're short on time, traveling or want a consistent pre-workout boost, a high-quality pre-mixed formula can help, but it’s not essential. 

With the right nutrition, sleep, targeted supplements (such as those from LivOn Labs), and correct timing, you can fuel your workout just as effectively, naturally.

Common Mistakes in Pre-Workout Nutrition

This is probably the most important section of this article.

Even with the best intentions, small missteps in pre-workout fueling can lead to sluggish sessions, stomach discomfort, poor recovery, strains, pulls, etc. 

Here are some common mistakes to try and avoid: 

1. Timing: Eating too close to training or consuming heavy meals right before a workout can cause bloating, cramping, or nausea. Stick to lighter options / snacks if fueling within 30–60 minutes of your workout. 
2. Not eating enough: Skipping fuel altogether can leave you low on energy, especially for longer or high-intensity workouts. Fasted workouts are great for fat loss, but if training/working out fasted, try to keep your workout to a moderate intensity. Higher intensity, explosive or long duration sessions require fuel. 
3. Relying solely on caffeine: A stimulant may give you a quick boost, but without carbs, protein, or hydration behind it, your performance may crash mid-session. Your recovery times and ability to control your heart rate between sets, rounds, and recovery periods. is going to be very difficult.
4. Overdoing fats or fiber: Healthy fats and fiber are great, just not right before training, as they digest slowly and can cause discomfort, nausea, and digestive issues during intense training. 
5. Ignoring hydration: This is probably the biggest mistake. Even slight dehydration can impair strength, focus, and endurance, cause headaches and migraines, and sabotage training performance. Pre-hydration matters just as much as food. Always add electrolytes to your water before workouts.
   
   

Pre-Workout Nutrition Options by Workout Type

Strength Training

Hydration + Carbs + Amino Acids + Protein

• Carbs and amino acids fuel your muscles, and protein supports your muscle repair and growth. 
• Pre-workout meal: Sweet potato, peanut butter and a whey protein shake.
• Timing: 1–2 hours before training.
  
  

Endurance (Distance Running, Cycling)

Hydration + Carbs + Fats

• Sustained energy and fluid balance are key for performance and avoiding fatigue.
• Pre-workout meal: Banana, avocado with salt, peanut butter, mct oil, a scoop of beet powder in water.
• Timing: 30–45 minutes before training.
  
  

HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)

Hydration + Quick-Release Carbs + Low-Dose Caffeine + Protein

• You need fast, available energy without anything too heavy.
• Pre-workout meal: Small serving of rice with fruit, coffee, beta-alanine, protein powder.
• Timing: 30–60 minutes before training.
  
  

Morning or Fasted Workouts

Hydration + Light, Fast-absorbing fuel 

• After fasting overnight, your body has low glycogen and may need a boost
• Pre-workout meal:
• A small piece of fruit and amino acids 
• Exogenous ketones or Lypo-Spheric® R-Alpha Lipoic Acid for energy and focus without a heavy meal
  A few drops of peppermint oil on the gums for alertness
  
  

Putting It All Together

Pre-workout nutrition isn’t one-size-fits-all; it’s about finding the right fuel for your body, your goals, and your training style. 

Whether you're lifting heavy, running long, or pushing through a fasted morning session, tailored nutrition and timing can dramatically affect your energy, performance, and recovery.

From whole foods and smart hydration to targeted ingredients like caffeine, beet powder, alpha lipoic acid, and choline, combining quality, natural nutrition with science-backed supplements sets you up for success.

I hope this article helps you make some decisions, maybe try a new approach before your next few workouts, and sets you up for success. I love helping people improve, so if this article was helpful in any way, please let me know, and reach out with any questions you have. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best pre-workout meal?

Well, to me, that depends on the type of workout and the energy it requires. For me, it's about getting enough nutrition in my system without feeling like I'm weighed down. That's often a piece of fruit.

What is the best pre-workout supplement?

There is no one-size-fits-all approach here either. It depends on what you need and what you tolerate. I like to feed my body nutrients it needs to power me through a session and support recovery, like creatine, liposomal alpha lipoic acid, and peppermint oil.