Fuel For The Gym: Recipe Ideas

January is probably the worst month of the entire year to commit to the gym, but we do it anyway, year after year, despite the fact that it’s far too cold to get out of bed at 5am for a workout and the only thing we want to do after a day at work is curl up in the warmth. And then there’s the food that goes with this health kick too. No one wants salad in January. But we try, and fail, every year.

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Now, although we can’t do anything about the temperature or the weather, we can do something about the healthy eating part of your new year’s health kick. If you’ve got a tasty breakfast to look forward to at 5am before you hit the gym, it’s not so bad! And if you’re eating filling fuel before heading to the gym after work, you won’t be (as) tempted to just go home and eat chocolate.

So, now you just need some motivation. You can do it! You’re the best! You can achieve anything you set your mind to! If you’re failing to prepare, you’re preparing to fail! Live, laugh, love! Unicorns!

That’s enough of that for now, but seriously, trust us – once you’ve spent a week or so prepping food and getting into a routine with the gym, you’ll soon be in the swing of things and feeling a lot healthier. And we promise to never make you eat cold salad leaves in the middle of January.

Instead, these recipes are based around super-filling protein and slow-release carbohydrates, which will release their energy slowly, keeping you going for longer than leaves.

We’re definitely more likely to get out of bed at 5am if there’s dessert involved. Especially if it’s a retro childhood classic like banana split. Eating a banana before the gym is perfect, as it’ll fill you up and give your body essential vitamins and minerals, but it’s definitely much more interesting when covered in chocolate hazelnut spread too.

Simply slice a banana in half lengthways, then add some nutty chocolate-y spread. Hazelnuts are a great natural source of calcium and vitamin B, which means eating them is good for your joints and muscles – you’ll be looking ripped in no time. As for the sugar hit from the chocolate, it tastes good and it’ll help wake you up a little more.

Sprinkle on some berries for added goodness or a few oats for a bit of crunch and extra filling power. See, dessert for breakfast! We told you joining the gym wouldn’t be so bad!

Energy balls might look a bit like something you’d leave out for the birds, but in reality they are tasty, sweet and for humans. Pop a few in a lunchbox before you leave for work in the morning so you’ve got something to hand when those mid-afternoon snack cravings begin to set in (Yes Nigel, we know it’s your birthday but that caterpillar cake on the side is NOT going to get us through 45 minutes on the treadmill, is it?). You’ll soon be over that slump and full of enough energy to hit the gym after work.

Run Eat Repeat has a great recipe for energy balls that contain medjool dates, coconut oil and a few different types of nuts, as well as oats, ginger and cinnamon to create a gorgeous naturally sweet flavour. Put your preconceptions to one side and we’re confident you’ll soon be making a batch of these every week.

Bet you didn’t think we’d be encouraging you to drink what is essentially liquidised peanut butter as part of this January health kick, did you? We told you it wasn’t all about salad!

Peanut butter isn’t just a seriously tasty ingredient, it’s also super-rich in protein, so when blended in your Tefal DoubleForce with a banana, some dates and a little protein powder, using this recipe inspo from Naturally Sassy, you’ll soon have a delicious protein-packed smoothie that’s ideal for before a workout. In fact, this drink is so rich in protein that you don’t really need the extra powder, so leave it out if you’d rather.

Obviously, you can put whatever you like in a smoothie. Kale, avocado, berries and melon are all popular choices among dieters, but if you can have peanut butter, then why would you have kale?

Quiche is pastry filled with a creamy eggy cheesy filling, right? Well, yes, technically it is. But you don’t actually need that pastry crust and you can make a few low-fat tweaks to the filling to create a crustless version that’s a brilliantly filling pre-gym snack.

The Petite Cook’s crustless salmon and spinach quiche is so tasty that you won’t miss the pastry at all, and it’s packed full of good stuff. Salmon is a natural source of omega-3, which can help to boost strength in your joints and muscles, while spinach is one of the original superfoods. And by our calculations, that makes Popeye the original Deliciously Ella.

It might be spelt ‘quinoa’ and pronounced ‘keen-wah’, but besides being annoying to say out loud, quinoa is another fab source of protein and also contains a whole lot more fibre than other grains like pasta and rice. Quinoa has a very subtle taste, so you can easily swap it into your pasta bake or risotto for something a little bit different.

If you’ve STILL got leftover turkey knocking around from Christmas, The Kitchen Shed’s recipe for quinoa turkey stir fry is an absolute must (as long as that turkey has been in the freezer!). It also contains broccoli, ginger and garlic, which are all really good for you, making this meal perfect either pre- or post-workout.

We are firm believers that pancakes are for life, not just for Pancake Day. And if we’ve got a stack of pancakes to eat before our Saturday morning gym session, we are going to be SO ripped by the time February comes around.

The crepe-style pancakes you usually make on Shrove Tuesday out of flour and eggs aren’t what we’re suggesting here; instead, we’re following Lilinha Angel’s lead to make banana and oat pancakes. By replacing the traditional flour with oats and adding in mashed fruit, these pancakes will act as ideal fuel for the gym – top them with peanut butter (which will go all melty and mmm) for extra protein too.

To make everything even more fun – ‘what could be more fun that pancakes for breakfast?’ we hear you ask – you could make them in our new Tefal Squirrel Pancake Pan. Squirrel-shaped pancakes topped with peanut butter before a workout? We knew 2018 would be great.

Of course, you can eat whatever you like before the gym, but remember that you’ll see the best results and be less likely to grab sugary or fatty snacks if you’re filling up on protein and slow-release carbs before your workout. Feel free to experiment and switch up these recipes any way you like. We certainly will be – squirrel-shaped quiche, anyone?