If you’re someone that frequents the gym, plays sports or exercises regularly, being at the top of your game or delivering a peak performance during your workout is no doubt important. We all know that exercise is crucial for both our physical and mental well-being, but we all have days when we can feel a bit sluggish, the weights feel a little heavier, or with the demands of our day-to-day, we simply have no fuel left in the tank to smash out an afternoon gym sesh. 

Turning to health and workout supplements—like protein powder or a fat burner pre-workout powder—to support you and your fitness goals can be a great solution at times like this, as they provide numerous benefits to both the mind and body. Some of these benefits, which we will look at in further detail, include…

• Boosts metabolism
• Enhances performance & endurance
• Increases energy
• Improves focus
• Supports weight loss

Today, we’re introducing you to fat burner pre-workout powders, often just referred to as a pre-workout or fat burner, and discussing the seven benefits of having a natural pre-workout as a part of your wellness routine. If you’re new to the world of supplements and not quite sure if you need a pre-workout, this is the blog for you. Read on to find out…

• What is a fat burner pre-workout?
• Is a natural pre-workout good for you?
• What are the benefits of having a natural pre-workout?
• Does pre-workout help build muscle?
• When should you drink a pre-workout powder?

WHAT IS A FAT BURNER PRE-WORKOUT POWDER?

Walking into a supplement store or shopping online, it doesn’t take long to realise that there are a heap of proteins and pre-workouts on the market with various ingredients and benefits—cue the overwhelm! Knowing where to start can be daunting, to say the least, so it’s important to know what you’re looking for, what you want to avoid, and to understand what exactly is a fat burner pre-workout. 

A pre-workout is most commonly found as a powdered formula (you can also find it in capsules), and it’s mixed with water and consumed before exercise to increase energy and enhance performance. The wide range of pre-workouts available brings into question the varied ingredient lists you’ll find from pre-workout to pre-workout, and so we recommend getting advice from the staff or even a healthcare professional, and looking over the ingredients of any supplement you’re considering adding to your diet. 

At Happy Way, we’re firm believers in natural is best for your health and well-being, and with pre-workouts, there’s really no need to add any artificial ingredients or unnecessary fillers to make a quality product. Caffeine is often used in pre-workouts, as this will help increase energy and focus, but it’s important to be mindful of how much caffeine is present in your chosen pre-workout, as anything with excessive levels can cause serious health issues, especially when it’s used daily. Some pre-workouts can have anywhere between 150 mg to 300 mg of caffeine per serving, which is the equivalent of around 3 cups of coffee. 

Our Charge Up Pre-Workout Powders contain 51 mg of caffeine per 10 g serving, which is well under the recommended daily limit of 400 mg and makes it suitable for those that can be sensitive to caffeine.

IS A NATURAL PRE-WORKOUT GOOD FOR YOU?

As mentioned above, when it comes to pre-workouts, proteins and other supplements, we prefer 100% natural ingredients. A natural pre-workout, like our Charge Up Pre-Workout Powder, is filled with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which not only support you during your training but provide numerous benefits to the mind and body with every sip!

To determine whether a natural pre-workout is good for you, look for some of the ingredients below on the packaging. 

BCAAs

BCAAs, or branched-chain amino acids, are a combination of three essential amino acids our bodies need from our diet to support protein synthesis. The three amino acids are Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine, which, when consumed, are absorbed quickly by the body and help with building muscle and providing energy.

For more information on BCAAs and their benefits, read our blog, ‘What are the benefits of BCAA powders?’.

VITAMINS

When looking for a natural pre-workout or any health food supplement, you want to ensure it contains various vitamins that support your overall health. Pre-workouts often contain B vitamins, such as vitamins B6 and B12, which are not produced naturally by the body, and both of these provide varied benefits. See below. 

BENEFITS OF VITAMIN B6

• Promotes overall brain health/function and improves mood
• Helps create and keep blood cells healthy
• Boosts the immune system
• Eases PMS symptoms and morning sickness in pregnant women
• Increases energy

BENEFITS OF VITAMIN B12

• Produces red blood cells and supports blood health
• Can improve mood and feelings of depression
• Enhances brain function and memory
• Can boost energy
• Promotes healthy hair, skin and nails
• Helps prevent heart disease

CAFFEINE

As already discussed, caffeine is found in most pre-workouts. It helps to stimulate the nervous system, making you more alert and energised, and it improves your reaction time and endurance whilst also reducing fatigue. In our Charge Up Pre-Workout Powders, you will find green coffee bean extract and green tea extract, which are both natural sources of caffeine.

Green tea extract is also high in antioxidants which help to fight and protect the body against harmful diseases and illnesses, as well as improve brain function and memory. Green coffee beans, or raw, unroasted coffee beans, are also a rich source of antioxidants, provide anti-inflammatory benefits and can even support your weight loss goals. 

BEET JUICE POWDER

Ever heard of dietary nitrates? Maybe not. Well, beetroot, the pretty powerful superfood, is packed with them. Dietary nitrates are nitrogen-based compounds that are often found naturally in fruits and veg, and they can provide many benefits. When in the body, these compounds turn into nitric oxide, which helps to boost oxygen and blood flow to the muscles. Having high levels of nitrates in the body can increase the intensity and length of your workout, which is great for performing athletes or those that want to get the most out of their training. It can also help to lower blood pressure and improve brain function. 

Some of the other beneficial ingredients we include in our Charge Up Pre-Workout Powders are…

• Siberian ginseng – for protecting the body from stress and providing relief from symptoms of anxiety and depression.
• Organic quinoa sprouts - for digestive health.
• Red marine algae - for boosting the immune system and providing skincare benefits. 
• Organic acerola powder - supports the immune system and has anti-inflammatory benefits. 

If you’re not sure that a natural pre-workout is the right supplement for you, or if you have any health concerns, we recommend speaking to a medical professional to get advice and guidance.

DOES A NATURAL PRE-WORKOUT HAVE ANY BENEFITS?

There are many benefits that a natural pre-workout provides to the mind and body when added to your diet and used correctly. See our top seven benefits of using a natural pre-workout below. 

1. ENHANCES PERFORMANCE & ENDURANCE

As mentioned earlier, natural pre-workouts contain vitamins and nutrients that provide support to the body during exercise, enhancing strength and endurance and therefore boosting performance. With the added oxygen and blood flow to the muscles, as well as fast absorbing amino acids, competitive athletes, or those that train consistently, can tap into a rich source of fuel to maximise performance.

2. BOOSTS ENERGY

If you're working out first thing in the morning, or training after a busy work day, sometimes it can be difficult to get the body moving or find the drive and motivation to power through a training session. Consuming a natural pre-workout at the optimal time prior to exercising will provide a boost of energy right when you need it most. This, of course, will allow you to work out for longer periods and ensure you achieve the best results possible. 

3. SUPPORTS WEIGHT LOSS

You may have noticed that pre-workouts are often referred to as a fat burner pre-workout, and it’s for good reason. If you’re someone with weight loss goals, incorporating a natural pre-workout into your daily routine can support you in achieving this when it’s paired with a healthy diet and exercise program. A natural pre-workout enables you to train at a more intense level, being that it enhances energy, stamina and endurance. Combining this with the benefits of muscle repair and recovery, a fat burner pre-workout or natural pre-workout powder will allow you to train more frequently and therefore burn more calories. 

4. ASSISTS WITH RECOVERY

Whether you’re a performing athlete, have health and fitness goals or are just someone who likes to workout regularly, a natural pre-workout can help the body recover quickly so that you can get over the muscle aches and pains and back to the gym! After an intense workout, it’s natural to feel fatigued and have muscle soreness in the days following—we often take it as a sign of a good session!—but when these aches linger too long, it can delay our training and definitely affect its intensity. With the amino acids found in a natural pre-workout, your muscles and muscle tissue can get the support they need to repair and recover, allowing you to hit the gym in peak form much sooner. 

5. IMPROVES FOCUS

With so many distractions in the world today, staying focused and with a positive mindset is essential when it comes to achieving goals, either at the gym or anywhere in life. For performing athletes, mental focus and clarity is key to success in any sport and using supplements that support this can help keep you mentally motivated when you’re ready to throw in the towel. With caffeine found in most natural pre-workouts, you’ll not only feel more alert and less fatigued, but your mind can focus on each rep or exercise, ensuring you’re on form and gaining maximum benefits. 

6. HELPS BUILD MUSCLE

Does pre-workout help build muscle, you ask? Absolutely it does. A natural pre-workout that has amino acids, especially BCAAs, will help you build muscle, being that they support protein synthesis and are absorbed directly into the muscles. In particular, the essential amino acid Leucine is known to stimulate muscle growth in the body, and so the ideal ratio of BCAAs found in supplements or natural pre-workouts is 2:1:1—with higher levels of Leucine compared to Isoleucine and Valine. With the combined benefits of increased strength and endurance, along with boosted energy and recovery support, adding a natural pre-workout into your daily routine will definitely help you grow and maintain lean muscle. 

For more information on BCAAs and their benefits, read our blog, 'What are the benefits of BCAA powders?'.

7. NO HARMFUL SIDE EFFECTS

When you add a natural pre-workout into your health and wellness routine, you avoid a lot of the harmful side effects obtained when using a pre-workout that’s filled with artificial ingredients, fillers or excess sugar. Another thing to look out for is the amount of caffeine per serve. Some pre-workout powders can contain anywhere from 150 mg to 300 mg per serve, which is the equivalent of having three cups of coffee one after the other! It’s recommended that you choose a natural pre-workout that has 200 mg of caffeine or less per serving and at Happy Way, our Charge Up Pre-Workout Powders contain 51 mg of caffeine per 10 g serving. Some of the other side effects of a pre-workout powder that’s full of artificial ingredients, excess caffeine or hidden nasties include...

• Headaches
• Increased heart rate
• Insomnia
• Nausea
• High blood pressure
• Diarrhea or digestive issues
• Upset stomach
• Anxiety

WHEN SHOULD YOU DRINK A PRE-WORKOUT POWDER?

A clean, natural pre-workout can be consumed daily, but knowing when you should drink a pre-workout powder to gain optimal benefits and results is key. It’s important to remember that a natural pre-workout does not substitute for a healthy diet of wholesome foods rich in vitamins and nutrients and should be used as per the package instructions. Is drinking pre-workout before exercise good? Yes—it’s the best time! We recommend taking our Charge Up Pre-Workout Powders or any natural pre-workout in the morning to kick-start your day and, of course, before your workout. 

Consuming your pre-workout roughly 30 minutes before exercise allows your body to gain the benefits of increased energy, focus, strength, and endurance in time for your workout, so you can train more intensely, perform better, and work toward achieving your fitness goals. It’s super important that you follow the instructions and mix your natural pre-workout with the recommended amount of water. If your pre-workout drink is too concentrated, it can cause problems throughout the day, such as an upset stomach, digestive issues, and even anxiety or jitters. We recommend mixing our Charge Up Pre-Workout Powders with 200 ml of water in a shaker, and stirring or shaking well until it has completely dissolved. 

An important note—it’s never recommended that you use your natural pre-workout without mixing with water, which has been seen on TikTok and called dry scooping. Dry scooping is a so-called trend or challenge that has appeared on social media, where people are consuming a scoop of pre-workout powder and then chasing it with a swig of water rather than mixing it together before consuming. People are claiming that having a scoop of concentrated pre-workout powder gives them a boost of energy almost instantly, but there are many dangers associated with this. Choking, heart attacks, or aspiration pneumonia from inhaling and getting the pre-workout powder into your lungs can be some of the dangers of this TikTok trend.

When adding any health supplements into your routine, it's always best to follow the instructions to ensure they're used safely and effectively. 

So, keen to try our natural pre-workouts? Our Charge Up Pre-Workout Powders are 100% natural, gluten-free and packed with vitamins and nutrients that boost energy and support optimal health and well-being. Available in five fruity flavours, we have Green Apple, Watermelon, Dragon Fruit, Mango and Pineapple.

For more information on our natural pre-workout powders, read our blog, ‘The 5 best pre-workout supplements and powders in Australia’.