The Best Natural Preworkout I’ve Found So Far

What’s the best natural preworkout out there? If you’re in the market for a clean preworkout supplement, you’ll want to read this! I’m telling you all about the best natural preworkout I’ve found so far. 

Hey everyone! My name is Chantal and I’m a certified personal trainer mom of two and the owner of this little blog. Welcome!

In this post, I want to talk about something that I get questions about all the time – the best supplements for exercise and weight loss.

More specifically, I want to talk about this little thing we call pre-workout. (Or preworkout, pre, or energy support.)  If you’re new here, you should know that I do not use a lot of supplements.

I lean to the herbal/natural side for most things. In fact, for the most part, I believe in getting your energy and nutrients from good sleep and good food.

I am very selective when it comes to supplements of all kinds – from preworkout to protein shakes and recovery supplements. 

But I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t find the need for some good energy support now and then!

Because I’m a mom, energy and motivation are my biggest struggle. (And it was much worse when my kids were even younger.)

I have tried a lot of pre-workout supplements over the years as a personal trainer, but I typically find that they are subpar. The price doesn’t justify the flavor, amount, or the ingredients inside.

I have tried chalky supplements, supplements full of dyes and preservatives, ones with poor flavor, as well as pre-workout supplements that resulted in adverse reactions.

(Think heart palpitations and jitters, followed by an energy crash.)

Up until recently, I had pretty much given up my find my search for a good pre-workout. (Knowing what I did about what was on the market.)

However, I just stumbled upon a natural pre-workout supplement that has since become my favorite.

Related Reading: 7 Easy Ways to Revamp Your Exercise Routine

Not only does it taste great, it has only 15 calories! To top it off, it’s free of synthetic dies, and uses only the best natural ingredients. It’s colored by beets, sweetened with Stevia, and energy derived from nature! (I’ll tell you about the best natural preworkout I’ve found so far in a sec.)

So today I want to dive into a little bit about pre-workouts in general, when you should use them, and my favorite natural pre-workout to date. So let’s dive in. 

Just as a reminder, I don’t think it’s wise to rely on energy supplements and stimulants on a daily basis.

If you are struggling with energy and nutrition, you should focus on better sleep and eliminating bad food habits first. (Your food choices can really affect your energy!)

However, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having something extra on those days that you just can’t find the energy or motivation to exercise.

So bear that in mind!

I personally try not to use my favorite natural pre-workout supplement more than three times per week. (But knowing that it’s natural and herbal, I feel perfectly fine going beyond that every now and then.)

The ingredients in your pre-workout of choice choice should help you determine how often you take them. If you’re using synthetic stuff that is really high caffeine you may need to be careful. People with heart problems or other sensitive issues may want to stay away from stimulants and pre-workouts. If you have any concerns I highly recommend talking to your doctor first.

When You Might Want To Use Pre-Workout 

There are lots of instances in which you might want to reach for some pre-workout. If you are breastfeeding it is not recommended because this can pass on to your baby, but if you are a mom I totally support your use of pre-work out otherwise.

Pretty much everyone can benefit from a natural energy boost every now and then.

Whether your exercise window is after a long workday, you have late nights, or you’re just simply low from the winter blues, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a little energy support.

Almost all of us have those times where we lack the motivation or energy to exercise or get things done. I personally tend to reach for my favorite natural preworkout supplement when I know I’m about to do a big, high-energy workout (like a long run or lifting weights/other high-intensity exercise) but that’s IT!

However, depending on your dosage and your ingredients, stimulants can actually have adverse effects on the body. This is why having a natural pre-workout supplement is super important.

I for one have tried natural not natural pre-workouts with a lot of dies and a lot of stimulants and they gave me heart palpitations and the jitters. I’ve also experienced post workout crashes as well as supplements that just didn’t even work.

So I had all but given up my search for a great pre-work out when I happened to stumble upon Q sport.

More specifically, I am in love with Q SPORT in Dragon Berry flavor. 

Before we dive into the ingredients that are in Q SPORT, I want to take a look at some of the key ingredients and most major synthetic pre-workout supplements. I would like to point out that these types of supplements are not regulated by the FDA.

This means that the quality of supplements is really all over the place. It is in your best interest to look for supplements that are natural, and held to very high standards as far as ingredients as well as sourcing.

I will preach up and down the supplements from Q sciences, because they willingly susceptible themselves to the highest standards in the industry. All products are vegan cruelty free die free sugar free and more.

Take a look at the product standards below. (Not all pre-workout supplements are created equal!) If you’re here I assume that you have tried pre-workout before and you’re looking for something better.

Or maybe this is your first time trying some and you want to take it easy and have some peace of mind before you make the investment. I get it!

Related Reading: 10 Best Fitness Tools Under $30

All Q Sciences products are GMO, gluten, nut, soy, and sugar free! Packaging is BPA-free and recyclable! This easily makes Q Sport the best natural pre workout for me.

If this is your first time using natural pre-workout, or pre-workout in general you should know that most of them have way more caffeine than most people should be taking.

On top of that they often have all kinds of preservatives and dies that we know are harmful to the body.

At the very least they are very unnecessary. For this post I want to do a comparison to one of the top selling synthetic brands of pre-workout versus my favorite new natural pre-workout, Q SPORT. So let’s take a look!

From what I have seen as a personal trainer and from what I can tell on the Internet and based off of other recommendations, I know that Bucked Up from GNC is one of the most popular brands of pre-workouts on the market.

So for this example I want to examine their ingredients as well as the company and sourcing and standards etc. We will also go over the price point as well as the ingredients and what they do in the body.

How much is it? 

The original / standard tub of Bucked Up is approximately $49.99 on GNC.com. This is for 30 servings. That means that one serving = ~$1.66. (This is for the original formula only in Blue Raz flavor, not any others.) This doesn’t include shipping.

What’s in it? 

Okay, so I have a snapshot of Bucked Up’s ingredients above. (You can look at more info here.)

Some of the ingredients are familiar, but what are they? And what about those things listed as “Other Ingredients?” I did a little research.

Most of the ingredients are amino-acids and compounds designed for muscle growth and energy. But those aren’t the ingredients that worry me. It’s the “Other Ingredients” section that’s of concern.

To start out, I can tell you for sure, without a doubt, that you DON’T want Blue 1 Lake in something you are consuming.

This is an artificial colorant, many of which are linked to adverse side affects, cancer, allergies, and more! (See this for more info.) Long story short, it’s not natural at all!

And by the way, what does it mean when they say, “Natural & Artificial Flavors?” Because these types of supplements are NOT regulated by the FDA, this could mean any number of things. Why aren’t they mandated to tell you exactly what artificial ingredients they are using? Hmm…

Everything else *appears* to be natural (other than sucralose), but I’m a bit baffled by the whole Deer Antler Velvet Extract…why? (Feel free to educate me on how this stuff is obtained, and why you’d want to consume it.

How do they get the deer? Really though, how can you humanely source this? Lol.)

Note that Bucked Up also doesn’t make any claims of being vegan, gluten-free, soy free, and GMO-free. If they were, they would probably advertise themselves as such!

So, we have some good ingredients, and we have some highly undesirable ingredients. And some questionable sourcing. Ultimately, if you’re looking for a totally natural preworkout supplement, this is not it!

Q SPORT – Ingredients, Price, Quality Standards

Now you’ve already seen that Q SPORT has been held to the highest standards as far as ingredients. But let’s take a look at each individual ingredient and explore the research and the way they behave in the body. Let’s also look at the price point.

How much is it? 

Q Sport comes in individual packets in a 30-serving, recyclable package for $60 or $49.95 for preferred customers. (Making each serving $2 at retail price.) It features the same 200 mg of caffeine per serving as Bucked Up, but Q Sport is vegan, gluten-free, GMO-free, and soy free.

PS, you can get my price ($49.95 + shipping) by becoming a preferred customer. Email me and I will set you up with that! 

What’s in it? 

Q Sport has amino acids and caffeine like most preworkout supplements, but it’s sourced by Yerba Matte and sweetened in part by Stevia and monk fruit. It’s also colored with Beet Root powder, which is also good for you!

Moreover, Q Sport has chia seed oil powder, choline, and a bunch of other brain-fueling ingredients. (Easily making it the best clean pre workout, if you ask me.) Here’s a look at their ingredient list:

While we have a few of the same energy/amino acid ingredients, we also have a few more beneficial ingredients. (Like Guarana, which has medicinal properties.)

And, we don’t have any super ambiguous “artificial ingredients” listed. That’s a win! I’m telling you, this is the best natural pre workout I’ve found.

But it’s more expensive! 

Sure it is, but at least the ingredients are generally more appropriate for your health!

Assuming that you’re not relying heavily on your pre-work out, and you’re only using it a couple of times a week at most, a bag of Q SPORT should last you approximately 2 to 3 months.

I wouldn’t recommend using it every single day. (Just as I wouldn’t recommend using any other pre-work out every single day, in fact a lot of people can use half a dose or a partial dose in order to get the boost that they need.)

Why do you consider this the best natural preworkout?

I have previously tried many pre-workouts that gave me heart palpitations and the jitters followed by a crash (low energy). I’ve also had some that gave me numbness in the lips, were overkill on caffeine, and had a chalky consistency.

Plus, of course, I’ve tried a handful that tasted like straight up candy. Okay for some, but way too sweet for me.

Q Sport in Dragon Berry tastes like a strawberry lemonade. (I can’t wait to try the other flavors we’re coming out with.) My favorite way to make it is with tap/room temp water, mix well, and then add ice. You can add more or less water to taste. Then, I sip on about half of it before my workout, and the rest during!

Other than that, this natural pre-workout really works for me. It’s not “too much” in terms of a pump or buzz, and I’m still able to sleep at night when I take it. Plus, the medicinal properties that the ingredients have are a big plus for me.

I feel great when I’m taking it 2-3 per week. That’s what makes it the best natural preworkout that I’ve found so far.

Heck yeah!

Where can I get the best natural preworkout?

You can only buy Q Sport online from independent ambassadors like myself. You can check out all Q Sciences products and place an order using my link.

I also invite you to learn more about Q Sciences and our natural herbal and hemp products. I recently became an ambassador and am totally enjoying what it has meant for my health and finances.

If you’re curious about the company itself, as well as the opportunity to make money with them, read this post.

What do you think is the best natural preworkout? Have any you’d like to share? Drop a comment below!

– Chantal