High Carb Chocolate Energy Balls (No cook-12 balls)
For years, I massively underfuelled my training. Not intentionally… I just genuinely didn’t realise how much my body needed. I’d head out on an early session with barely anything in my stomach, push through, and then wonder why I felt flat or irritable for the rest of the day.
And honestly? It wasn’t just about the training session itself. Underfuelling affected my mood, my concentration, my recovery, and my hormones.
I see the same thing in so many of my clients, especially busy, active adults and neurodivergent individuals who already have enough decision-making and sensory demand in their day. Fuelling often becomes an afterthought, or something they “should get round to”, rather than something supportive and grounding.
When I began making small changes to how I fuelled around my training, everything shifted. My energy steadied, my performance improved, and my recovery stopped feeling like a huge uphill battle.
One of the biggest lessons?
Carbohydrates matter far more than I realised.
Why Carbohydrates Are Essential for Active Bodies
Let’s keep this simple and practical, because that’s always how I like to learn and teach.
When you train, especially anything endurance-based, your muscles rely heavily on glycogen, which is stored carbohydrate. This is your most accessible and efficient fuel source.
When you don’t get enough carbs:
You have have low glycogen stores, and your body has to work much harder, increasing fatigue and perceived exertion. Recovery also slows down, soreness can linger, and energy crashes later in the day become more common.
Mood and concentration also dip, especially in neurodivergent adults who are already navigating higher cognitive load.
Carbs before training give you accessible energy. Carbs after training replenish what you’ve used and help your muscles repair.
It really is that simple.
The Small Routine That Changed My Mornings
I’m not someone who wants complicated pre-workout recipes or anything that adds stress to a busy day. That’s why I started making these energy balls.
I make a batch, freeze them, and take a couple out the night before an early session. By the morning, they’re perfectly soft, easy on the stomach, and give me around 30 g of carbs per ball, exactly what my body needs to perform well and recover faster afterwards.
My clients often say the same thing:
“These are such a game changer.”
Ingredients:
200g dates (10-12 medjool dates)
120g gluten free oats (1/3 cup)
2 tbsp maple syrup
3 tbsp mixed seeds (chia, pumpkin, sunflower)
3 tbsp cacao powder
pich of salt (optional)
Method:
Soak the dates: Cover the pitted dates for 10-15 mins in boiled water, drain and pat dry.
Blend: Add the dry ingredients (oats, seeds, cacao) to the food processor and blend (to a fine flour, or however preferred)
Add the dates and maple and blend again until the mixture comes together
Adjust mixture- If too dry- add 1 tsp of water until it sticks together
Form balls: Roll the mixture into 12 balls
Store: Keep in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months
Macros per ball (approx)
Carbs: 30g
Protein: 2.5g
Fat: 2-3g
