You can train with perfect form and ruthless consistency, but if your nutrition timing is off, you’re leaving results on the table.
The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) published a position stand confirming that nutrient timing, specifically what you consume before and after exercise, significantly affects recovery, muscle protein synthesis, and performance adaptation.
The good news: workout nutrition doesn’t require complicated supplements or expensive meal plans. It comes down to eating the right macronutrients in the right window.
Here’s exactly how to fuel your training.
Pre-Workout Nutrition: Fuel the Engine
Your pre-workout meal serves two purposes:
- providing energy for performance, and
- preventing muscle breakdown during training.
The ideal pre-workout meal combines complex carbohydrates (your primary energy source during moderate-to-high intensity exercise) with a moderate amount of protein. Fat should be kept low, as it slows digestion and can cause discomfort during intense movement.
Timing matters. A full meal should be consumed 2 to 3 hours before training.
If you’re eating closer to your session (30 to 60 minutes), choose something lighter and easily digestible.
Research published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that consuming 20–40 grams of protein within this pre-exercise window enhanced muscle protein synthesis during and after training.
Three Pre-Workout Meal Ideas
- For a meal 2–3 hours before training, try oatmeal topped with banana slices and a scoop of whey protein; this delivers approximately 45g carbs and 25g protein with minimal fat.
- A second option is grilled chicken breast with sweet potato and steamed broccoli, providing sustained energy from complex carbohydrates and lean protein.
- For a quick snack 30 to 60 minutes out, a rice cake with almond butter and a drizzle of honey gives you fast-digesting carbs with a small protein and fat boost to carry you through the session.
Post-Workout Nutrition: Repair and Rebuild
After training, your body enters a recovery state. Muscle glycogen (stored carbohydrate in muscle tissue) is depleted, and muscle protein breakdown is elevated. Your post-workout meal needs to accomplish two things:
- replenish glycogen stores with carbohydrates, and
- provide protein to stimulate muscle repair.
The so-called “anabolic window” (the idea that you must consume protein within 30 minutes or lose your gains) has been significantly overstated.
A meta-analysis by Schoenfeld, Aragon, and Krieger published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that the post-exercise protein window is likely 4 to 6 hours wide, not 30 minutes.
That said, there’s no downside to eating sooner, and most people feel hungry after training anyway.
Aim for 20 to 40 grams of protein and 40 to 80 grams of carbohydrates within 2 hours of finishing your workout.
The protein triggers muscle protein synthesis, while the carbohydrates restore glycogen and help shuttle amino acids into muscle cells via insulin response.
Three Post-Workout Meal Ideas
- A protein shake blended with a banana and a handful of oats is the fastest option, roughly 30g protein, 50g carbs, ready in two minutes.
- For a proper meal, grilled salmon with white rice and roasted vegetables delivers high-quality protein, omega-3 fatty acids for inflammation reduction, and fast-digesting carbohydrates.
- A third option is Greek yogurt with mixed berries, granola, and a drizzle of honey. This is approximately 20g protein and 45g carbs with antioxidants from the berries that support recovery.
Hydration: The Overlooked Factor
Even mild dehydration, as little as 2% body weight loss through sweat, reduces strength output by up to 10% and endurance performance by up to 20%, according to research from the American College of Sports Medicine.
Drink 400 to 600ml of water in the 2 hours before training. During exercise, aim for 150 to 250ml every 15 to 20 minutes. After training, replace lost fluids at a ratio of 1.5 litres for every kilogram of body weight lost during the session.
For sessions lasting over 60 minutes or in hot conditions, an electrolyte drink containing sodium, potassium, and magnesium helps replace minerals lost through sweat.
Plain water is sufficient for sessions under an hour.
A Quick Word on Supplements
The supplement industry generates over $50 billion annually, but very few products have robust evidence behind them.
- Creatine monohydrate is the most researched sports supplement in history, with consistent evidence showing 5 to 10% strength gains when dosed at 3 to 5g daily.
- Caffeine (3 to 6mg per kg of body weight consumed 30 to 60 minutes before training) reliably improves endurance and power output.
Beyond those two and a basic protein powder for convenience, most supplements deliver marginal benefits at best.
Focus on whole foods first. Supplements should supplement a solid diet, not replace it.
Pro Tip: Prep your post-workout meal before you train. Having food ready when you walk through the door eliminates the temptation to grab junk food or skip the meal entirely.