What should I eat before my workout?

What about after my workout?

Do I need to eat something during my workout too?

Nutrient timing can be one of the most confusing areas of nutrition, and for a good reason—the answers to the questions above depend a lot on context.

For example: What type of training are you doing? What are your goals? What time of day are you training?

Pre and post workout meal ratio guidelines from Working Against Gravity

Fortunately, some general pre-and post-workout nutrition principles apply to most people in most situations, and that’s what we will outline today.

One key thing to remember is that although nutrient timing around workouts can undoubtedly make a difference in your performance and recovery, the total amount of food you eat over the day is more important for body composition and performance than nutrient timing strategies [1]. 

So make sure to have a solid plan for your overall nutrition strategy before diving into pre-and post-workout nutrition.


Pre-Workout Meal Breakdown

Before your workout, choose foods that keep you energized, boost your performance, keep you hydrated, preserve muscle mass, and speed up your recovery.  

Aim to eat your pre-workout meal one to two hours before training to allow for adequate digestion.

What to Include in Your Pre-Workout Meal

Pre-Workout Protein Needs

Exercise damages muscle tissue, but protein can reduce damage markers — which means you recover faster! It can also help you maintain or increase muscle size, which is vital for anyone who wants to improve their body composition or athletic performance [2]. A protein shake is an easy go-to option, but whole foods (such as lean meat or low-fat Greek yogurt) are also acceptable if your digestive system can handle them. Aim for around 40–60 grams of protein for men and 20–30 grams for women as a good starting point [3,4].

Pre-Workout Carbohydrate Needs

Whether you’re an endurance athlete going for a long run or a CrossFit athlete preparing for a high-intensity WOD, carbs can improve your performance and help increase muscle retention and growth [5].

How many grams of carbs should you consume? This is specific to each individual, but something to keep in mind is that the maximum amount of carbohydrates that can be digested and absorbed during exercise is around 60–80 grams per hour [6].

Pre-Workout Fat Needs

Fat slows digestion, which can help keep blood glucose levels even during your workout. Fats do not seem to improve athletic performance (carbs are better for this), but they are important for vitamins and minerals and feel satiated throughout the day—and they taste great [7].

Special considerations: For competitive athletes or those with specific body composition goals, a more detailed individual plan might be required (including, possibly, intra-workout nutrition).

For example, if you are an endurance athlete doing a long 15-mile training run or trying to gain significant muscle and struggling to do so, you may need intra-workout carbs. This is something you can discuss specifically with a WAG coach.

Check out this article for pre-workout meal ideas.

pre workout macro needs from Working Against Gravity

What Should I Eat If I Workout in the Morning?

Some people wake up and train first thing in the morning, which makes it impossible to eat one to three hours before their session. In this case, consuming essential amino acids as a drink/supplement before and during training can be helpful.[8] For these athletes, what they eat at nighttime before bed can also help fuel them during an early-morning session.

intra workout macro needs working against gravity

Are Sports Drinks Beneficial for Performance?

Many people wonder about the benefits of sports drinks. Sports drinks don’t offer many additional benefits for exercise lasting less than two hours if you have already consumed a solid pre-workout meal, following the guidelines above.

Post-Workout Meal Breakdown

The goal of a post-workout meal is recovery, rehydration, and refueling.

Try to eat within two hours of finishing training for optimal recovery. This depends, however, on what you ate pre-workout. If you didn’t eat much pre-workout or ate it several hours before your workout, your post-workout nutrition becomes more important, and you should aim to get in your post-workout meal sooner than that.

What to Include in Your Post-Workout Meal

Post-Workout Protein Needs

Protein post-exercise prevents protein breakdown and stimulates synthesis, which can lead to increased or maintained muscle tissue.

Many people have heard the recommendation that fast-digesting protein like whey hydrolysate is the best bet because the amino acids get into your muscles quickly. 

Recent research suggests that these proteins may get into your systems too quickly [9]. But this doesn’t mean that a post-workout shake is a bad choice—you could pair a protein shake with other foods that slow down the digestion of the protein, such as the carb and fat sources listed below.

Post-Workout Carbohydrate Needs

Aim to ingest a blend of minimally processed whole-food carbs post-workout, such as oats, sweet potato, rice, and/or fruit like bananas or apples. However, if you complete a particularly intense session or train multiple times per day, you may need faster glycogen replenishment [10].

Post-Workout Fat Needs

The amount of fat you should consume post-workout can be higher than your pre-workout meal, as research suggests that this will not negatively impact muscle growth or glycogen synthesis [11,12]. Try experimenting with 15–30 percent of your meals’ calories from fat and pay attention to how your digestive system feels. If you notice discomfort or the food feels heavy in your stomach, consider reducing the amount of fat.  

post-workout macro needs working against gravity

A Review of Pre and Post-Workout Nutrition Needs

  • Before, during, and after training, you need a combination of protein, high-quality carbohydrates, and healthy fats. The amount of each macronutrient will vary depending on your needs and personal preferences. Before training, make your meal consist of easier-to-digest carbs plus protein with minimal fat. After training, consume complex carbs and protein, and it’s safe to add more fat to this meal.  
  • Eat for maximal benefit one to two hours before and within two hours after training. For early-morning exercisers who cannot eat one to three hours before their session, consider using essential amino acids and/or consuming a bigger nighttime meal.

Remember that the total amount of protein and carbs consumed over your day is still more important than any specific nutrient timing strategy.

The critical thing to remember with all nutrition advice is that what works best for you will vary depending on your goals, body size, digestive system, and the duration and intensity of your activity. That's why hiring a 1:1 coach can make all the difference.

When you sign up for Working Against Gravity, we’ll pair you with an experienced nutrition coach. You’ll have formal weekly check-ins with your coach, plus the ability to message them 24/7 anytime you need to chat.

You’ll decide how to reach your goals and master healthy habits. You’ll also join our exclusive online community, where you’ll find additional accountability and support.

References:

References:

  1. Aragon AA, Schoenfeld BJ. Nutrient timing revisited: is there a post-exercise anabolic window? J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013 Jan 29;10(1):5.
  2. Cribb PJ, Hayes A. Effects of supplement timing and resistance exercise on skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2006 Nov;38(11):1918-25.
  3. Moore DR, et al. Ingested protein dose response of muscle and albumin protein synthesis after resistance exercise in young men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Jan;89(1):161-8.
  4. Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA, Krieger JW. The effect of protein timing on muscle strength and hypertrophy: a meta-analysis. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013 Dec 3;10(1):53.
  5. Berardi JM, et al. Postexercise muscle glycogen recovery enhanced with a carbohydrate-protein supplement. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2006 Jun;38(6):1106-13.
  6. Jeukendrup AE. Carbohydrate during exercise and performance. Nutrition. 2004 Jul-Aug;20(7-8):669-77.
  7. Fox AK, et al.  Adding fat calories to meals after exercise does not alter glucose tolerance.  J Appl Physiol.  2004 Jul;97(1):11-6.
  8. Bird SP, et al. Liquid carbohydrates/essential amino acid ingestion during a short-term bout of resistance exercise suppresses myofibrillar protein degradation. Metabolism. 2006 May;55(5):570-7.
  9. LaCroix M, et al. Compared with casein or total milk protein, digestion of milk soluble proteins is too rapid to sustain the anabolic postprandial amino acid requirement. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Nov;84(5):1070-9.
  10. Stevenson E.  Improved recovery from prolonged exercise following the consumption of low glycemic index carbohydrate meals. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2005 Aug;15(4):333-49.
  11. Elliot, T. A., Cree, M. G., Sanford, A. P., Wolfe, R. R., & Tipton, K. D. (2006). Milk Ingestion Stimulates Net Muscle Protein Synthesis following Resistance Exercise. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 38(4), 667-674. doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000210190.64458.25.
  12. Fox, A. K., Kaufman, A. E., & Horowitz, J. F. (2004). Adding fat calories to meals after exercise does not alter glucose tolerance. Journal of Applied Physiology, 97(1), 11-16. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.01398.2003