What to eat before and after training: real meal examples
How long before training to eat, what to avoid and how much that '30 minutes after' window really matters. With examples that are easy to put together.
The short version: two to three hours before training, eat a normal meal with carbs and some protein. Within two hours after training, eat a meal with 20 to 40 grams of protein plus carbs. The rest is detail, and here's that detail.
Before training: fuel, not weight
The goal of a pre-workout meal is to have energy without anything sitting heavy in your stomach while you run or lift.
If you have 2–3 hours: a full meal.
- chicken with rice and vegetables,
- wholewheat pasta with turkey and tomato sauce,
- a two-egg omelette, wholegrain bread and fruit.
If you have 30–60 minutes: something small and easy to digest, mostly carbs.
- a banana,
- yoghurt with a few oats,
- a slice of bread with honey or jam.
What to avoid right before: lots of fat, lots of fibre and big portions. Beans, fried food and a huge salad an hour before training are a recipe for an unpleasant session.
Is it OK to train on an empty stomach?
For light morning training (a walk, an easy run, yoga), yes, and plenty of people like it. For hard strength work or intervals, most people perform better having eaten something. Try both and see how you feel.
After training: recovery
After a workout your body needs two things: protein to repair muscle and carbs to replace the energy you used.
- salmon or other fish with potatoes and salad,
- beef with quinoa and grilled vegetables,
- Greek yoghurt with fruit and granola, if you're not up for a full meal,
- a wholegrain sandwich with chicken or tuna.
That famous 30 minutes
For years people talked about the "anabolic window", half an hour after training when you had to get protein in or it was all for nothing. Newer research shows that window is much wider, and that your total daily protein matters far more than the exact timing. If you ate before training, a meal an hour or two afterwards is plenty.
The exception is fasted training. Then it makes sense to eat something with protein soon after.
Don't forget water
Losing just 2% of your body weight through sweat noticeably reduces strength and endurance. Drink water throughout the day, not only during training. For sessions up to an hour, water is all you need; sports drinks only make sense for longer, harder ones.
Fitting it into your day
It's easiest when the meals already exist and you just choose which one to eat before and which after training. Our packages give you five meals a day, so there's always one that fits before and another after. If you train seriously, have a look at the protein package (2,400 kcal) or the men's package (1,900 kcal).
We worked out how much protein you need across the whole day in how much protein you need if you train.