The Ultimate Guide to Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
You don’t build muscle in the gym.
You break it down.
Muscle growth actually happens during recovery — when your body repairs the damage caused by your workouts. To repair, rebuild, and grow stronger, your body needs the right fuel at the right time.
That’s where workout nutrition comes in.
Why Workout Nutrition Matters
Every day, your body undergoes “protein turnover,” a constant cycle of breaking down and rebuilding muscle proteins. Under normal conditions, breakdown and synthesis rates are balanced. But exercise changes that.
When you train — whether it’s cardio or strength training — muscle protein breakdown temporarily exceeds synthesis. This is why recovery nutrition is so important — you need to flip the switch back toward muscle building.
To grow muscle, protein synthesis must outpace breakdown over time, and that requires intentional nutrition — especially around your workouts.
The Power of Protein
Protein plays a vital role in rebuilding muscle. Consuming protein:
Stimulates protein synthesis
Suppresses muscle breakdown
Provides the raw materials for repair and growth
How much protein do you need?
To optimize muscle growth and recovery, aim for 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily.
If you’re not currently prioritizing your protein intake, this will feel like a lot of protein. Therefore, you may find it helpful to spread your protein intake over 4 to 6 meals, eaten every 3 to 4 hours.
Because protein is so vital for muscle growth and recovery, does that mean you need protein right before your workout?
Pre-Workout Protein: Should You Eat It?
The short answer is, it depends.
There’s little evidence that eating protein right before a workout boosts muscle growth. However, timing still matters in context.
If you haven’t had protein in the last 3–4 hours, your body’s protein synthesis machinery will be running at a low idle. Eating 30–40g of protein pre-workout can “reignite the engine.”
If you have eaten protein recently (within 3–4 hours), you’re covered, and there’s no need to double up. Focus instead on your post-workout meal.
Pre-Workout Carbs: Fuel for Performance
This one’s more clear…
Carbs before your workout help you perform better.
Eating 30–40g of carbohydrates about 15–60 minutes before your workout:
Increases blood glucose (quick energy)
Preserves muscle glycogen (your primary strength training fuel)
Helps you train harder and longer
While carbs don’t directly build muscle, they indirectly improve your gains by enhancing performance and reducing fatigue.
What to Eat Before Your Workout
Avoid high-fat foods before workouts — they slow digestion and don’t offer a performance boost.
Pre-Workout Protein Sources
Chicken breast or thighs (fat trimmed)
Lean ground turkey
Lean ground beef
Lean ground bison
Eggs or egg whites
Greek yogurt
Cottage cheese
Tuna
Salmon
Shrimp
Whey protein
Minimally-processed protein bars
Tofu
Tempeh
Seitan
Pre-Workout Carb Sources
Apple
Banana
Berries
Dates
Figs
Raisins
Fruit juice
Honey
Granola
Oatmeal
Rice
Potatoes
Whole-grain bread
Whole-grain pasta
Rice cakes
Pre-Workout Meal Ideas
Grilled chicken with white rice
Greek yogurt with granola and berries
Protein shake and a banana
Post-Workout Nutrition: Shift Into Recovery Mode
Exercise creates physical stress. Cortisol (your body’s stress hormone) spikes during workouts to mobilize energy, but it doesn’t shut off as soon as you leave the gym.
To help your body switch gears into recovery mode, you need two things:
Protein: to rebuild broken-down muscle tissue
Carbs: to replenish glycogen and increase insulin (which blunts further muscle breakdown)
Post-Workout Protein: The Muscle Repair Signal
After your workout, protein breakdown is elevated — higher than synthesis rates. That’s a problem if you don’t eat relatively soon.
Eating protein post-workout:
Increases protein synthesis
Initiates the repair process
Supports long-term muscle growth
While eating protein at any time of day helps, consuming it immediately after your workout maximizes the anabolic response.
Post-Workout Carbs: More Than Just Fuel
Carbohydrates post-workout aren’t just about energy — they also:
Spike insulin, which suppresses muscle breakdown
Refill glycogen stores, especially after intense sessions
Reduce the chance of fat storage, as your muscles are hungry for carbs post-exercise
If you're going to eat a large portion of carbs, this is the time to do it.
When to Eat After Your Workout
While some will say you must eat within a so-called “anabolic window” to maximize your muscle gains, the real answer is a bit more nuanced.
If you haven’t eaten in the 3–4 hours leading up to your workout, then yes, eat as soon as you can afterward. Your body is running on empty.
If you have eaten recently, you’ve still got nutrients circulating. Eating within 1–2 hours post-workout is fine.
The Bottom Line on Workout Nutrition
Don’t overcomplicate it.
Eat 30–40g of protein within 1–2 hours before and after your workout
Pair it with carbs to fuel performance and enhance recovery
Avoid high-fat meals before your workout — they slow digestion and don’t add much benefit
Spread out your protein intake throughout the day to help you reach your goal
Focus on consistency over perfection
Your body builds muscle when it has enough of the right nutrients, consumed at the right times.
Closing Thoughts
Think of your workouts as the spark that lights the fire.
Your nutrition is the fuel that keeps it burning.
So if you’re training hard but not seeing the progress you want, the answer might not be to train harder…
It might be to eat smarter.
