# What to eat before and after a workout > Before a workout, eat carbohydrates plus 20-40 g of protein 1-3 hours ahead (or a small carb snack like a banana if you're short on time). During sessions under about 90 minutes you usually need nothing but water. After, have 20-40 g of protein with some carbs within a few hours. The post-workout "anabolic window" is far wider than the old "30 minutes" myth suggests — your total daily protein and food matter far more than precise timing. Source: Lift Republic (https://liftrepublic.com/learn/what-to-eat-before-and-after-a-workout) Category: Nutrition · Published: 2026-06-07 · Reviewed: 2026-06-07 You finish a session and wonder: did I just waste it by not slamming a shake in the changing room? Or you're heading to the gym hungry, unsure whether to eat first. Good news — peri-workout nutrition is far simpler (and more forgiving) than the supplement industry wants you to believe. Here's exactly what to eat before, during and after, and where the famous "anabolic window" actually fits. ## What to eat before a workout The job of a pre-workout meal is simple: top up energy and give your muscles amino acids to work with. Aim for **carbohydrates plus protein**, roughly **1-3 hours before** you train. - **Carbohydrates** are your main fuel — oats, rice, potatoes, bread, fruit. They keep your output high. - **Protein** of around **20-40 g** primes muscle protein synthesis. The ISSN found this dose maximally stimulates muscle building. - **Keep fat and fibre modest** close to training, so digestion doesn't slow you down. Easy examples: porridge with Greek yoghurt and berries, chicken with rice, or eggs on toast. **Short on time?** A banana or piece of fruit **15-30 minutes before** is genuinely enough for most sessions — don't skip training just because you couldn't fit a full meal in. ## Do you need to eat during a workout? For the vast majority of people, **no**. For any normal gym session, run or class **under about 90 minutes**, water is all you need. Sip to stay hydrated and get on with it. The exception is **prolonged endurance work**. For continuous hard efforts beyond an hour or so, taking on **30-60 g of carbohydrate per hour** (a gel, a banana, a sports drink) helps maintain pace and concentration. If you're chasing endurance, our [VO₂ max guide](/learn/how-to-improve-vo2-max) and [Zone 2 training guide](/learn/zone-2-training) cover the bigger picture. ## What to eat after a workout After training, you want to **repair muscle and refill energy**. Have **20-40 g of protein** alongside **some carbohydrates** within a few hours of finishing. - Protein supplies the building blocks for recovery and growth. - Carbs replace the fuel (glycogen) you used and blunt next-day fatigue. Real meals do this best: a chicken wrap, salmon with potatoes, Greek yoghurt with fruit and granola, or a protein shake plus a banana if you're rushing. Choose foods from our [high-protein foods guide](/learn/high-protein-foods) and you'll hit the target without thinking. Want your exact daily protein number? [[calc:protein]] ## The anabolic window, honestly Here's the myth worth killing: you do **not** have to eat within 30 minutes of finishing or "lose your gains." The window is **real but wide** — the ISSN position stand notes muscles stay **sensitised to protein for up to 24 hours** after a training bout. What actually drives muscle is your **total daily protein** (around **1.6-2.2 g per kg of bodyweight** — see [how much protein to build muscle](/learn/how-much-protein-to-build-muscle)) and **enough total food**. Timing is the polish, not the foundation. If you ate a solid meal a couple of hours before training, you're already covered for a while after. ## Should you train fasted? Fasted training (typically before breakfast) is fine — and sometimes useful: - **For fat loss or short, easy sessions**, training fasted won't cost you muscle as long as your daily protein is on point. - **For hard, long or strength-focused sessions**, eating carbs and protein first usually means better performance, more energy and stronger lifts. There's no magic to fasted cardio for fat loss beyond personal preference — what burns fat is your overall [calorie deficit](/learn/calorie-deficit-explained), not the clock. Pick whatever you'll do consistently. ## Putting it on a plate Peri-workout nutrition is the easy 10% — the other 90% is your **whole-day eating**, which we cover in [how to build a meal plan](/learn/how-to-build-a-meal-plan), and [what to eat to build muscle](/learn/what-to-eat-to-build-muscle). Add [creatine](/learn/creatine) if you lift and you've covered the supplements that actually matter. That's the thinking behind [the Method](/method): we strip away the noise, work out *your* numbers, and build the plan around your life and your data — so you stop guessing about timing and start seeing change. If you want it done for you, our [muscle-growth programme](/programmes/muscle-growth) dials in your training and nutrition together, and adjusts as you progress. Stop sweating the shake — let's get the real levers moving. ## FAQ ### What should I eat before and after a workout? Before: carbohydrates plus 20-40 g of protein around 1-3 hours ahead — think oats and yoghurt, chicken and rice, or eggs on toast. If you're short on time, a banana 15-30 minutes before works. After: 20-40 g of protein with some carbs within a few hours, such as a chicken wrap, Greek yoghurt with fruit, or a protein shake plus a banana. Total daily food matters more than perfect timing. ### Is the anabolic window real? It's real but far wider than the old 'eat within 30 minutes' myth. Research shows muscles stay sensitised to protein for up to 24 hours after training, so there's no need to panic if you can't eat straight away. Hitting your total daily protein (around 1.6-2.2 g per kg) is what actually drives growth — see our [protein guide](/learn/how-much-protein-to-build-muscle). ### Should I eat before a morning workout or train fasted? Both work — it depends on the session. For short, easy workouts or general fat loss, training fasted is fine and won't cost you muscle if your daily protein is sorted. For hard, long or strength-focused sessions, eating some carbs and protein first usually gives you noticeably better performance and energy. ### Do I need protein straight after a workout? You don't need it immediately. As long as you eat a protein-rich meal within a few hours either side of training, you're covered. The priority is hitting 20-40 g of protein per meal and your total for the day, not racing to drink a shake the second you rack the weights.