What to eat before and after strength training

Total daily protein and total energy intake matter most; the timing of individual meals is secondary. A meta-analysis of 49 randomised trials with 1,863 participants found that protein supplementation increased gains in strength and fat-free mass during resistance training, but total intakes above about 1.6 g per kg of body weight per day produced no further gain in fat-free mass ^[1].

The added effect of extra protein was modest: on average 0.30 kg more fat-free mass and 2.49 kg more on the one-repetition maximum. The effect was smaller at older ages and larger in people with training experience ^[1].

The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommends 1.4–2.0 g of protein per kg of body weight per day for most people who exercise. During a calorie deficit, 2.3–3.1 g/kg per day may be needed to retain as much lean mass as possible in resistance-trained people ^[2]. For a person of 80 kg (176 lb), 1.6 g/kg comes to about 128 g of protein per day.

Energy intake decides whether body weight rises, falls or stays stable, which sets the context for every protein and carbohydrate target. A macro calculator converts body weight and goal into daily amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fat.

About 20–40 g of high-quality protein per meal, or roughly 0.25 g per kg of body weight, is the general ISSN recommendation. The society advises spreading these doses evenly over the day, roughly every 3–4 hours, with 700–3,000 mg of the amino acid leucine per serving ^[2]. Dairy, meat, fish and eggs are rich sources of leucine.

A 2018 review by Schoenfeld and Aragon concluded that the often-quoted limit of 20–25 g per meal is too low as an upper limit. Larger doses increase the breakdown of amino acids for energy, but part of the extra protein is still used to build tissue. Their guideline is 0.4 g/kg per meal over at least four meals, which adds up to at least 1.6 g/kg per day; at 2.2 g/kg per day, four meals require up to 0.55 g/kg each ^[3].

After strength training, a meal with 20–40 g of high-quality protein and a source of carbohydrates covers the recovery needs of most people. Protein eaten from immediately after training up to two hours later produces a strong rise in muscle protein synthesis, the process by which muscle tissue is built and repaired ^[4]. Resistance exercise and protein intake each stimulate this process, and they reinforce each other when protein is eaten before or after the session ^[2].

A regular meal is enough: quark, skyr or Greek yogurt, eggs, meat, fish, tofu or legumes, combined with bread, rice, potatoes or pasta. The ISSN advises basing intake on whole foods that contain all essential amino acids and describes protein powder as a practical way to reach the target with fewer calories ^[2]. Daily targets per goal are worked out in how much protein per day.

After an evening session, a protein-rich snack before bed is an option. A dose of 30–40 g of casein, the slow-digesting milk protein that makes up most of the protein in quark and cottage cheese, increases muscle protein synthesis overnight without affecting fat breakdown ^[2].

Carbohydrates after strength training refill muscle glycogen, the carbohydrate stored in muscle, but fast refuelling only matters when the next session follows within a few hours. For recovery periods shorter than 4 hours, the ISSN position stand on nutrient timing advises 1.2 g of carbohydrate per kg per hour, or 0.8 g/kg per hour combined with 0.2–0.4 g/kg per hour of protein ^[4].

With a day or more between sessions, regular meals refill glycogen without a special protocol. A systematic review of 49 studies found that, over longer periods, carbohydrate intake did not affect strength-training performance in 15 of 17 studies ^[5].

Carbohydrates still supply energy for training and daily life, and adequate intake carries more weight in endurance sports ^[2]. How much energy a session itself uses is covered in calories burned during strength training.

A short anabolic window, in which protein must be eaten right after training to build muscle, is not supported by long-term research. A meta-analysis of 23 studies on muscle growth and 20 on strength found no significant effect of protein timing once the analysis corrected for other factors; total protein intake was the strongest predictor of muscle growth ^[6].

Aragon and Schoenfeld concluded that the importance, and even the existence, of a post-exercise window depends on factors such as the meal eaten before training. Their practical guideline is to keep the meals before and after a session of 45–90 minutes no more than about 3–4 hours apart, or 5–6 hours when that meal is large and mixed ^[7].

The ISSN describes the anabolic effect of exercise as long-lasting, at least 24 hours, although it likely diminishes as time after the session passes ^[2]. Eating within a few hours of training is therefore sufficient; eating within minutes has no demonstrated advantage for muscle growth.

Before strength training, a regular meal with protein and carbohydrates is sufficient; special pre-workout products are not required. Protein before training works as well as protein after: according to the ISSN, the benefits come from intake before or after the workout, and the best moment is largely a matter of individual tolerance ^[2].

Carbohydrates before training have a limited effect on typical strength sessions. In a systematic review, extra carbohydrates did not improve performance in 13 of 19 acute studies; the six studies with a benefit mainly used fasted control groups or workouts of more than 10 sets per muscle group. For sessions up to that volume performed after eating, carbohydrate intake is unlikely to change performance ^[5].

Timing before training is mainly a matter of digestive comfort. A full meal sits better a few hours before the session; a small, easily digested snack such as a banana or a slice of bread fits closer to it. How a session is built up, from warm-up to working sets, is described in the strength training guide.

Strength training in the morning on an empty stomach is possible, and for sessions of moderate volume the effect on performance is small. In the review on carbohydrate intake, the benefit of eating appeared mainly in comparison with fasted conditions and in high-volume workouts ^[5]. A small breakfast is therefore most useful before long sessions with many sets.

After fasted training, the meal afterwards carries more weight. Aragon and Schoenfeld note that when training starts more than about 3–4 hours after the last meal, eating at least 25 g of protein as soon as possible after the session is warranted ^[7]. Quark or skyr with fruit, or an omelette with toast, provides that amount.

Options that are easy to eat shortly after waking include a banana, a glass of milk, a drinking yogurt or a slice of bread with honey. They supply some carbohydrate without a full stomach; the protein then follows at breakfast after training.

Common foods reach the per-meal target of 20–40 g of protein in normal portions ^[2]. The values below are approximate; actual content depends on brand, recipe and portion size.

Creatine monohydrate is the supplement with the strongest evidence for strength training. The ISSN position stand describes improved high-intensity exercise performance and greater training adaptations, and reports that intakes of up to 30 g per day for five years were safe and well tolerated in healthy people ^[8].

The ISSN gives 3–5 g per day as a maintenance dose. Taken without a loading phase, that amount fills the creatine stores in muscle over 3–4 weeks; a loading phase of about 0.3 g per kg per day for 5–7 days fills them faster ^[8].

Protein powder is a convenience product with no effect beyond that of the protein it provides. It is practical when a meal is not possible or when the daily target has to be reached with fewer calories ^[2]. People with kidney disease or another medical condition, and women who are pregnant, should discuss protein intake and supplements with a doctor or dietitian.

Training remains the main stimulus for strength and muscle growth; the first steps of a programme are covered in how to start strength training.