Should You Eat Before or After a Workout? Here’s the Answer

Have you ever wondered if you should eat before exercising? You should know there isn't a single answer. Eating before or after a workout depends on your goal (improving performance, gaining muscle, losing fat), the duration and intensity of the exercise, and how you feel about eating in the morning.

Generally, for short, low-intensity workouts, it's not always necessary to eat beforehand. However, for long or high-intensity sessions, and for those training for performance or hypertrophy, planning your intake before and after is key.

The Importance of Fueling Your Body for Exercise

Nutrition surrounding your workout determines not only how much energy you'll have, but also how your body will recover and adapt afterward. According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), consuming the right nutrients before and after training can optimize glycogen resynthesis, muscle protein synthesis, and the reduction of muscle damage.

Carbohydrates are crucial because they replenish glycogen, the main energy source for moderate to high-intensity exercise, and delay fatigue. Adequate intake before training helps maintain stable performance, and consuming them afterward speeds up recovery so your muscles are ready for the next session.

Proteins provide the essential amino acids your muscles need to repair and grow. The ISSN study indicates that a dose of 20 to 40g of high-quality protein near the time of exercise maximally stimulates muscle protein synthesis. Additionally, a planned eating pattern around your workout can help prevent issues like dizziness, hypoglycemia, early fatigue, and performance drops during long or intense sessions.

Benefits of Eating Before and After a Workout

Whether you want to gain muscle mass, improve endurance, or simply feel more energetic, what you eat before or after exercise directly influences the results.

Before a workout

• Improved performance and endurance. A meal or snack with carbohydrates provides available glucose and helps sustain intensity.
• Reduced feeling of early fatigue and less risk of hypoglycemia in long or intense exercises.
• If you've had adequate carbohydrate intake in the days prior, sometimes a small snack before training is enough.

After a workout

• Rapid glycogen recovery, especially if you need to train again soon and the recovery window is short.
• Stimulation of muscle protein synthesis (MPS): Ingesting high-quality protein after a workout maximizes muscle repair and growth.
• Better long-term adaptation when combined with a consistent training and nutrition plan.

How to Choose What’s Best for Your Goals

The combination and timing of nutrient intake can be adapted to favor different objectives.

• To improve performance in long or intense sessions: Eat carbohydrates beforehand. Practical recommendations suggest consuming 1 to 4 g of carbohydrates/kg between one and four hours before intense sessions.
  During prolonged exercise, consuming 30 to 60 g of carbohydrates per hour helps maintain performance. 
  For rapid glycogen replenishment, such as for a competition with less than 4 hours of recovery, aggressive strategies like 1.2 g/kg/h of carbohydrates can be applied.
• For muscle gain or hypertrophy: Prioritize total daily protein, distributed across meals. The ISSN suggests ingesting 20 to 40 g of protein per meal (approx. 0.25–0.40 g/kg per dose) every three to four hours to maximize protein synthesis.
  Including a protein-rich meal or snack near your workout (before or after) is useful for enhancing recovery and adaptation.
• For fat loss: It is not strictly necessary to train on an empty stomach to lose fat. The key is a calorie balance and maintaining strength and performance to preserve muscle mass. 
  If you choose to train fasted but notice a drop in performance, add a small snack (carbs + protein) beforehand. To preserve muscle mass, prioritize sufficient daily protein and consider a post-workout protein intake.
• If you exercise in the morning and aren't hungry: An option is a small liquid snack (like a smoothie with protein and fruit) 20 to 30 minutes before, or coffee with a small portion of carbohydrates. If you prefer to eat breakfast afterward, be sure to consume protein and carbohydrates to promote recovery.

As you can see, eating both before and after training can be beneficial, as long as you adapt your choice to your goals and your body's needs. If you're looking for options to give your body the fuel it needs, TOYOU has designed energy bars and granolas that will help you boost your training and work out with more energy than ever.

Source:

International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: nutrient timing.