What to Eat Before and After Your Workout
May 13, 2025
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This article breaks down the ideal pre- and post-workout meals to help beginners and fitness enthusiasts maximize every drop of sweat.
You’ve finally committed to hitting the gym or joining that fitness class. But despite your effort, the results are slower than expected.
What if the missing piece isn’t in your reps but in your meals? The food choices we make around our workouts can seriously affect our performance, recovery, and results.
Honestly, with all the conflicting advice out there, it's no wonder so many of us feel lost in the protein-carb-fat maze.
This article breaks down the ideal pre- and post-workout meals to help beginners and fitness enthusiasts maximize every drop of sweat.
Does What You Eat Around Workouts Really Matter?
Short answer? Yes. But don’t panic.
Think of your body like a car. If you’re headed out for a road trip, you want a full tank or at least enough gas to get you to the next stop.
Same deal with your workouts.
Whether you’re lifting, running, or doing some chaotic HIIT video you found on YouTube at 2 AM, your body needs fuel to perform.
What you eat before a workout affects how hard you can push, and what you eat afterward helps you bounce back faster, stronger, and hopefully less sore. Nutrition tracking apps make this process so much simpler than the old-school food journal approach. Tracking what you eat before and after workouts helps you:
Connect the dots between your nutrition and performance
Spot patterns in how certain foods affect your energy levels
Adjust your intake based on real results, not just guesswork
Build consistent habits that support your fitness goals
Pre-Workout Fuel
When to Eat Before Your Workout
When it comes to pre-workout nutrition, timing can be just as important as what you're actually eating.
Ideally, you want to eat 30 minutes to 2 hours before your workout. That sweet spot depends on what you're eating and how your stomach handles food.
If you’re scarfing down eggs and toast, maybe give yourself a solid hour. What if it’s just a banana or a smoothie? You’re probably good to go in 30 minutes. These quick-digesting options provide the energy you need.
What to Eat Before Your Workout
You want carbs + a little protein. Carbs give you the energy to move, while protein supports your muscles. Here are some easy pre-workout combos:
Greek yogurt with honey and berries
A slice of whole-grain toast with peanut butter
Banana and a handful of almonds
Oatmeal with a splash of milk and a few walnuts
Quick tip: Use a nutrition tracker like Biteme and log these ahead of time. That way, you’ll know whether you’re hitting your macros without guessing.
Mid-Workout Snacks
Unless you're doing marathon running or cycling, you probably don’t need to eat during your workout. Hydration? Absolutely. But food? Not usually.
That said, if your session goes beyond 90 minutes, small sips of a carb-based drink or energy gels might help.
Post-Workout Meals
You’ve crushed your workout, now what? This is where recovery kicks in.
There's been lots of talk about the "anabolic window." This is the 30-to-45-minute period after exercise when your body is supposedly most receptive to nutrients.
While getting nutrients soon after your workout is smart, that window’s not as tiny as you’ve been told. You have up to 1-2 hours to replenish and rebuild after a workout.
A good rule of thumb is to aim for 15-25 grams of protein and 30-40 grams of carbs. Some practical options include the following:
Chocolate milk
A protein shake with banana
A turkey sandwich with a piece of fruit
Scrambled eggs with toast and avocado
Grilled chicken and sweet potatoes
Once you've had your recovery snack, aim for a complete meal within a few hours. Something like grilled salmon with sweet potato and roasted vegetables would be perfect. Or a hearty grain bowl with quinoa, chicken, avocado, and roasted veggies.
Don’t Forget Hydration
You can eat all the right things, but if you’re dehydrated, your performance tanks.
No, you don’t need to chug Gatorade after a 20-minute walk. But if you’re soaked after spin class? Yeah, toss in some electrolytes. Coconut water, Nuun tablets, and even a pinch of salt in lemon water can help. Here’s a good guideline to follow:
Drink 16-20oz of water 2-3 hours before exercise
Sip 7-10oz every 10-20 minutes during your workout
Consume 16-24oz for every pound lost during exercise
Many nutrition apps now include hydration tracking as well. It’s a helpful reminder for those of us who forget to drink enough throughout the day.
How Nutrition Tracking Apps Can Level Up Your Game
Nutrition apps make it easier to spot patterns. Are you eating enough protein? Are you low on iron? Are you always reaching for carbs post-workout but skipping breakfast?
Seeing your habits laid out like a dashboard can be kind of eye-opening. Most good nutrition apps let you:
Log meals and snacks with barcode scanning
Track macronutrients and micronutrients
Create custom meals for your pre/post workout routines
Sync with your Apple Health to keep your health data in one place
If tracking everything sounds overwhelming, you can start with just one meal, like your post-workout snack. Or just track protein for a week. Baby steps. You don’t have to be perfect to make progress.
Let your nutrition tracker be your guide. Use it to learn your habits, not to beat yourself up. Because honestly? The most effective fitness plan is the one you can actually enjoy sticking with.
You can download Biteme for iOS from the App Store!
