The supplement industry has built an empire around workout nutrition. Pre-workouts, intra-workouts, post-workouts, recovery formulas - it's endless. Most of it is unnecessary.
Here's what the research actually supports.
Pre-Workout: Fuel Your Training
The goal before training is simple: have enough energy to train well. You don't need special supplements - you need food.
🔶 Before Training
What to eat: A balanced meal with carbs, protein, and some fat. The closer to training, the smaller and more carb-focused it should be.
Examples:
- 3 hours before: Chicken, rice, vegetables (full meal)
- 1-2 hours before: Oats with banana and Greek yogurt
- 30-60 mins before: Banana or toast with honey (light, carb-focused)
Training fasted? Some people prefer fasted training - it's fine for most workouts. Performance may suffer slightly for longer or intense sessions. If you train first thing, consider a small snack or train fasted and prioritise post-workout nutrition.
❌ Myth: Pre-Workout Supplements Are Essential
The active ingredient in most pre-workouts is caffeine. A cup of coffee provides the same benefit. Other common ingredients (beta-alanine, citrulline) have modest benefits at best - far less than good sleep and overall nutrition.
Post-Workout: The "Anabolic Window"
The idea that you must eat protein within 30 minutes or "lose your gains" is largely myth. However, post-workout nutrition does matter - just not as urgently as marketers suggest.
🔷 After Training
What to eat: A meal with protein (25-40g) and carbohydrates. This supports muscle protein synthesis and glycogen replenishment.
Examples:
- Chicken breast with rice and vegetables
- Salmon with sweet potato
- Greek yogurt with fruit and granola
- Protein shake with banana (if a meal isn't convenient)
🎯 The Practical Reality
If you train fasted or haven't eaten for 4+ hours pre-workout, post-workout protein becomes more important. If you had a meal 1-2 hours before training, the "window" is much wider - a few hours, not 30 minutes.
What Actually Matters More
People obsess over workout nutrition while missing bigger factors:
- Total daily protein - 1.6-2.2g/kg body weight matters far more than precise timing
- Total calories - Sufficient energy intake supports training and recovery
- Sleep - Most recovery happens during sleep, not immediately post-workout
- Hydration - Being properly hydrated affects performance more than any supplement
- Consistency - Eating well most days matters more than perfecting workout nutrition
Special Considerations
Endurance training (running, cycling 1+ hours): Carbohydrate intake becomes more important. Consider carbs during longer sessions (gels, sports drinks) and prioritise carb-rich post-workout meals.
Multiple sessions per day: If you train twice daily, post-workout nutrition and timing matter more. Rapid glycogen replenishment (carbs + protein within 30-60 mins) becomes genuinely important.
Training for fat loss: Post-workout nutrition still helps recovery, but you can be more flexible with timing if overall calories are controlled.
💡 The Bottom Line
Eat a balanced meal before training (when practical), eat protein and carbs reasonably soon after. Don't stress about exact timing or special supplements. The fundamentals - total nutrition, sleep, consistent training - matter far more than optimising workout nutrition.
