What to eat before and after a workout
What you eat around training won't make up for a bad week of eating, but it does help you train harder and recover faster. The rules are simpler than most supplement ads suggest.
Before training: fuel, don't stuff
The goal is to start with enough energy and a comfortable stomach.
- 2 to 4 hours before: a normal meal with carbs, protein and a little fat. For example, a chicken + rice box, a poke bowl, or rice with grilled meat and vegetables.
- 30 to 60 minutes before: if you haven't eaten for a while, have something small and easy to digest: a banana, a yogurt, toast with honey.
- Keep fat and fibre lower close to training. They slow digestion, which can feel heavy during intense sessions.
Sports nutrition guidelines suggest a pre-exercise meal with about 1 to 4 g of carbs per kg of body weight in the 1 to 4 hours before longer or harder sessions. For a normal 60-minute gym session, a regular meal a few hours earlier is plenty.
After training: protein first, then refill
After a session, your muscles are ready to repair and to refill their energy stores.
- Protein: aim for 20 to 40 g in the meal after training, about 0.25 to 0.4 g per kg of body weight. That's roughly 150 g of chicken breast, 5 eggs, or one high-protein meal box.
- Carbs: refill what you used. After a hard session or if you train again within 24 hours, include a good portion of rice, potatoes, noodles or fruit.
- Timing: you don't need to sprint to the locker room with a shake. Eating a proper meal within about 2 hours is enough for most people. It matters more if you trained fasted or if your last meal was long ago.
Example days
Morning training (7:00)
- Before: a banana or yogurt at 6:15.
- After: a real breakfast with eggs, toast and fruit, or a protein-rich meal box.
Lunchtime training (12:00)
- Before: a solid breakfast around 8:00, a small snack at 11:00 if hungry.
- After: lunch with 35 to 45 g of protein and rice.
Evening training (18:30)
- Before: lunch as normal, then a snack around 16:30 (fruit, yogurt, a protein snack).
- After: dinner with protein and carbs, even if it's late. A late dinner won't ruin your progress.
Don't forget water and salt
Training in Bangkok means sweating a lot. Drink through the day, not just at the gym, and include some salt with your post-workout meal to help you rehydrate. We cover this in detail in our guide to training in the Bangkok heat.
What matters most
- Total protein over the day: about 1.6 g per kg of body weight (see how much protein you need).
- Enough total calories for your goal.
- A good meal before and after training, not a perfect one.
Athleat meals are built for this: most boxes have 35 to 45 g of protein with rice or grains, so one box covers your post-workout meal. Have one ready in the fridge and you don't need to think about it. See the menu.
This article is general information, not medical advice.