What to eat after a workout

The anabolic window, explained properly

For years, gym lore said you had 30 minutes after training to get protein in or you would lose your gains. Research since has shown the window is much wider. The muscle-building response to training stays raised for at least 24 hours, and protein eaten in the hours before a session also counts.

That said, the timing is not irrelevant. If you trained fasted at 6am and have not eaten since the previous evening, it makes sense to eat reasonably soon afterwards. If you had a good meal two hours before training, there is no rush.

Protein: how much after training

For most adults, 20 to 40 g of protein, or roughly 0.3 to 0.4 g per kg of body weight, maximises the response in a single meal. Older adults tend to need the upper end of that range because muscles become less sensitive to protein with age.

After a whole body session, research suggests a slightly bigger serving, around 40 g, may give a bit more benefit than 20 g. That is easy to reach with food:

Plant eaters can hit the same targets, but plant proteins are usually a little lower in leucine, the amino acid most linked with muscle building. A slightly bigger portion, or mixing sources such as tofu with edamame or lentils with a soya yoghurt, covers the difference.

• A chicken breast with rice and vegetables: around 35 to 40 g
• Three eggs with two slices of toast and a glass of milk: around 30 g
• A 200 g pot of skyr with fruit and a sprinkle of granola: around 20 to 25 g
• A tin of tuna in a jacket potato with cheese: around 35 g
• A tofu and edamame stir fry with noodles: around 25 to 30 g

A protein shake is simply a convenient option when food is not practical. Our guide to protein shakes looks at when they are worth using.

Carbohydrate: when it matters most

How much carbohydrate you need after training depends on what you did and when you train next.

• A normal strength session and nothing hard until tomorrow evening: your usual meals will refill your stores. No special effort needed.
• A long or intense conditioning session, such as a HYROX simulation: include a good portion of carbohydrate in the next meal, such as rice, potatoes, pasta, bread or fruit.
• Training twice in one day, or early the next morning: prioritise carbohydrate soon after the first session so you start the next one with fuel in the tank.

If you are trying to lose fat, you do not need to add extra food after training on top of your plan. Simply place one of your planned meals after the session. The calorie deficit you run across the week is what drives fat loss, not when the carbs arrive.

Morning sessions versus late evening sessions

Morning trainers have it easy. Finish a 6am class at Lycan Strength, go home or to work, and have breakfast with a solid protein source. Overnight oats, eggs on toast or a yoghurt bowl you prepared the night before all work well if you are short on time.

Evening trainers often worry about eating late. Finishing a 7pm class, getting home and eating dinner at 8:30 or 9pm is completely fine. Calories eaten late at night are not stored as fat because of the clock. What matters is your total intake.

If a big meal close to bed disturbs your sleep, split it: a smaller dinner and a protein snack such as Greek-style yoghurt or cottage cheese later on. Some research suggests protein before bed supports overnight muscle repair, though the effect is modest compared with getting enough protein across the whole day.

Shift workers and parents juggling bedtimes often train at odd hours. The same rules apply: get a proper protein-rich meal in within a couple of hours, and make the rest of your day's eating fit around it rather than the other way round. If you regularly finish training with no time or energy to cook, batch cooking at the weekend removes the problem.

Fluids, alcohol and the rest

For most sessions under an hour, water and a normal meal are all you need to rehydrate. Meals contain salt and fluid, which helps you hold on to what you drink. After very sweaty sessions or hot days, see our guide to hydration for training.

Alcohol straight after training is worth thinking about. A pint with friends after a session is not going to ruin anything, but several drinks reduce the muscle-building response and disrupt sleep. If you have a night out planned, eat a proper protein-rich meal first.

Finally, how sore you feel is not a reliable measure of how well you fed yourself. Delayed soreness is normal after new or hard training and fades within a few days whatever you eat. Our guide to DOMS explains why.