Do you need to have a shake immediately post-workout? When is the best time to eat carbs? Should you eat a high-fat breakfast? 

The truth is that meal timing doesn’t really make that much difference when it comes to fat loss.

However, creating an eating schedule that works for you can help manage hunger, while boosting performance and recovery.

Check out everything you need to know about meal timing and scheduling your meals. 

Key Takeaways

• If you train during the daytime, we recommend timing your workout to fall between two of your normal meals. 

• For most people, the main priority for intra-workout nutrition is adequate hydration. 
• You don’t need to eat immediately after a workout for fear of losing all your “gains”. 
• Aim to get a protein-rich meal in within two hours of training.  
• A whey protein shake isn’t essential, but your body will make the most use of its nutrients in the time immediately post workout. 

There are three potential eating windows around a workout: pre, intra (during) and post-workout.  

Check out these key points for optimal performance nutrition before writing your meal plan: 

Pre-workout 

If you train during the daytime, we recommend timing your workout to fall between two of your normal meals. 

Aim to leave at least one hour between the pre-workout meal and the start of your workout to prevent indigestion. 

Intra-workout 

If proper pre-workout nutrition is in place and you are training for 60 minutes or less, you do not need to consume any additional protein, fat or carbohydrate during your workout. Instead, your primary concern should be remaining properly hydrated. However, our Amplify drink can help you make the most of your time in the gym by helping you to train harder and for longer.   

Post-workout 

For years, it was widely believed that you must consume some form of post-workout nutrition as soon as possible following the end of your workout. However, we now know that the need for immediate post-workout nutrition is less critical, because: 

It takes several hours to digest a meal. Therefore, the nutrients from your pre-workout meal will be sufficient to support the post-workout recovery process. 

Research shows that resistance training to failure causes an increased anabolic (growth) response to protein consumption that lasts for up to 24 hours.  

You only need to rapidly replenish your body’s carbohydrate stores if you train the same muscle groups to exhaustion twice in one day. In most cases, you will have at least 24 hours before you re-train a specific muscle group. 

This does not mean that you should completely disregard post-workout nutrition. There is no benefit to delaying the recovery process, and many of our clients enjoy a well-earned protein shake after a challenging workout. 

If you are training first thing in the morning or at another point during the day where you have not eaten for more than four to six hours, we recommend having a small (roughly 200 kCal), easy-to-digest, protein-based pre-workout snack. For example, a protein shake and some fruit, such as berries. 

Alternatively, if you prefer to train fasted and it does not affect your performance, make sure to eat soon after your workout finishes.

Comprehension question:

Research shows that resistance training to failure causes an increased anabolic (growth) response to protein consumption that lasts for up to how long?

• 24 hours  
• 36 hours  
• 48 hours  
• 12 hours