What you eat before your workout can make a significant difference in your ability to build muscle. Learn the best foods to eat, when to eat them, and the key nutrients your body needs to perform at its best.
Meal Timing is Everything
The timing of your pre-workout meal is just as important as what you’re eating. Eating at the right time ensures you’re providing your body with the energy and nutrients it needs to perform at its best. Eating at the wrong time can leave you feeling uncomfortable and reduce the effectiveness of your workout.
3-4 Hours Before
Your 3-4 hour meal before your workout is just as important. This is when you want to be eating a combination of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. This holy trinity will provide you with a stable source of energy and replenish your glycogen stores.
Skipping this meal will leave you feeling fatigued and lethargic, which will definitely impact your ability to perform at the gym and build muscle. Eating at this time will give you the nutrients you need to power through your workout and increase your athletic performance.
1-2 Hours
About an hour to an hour and a half before your workout, you want to start eating a protein-rich meal with some complex carbohydrates. This will give you a steady flow of energy without filling you up like a bigger meal would.
Combining lean proteins with complex carbs will help you preserve muscle mass and increase your performance. This meal should be smaller than your 3-4 hour meal, but just as nutrient-dense.
30 Minutes
In the half hour leading up to your workout, reach for a small snack that’s high in simple carbohydrates and low in protein. This will give you a quick pick-me-up without making you feel uncomfortable.
Nothing Within an Hour
Definitely avoid eating a large meal within an hour of your workout. You’ll feel bloated and uncomfortable, and it will negatively impact your performance. Stick to something light and easy to digest, like apple slices with peanut butter or a scoop of protein mixed with a banana.
Carbs, Protein, and Healthy Fats
To build muscle, you need to be eating a balance of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats. Carbohydrates are your energy source, protein is for building and repairing muscle, and healthy fats are important, but easily overdone.
Protein
Protein is what you want to be building and repairing muscle with. It’s also important for keeping you full and satisfied between meals.
Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are important, but easily overdone. They’re not as detrimental on a meal-by-meal basis, but can be when consumed in excess over time.
Carbohydrats
Carbohydrates are your energy source. They help feed your muscles and fuel your workouts. Complex carbohydrates, like brown rice and oatmeal, are your best bet. They’ll provide you with a steady source of energy and prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes. Complex carbs convert to ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, which is the energy currency for your muscle contractions. They’re also stored in your muscle cells and liver as glycogen.
Eating complex carbohydrates 2-3 hours before your workout will give you a full reserve of energy to burn.
Protein Synthesis
Protein is important for repairing and rebuilding your muscles. Eating protein before your workout will help prevent muscle breakdown and support recovery. Aim for 15-25 grams of protein from sources like lean meats, dairy, or protein shakes.
Whey protein is especially helpful for increasing protein synthesis during and after your workout. Eating protein before your workout will also help reduce muscle damage and support new muscle growth.
Small Amounts of Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are important, but they’re also slow to digest. This can leave you feeling sluggish if you eat too much before your workout. You can still enjoy healthy fats at meal time, just keep them to a minimum before you exercise.
Avocado or Nuts
Avocado and nuts are healthy fats that can provide additional nutrition. They’re not necessary, but they can be a healthy addition to your meals.
Best Foods to Eat Before a Workout for Muscle Building
What you eat before your workout is almost as important as what you’re lifting. The right foods will give you the energy and nutrients you need to perform at your best and support muscle growth.
Here are some of the best foods to eat before a workout for muscle building:
Oats with Fruit
Oats are a great complex carbohydrate source that will give you a steady flow of energy. They’re a perfect pre-workout food to help you power through your workout.
Chicken and Sweet Potato
Chicken and sweet potato is a great combo for a muscle building meal before your workout. Chicken is a lean protein source that’s perfect for building and repairing muscle. Sweet potato is a complex carbohydrate that will give you a full reserve of energy.
This meal has everything you need to perform at your best.
Fruit Smoothies with Protein
A smoothie made with fruit and protein powder is a quick and easy meal to grab before your workout. The natural sugars from the fruit will give you a quick source of glucose, while the protein will provide additional nutrients.
Sample Pre-Workout Meal Ideas
Here are some sample pre-workout meal ideas that will give you the nutrients you need to perform at your best and support muscle growth.
- High-Protein Omelette with Veggies
- Turkey and Avocado Wrap
- Greek Yogurt with Berries and Honey
- Chicken and Sweet Potato
- Breakfast Burgers
Protein: Eggs are a great source of protein and will help you build and repair muscle.
Vegetables: Fill your omelette with vegetables like spinach and kale for additional vitamins and minerals.
Greek Yogurt with Mixed Berries and Honey
Greek yogurt with mixed berries and honey is a delicious and nutritious pre-workout meal. Complex carbohydrates from the berries and honey provide a natural energy boost, while protein from the yogurt helps support muscle recovery.
Chicken and Sweet Potato
Chicken and sweet potato is a great pre-workout meal for muscle gain. Chicken is a lean protein source that’s perfect for building and repairing muscle, while sweet potato is a complex carbohydrate that will give you a full reserve of energy.
This meal has everything you need to perform at your best.
Turkey: Lean protein source that’s perfect for building and repairing muscle.
Whole Grain Bread: Complex carbohydrates that will give you a full reserve of energy.
Avocado: Healthy fats that provide additional nutrition and energy.
Protein: Greek yogurt is a great source of protein and will help you build and repair muscle.
Supplements to Take Before a Workout
There are several supplements that can help enhance your pre-workout nutrition and provide additional benefits for your workout. Here are some of the best supplements to take before a workout:
- Whey Protein
- BCAAs
- Creatine
Whey Protein
Whey protein is a great supplement to take before a workout. It’ll help increase your protein intake and provide additional nutrients to support muscle growth and recovery.
BCAAs
BCAAs are also a good supplement to take before a workout. They’ll help increase your amino acid profile and provide additional fuel for your workout.
Creatine
Creatine is a must-supplement if you’re trying to increase strength and power. It’ll help increase your muscle mass and endurance.
Take your pre-workout supplements 30 minutes before your workout. You can take them with water or mixed with a small meal, like a banana or a homemade fruit smoothie. This will give your body time to absorb the nutrients and provide the energy and nutrients you need to perform at your best.
Glutamine
Glutamine is an recovery supplement that will help support your immune system and reduce muscle breakdown.
L-Arginine
L-arginine is a supplement that’s not necessary for most people to take. It’s only needed if you’re not able to produce nitric oxide, which can be a problem for people with cardiovascular issues.
L-Citrulline
L-citrulline is a supplement that’s not necessary for most people to take. It’s only needed if you’re not able to produce nitric oxide, which can be a problem for people with cardiovascular issues.
Don’t Waste Your Workouts: Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even the best of us fall prey to common pre-workout nutrition mistakes that can ruin your workout and prevent you from seeing results. Here are some of the most common mistakes to avoid:
Eating Too Close to Your Workout
Eating too close to your workout can be problematic and lead to digestive issues. You want to make sure you have time to digest your meal and absorb the nutrients before your workout.
Not Eating Enough
Not eating enough is just as problematic as eating too much. You need fuel to perform at your best and support muscle growth.
Not Hydrating
Not hydrating is one of the most common mistakes people make before a workout. You need to make sure you’re drinking enough water throughout the day, and especially on top of your normal hydration routine, if you’re not drinking it before your workout.
Not Drinking Before and After
You need to make sure you’re drinking before, during, and after your workout.