Everything You Need to Know About Pre-Workout Nutrition
One of the first pieces of advice I received in bodybuilding was about pre-workout nutrition. I was told that if I didn’t consume proteins and carbohydrates immediately before training, I would miss an opportunity to accelerate muscle growth—or even hinder it. So, without fail, I made it a routine to eat before every workout.
You’ve probably heard similar advice. For decades, bodybuilders have sung the praises of pre-workout nutrition. But how important is it, really? Does eating before a workout truly help us build muscle faster?
The short answer is:
Pre-workout nutrition is not as crucial as many think, but it’s not entirely without merit. This article will explain why. By the end, you’ll understand why pre-workout nutrition is “important,” what an ideal pre-workout meal looks like, the truth about the “anabolic window,” and more. Let’s dive in.
Why Pre-Workout Nutrition?
Every day, your body continuously breaks down and rebuilds muscle proteins. This process, known as the “protein turnover rate,” generally balances itself out.
However, things change when you exercise. Research shows that protein synthesis rates decrease during resistance and cardio training, while both protein breakdown and synthesis rates increase shortly after the workout, with breakdown rates initially exceeding synthesis rates.
In simple terms, exercise is a catabolic activity—especially during fasted or prolonged training sessions. This is why the saying, “You don’t build muscle in the gym,” holds some truth. Training breaks down muscle tissue, and repair, recovery, and growth occur during the “rest phase” between workouts.
Mechanically speaking, muscle growth happens when protein synthesis rates exceed breakdown rates over extended periods. Therefore, to build muscle as quickly as possible, you should aim to keep protein synthesis rates equal to or higher than breakdown rates.
The more time your body spends in this anabolic state, the faster you’ll build muscle. This is why it’s essential to consume enough calories and protein daily, use strategies to accelerate muscle recovery, and focus on pre-workout nutrition—a cornerstone of bodybuilding.
The goal of a pre-workout meal is simple: to reduce muscle breakdown and increase muscle synthesis rates. That’s the idea, but how does it actually work?
Should You Eat Protein Before a Workout?
If you haven’t eaten protein in the 3–4 hours before your workout, it’s a good idea to consume around 30–40 grams before training. If you have eaten protein within the last few hours, there’s no need for an additional intake; you can eat after your workout instead.
Understanding this advice helps clarify not just pre-workout nutrition but also general muscle-building nutrition. When it comes to building muscle, consuming protein achieves two key things:
- It increases muscle protein synthesis rates and suppresses breakdown rates.
- It provides the raw materials (amino acids) your body needs to build muscle tissue.
For optimal muscle growth, aim to consume about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily, divided into 4–6 separate servings spaced every 3–4 hours.
Now, where does pre-workout protein fit into this framework?
If you haven’t eaten protein in the 3–4 hours before training, your muscle-building machinery will be in a dormant state, waiting for its next protein intake to restart. Ideally, you should eat protein soon after synthesis rates return to baseline, keeping them elevated throughout your waking hours. Additionally, eating protein before bed can sustain muscle-building activity while you sleep.
Any time your muscle-building processes are inactive is essentially wasted time. If you train several hours after eating, those processes stay dormant longer, and waiting too long to eat after your workout means breakdown rates will surpass synthesis rates, leading to muscle loss.
This explains why some studies show that consuming protein before a workout boosts muscle growth, especially in fasted states. If you’ve eaten protein an hour or two before training, amino acids will already be in your bloodstream, insulin levels will be elevated, and muscle protein synthesis rates will be high. In this case, eating protein again before training won’t make much difference. That’s why research shows that pre-workout protein has little effect on muscle gains under these conditions.
Should You Eat Carbohydrates Before a Workout?
Yes. Research on pre-workout carbohydrate consumption is clear: it improves performance.
Specifically, eating carbohydrates 15–60 minutes before a workout helps you train harder and may also aid recovery and muscle growth.
Here’s how it works:
- Pre-workout carbohydrates provide an abundance of glucose (blood sugar), offering immediate energy.
- This helps maintain muscle glycogen stores—the body’s primary fuel source for resistance training. Keeping glycogen levels high improves exercise performance and supports muscle-building cellular signaling.
While carbohydrates don’t directly stimulate muscle growth like protein, they provide the energy needed for intense workouts, which enhances muscle and strength gains over time.
Interestingly, studies also show that simply rinsing your mouth with a carbohydrate drink can improve workout performance. This effect likely stems from receptors in your mouth that signal your brain about energy availability, allowing your body to exert more effort.
As for carbohydrate sources, you don’t need expensive supplements. Around 30–40 grams of any carbohydrate consumed 30 minutes before training will do the trick. Healthy options include oatmeal, dates, figs, watermelon, white potatoes, white rice, raisins, or sweet potatoes.
Should You Eat Fats Before a Workout?
You can, but it’s not necessary. While some theories suggest that consuming fats before a workout might improve performance, the research is inconclusive. According to a study by Deakin University, although pre-workout fats can influence metabolism (reducing carbohydrate usage), they don’t appear to enhance exercise performance.
Pre-Workout Nutrition Summary
Nutrient timing is far less important than hitting your macros and sticking to a meal plan. That said, once you’ve covered these basics, optimizing meal timing can help you build muscle faster. Fortunately, it’s not overly complicated:
- Consume protein and carbohydrates every few hours.
- Eat before your workout if you haven’t eaten recently.
- Eat after your workout, sooner rather than later.
- Prioritize nutrient-dense foods for most of your calories.
By following these guidelines, you’ll set yourself up for success in both performance and muscle growth.
