Prime Body Lab

Discover how to eat before and after a workout, including the best foods for fueling your body to support energy, recovery and your fitness.

The post A Simple Guide on What to Eat Before and After a Workout appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.

What you should eat before and after a workout is one of the most hotly debated topics in fitness. Some influencers swear by fasted exercise, claiming that skipping pre-workout fuel leads to better fat burn and metabolic benefits. Others argue that pairing carbohydrates with a bit of protein is the key to getting more out of every sweat session. So, who’s actually right?

The science is. Research consistently shows that fueling your body both before and after exercise supports better performance, muscle growth, and recovery (1,2,8). In this article, we’ll break down why pre- and post-workout nutrition matters. Plus, we’ll share practical examples of what to eat before and after you train so you can make the most of your workouts.

Why Eating Around Workouts Matters

Think of your body like a car; food is the fuel that keeps it running (3). Just as you wouldn’t set out on a road trip without gas in the tank, heading into a workout without proper nourishment can leave you running on empty. 

The same idea applies to post-workout nutrition. On a long road trip, you wouldn’t expect your car to make it home without refueling along the way. Your body works the same way; after a workout, it needs to be “topped off” with the right fuel to recover, rebuild muscle, and be ready for what’s next (2). When your body is well fueled, it performs better and recovers more efficiently (1,2,8).

MyFitnessPal dietitian Joanna Gregg shares, “Food doesn’t just provide immediate energy in the form of glucose to power your workout; it also supplies the building blocks your muscles need to repair and rebuild afterward (1,2,4).” That’s why both pre- and post-workout nutrition matter