There is a lot of misunderstanding regarding nutritional needs for someone who is doing a cardio and HIIT workout versus a steady-state cardio workout versus a weight lifting session. We are going to dig into (and hopefully simplify) some of the differences between nutritional needs for cardio workouts versus lifting workouts, and give you some tips for how to optimize your results and get to your fitness goals more efficiently.
Does it really matter what you eat before and after workouts?
The answer is a resounding yes! Fueling up adequately before your workouts will not only allow for better performance throughout your workout, but also better awareness and alertness, and quicker recovery. Fueling after workouts can also help minimize muscle damage, but also maximize recovery, aid in reducing muscle soreness, and prepare you for your next workout.
What are the differences between nutrition for cardio workouts and strength workouts?
Cardio workouts, and specifically endurance training, require higher amounts of carbohydrates for adequate fueling of the muscles and for recovery.
- Emphasis is on carbohydrates because they empty quickly from the stomach and become readily available to be used by the muscles.
- Replenishment of depleted muscle glycogen stores (glycogen is your muscles’ carbohydrate energy reserves to fuel future workouts) is important for not only minimizing muscle breakdown, but also preparing your body for it’s next workout.
Strength training will require greater amounts of protein to repair the damage of the muscles after lifting.
- Carbohydrates also play an important role in strength training because they are critical for replenishing muscle glycogen (see above) and for creating an environment that supports tissue building.
- Protein provides essential amino acids, which further promote an anabolic environment and provide the building blocks for muscle repair and growth.
Here are some specific recommendations:
1. Pre-Workout Nutrition for Cardio Workouts
2-4 hours before a cardio or HIIT workout: A well-balanced meal with higher carbohydrate content and smaller amounts of protein and fat are best for a cardio workout. Think 60% carbohydrate, 20% protein, and 20% fat.
Some ideas: Oatmeal with milk, fruit, and nuts, a turkey sandwich with fruit, some cottage cheese with crackers and fruit, or toast and peanut butter.
1 hour-30 min before a workout: Eat a serving of a simple carbohydrate with a little bit of protein. Simple carbohydrates are those with less fiber, such as white toast, honey, crackers, fruit juice, etc. This will be digested faster than more complex carbohydrates and will be quickly used by the body to fuel movement.
Some ideas: A slice of toast with peanut butter or sliced turkey, a banana with a tablespoon of peanut butter, or crackers with some cheese.
To stay hydrated, drink 2 cups (16 oz or 1 pint) of fluid 1-2 hours before your workout.
Note: Now, if you are training for an endurance sport and are going to be doing a workout for over 2 hours, you will need even more carbohydrates to fuel your performance and will need some snacks during your training (note; this is beyond the scope of this article). This is where you might see the use of gummies, candy bars, dried fruit, or sugary electrolyte drinks.
2. Post-Workout Nutrition for Cardio Workouts
Recovery involves replenishing the glycogen stores used during the workout, optimizing protein synthesis to repair damaged muscle tissue and stimulate the development of new tissue, and replacing fluids and electrolytes that were lost through sweat. You want to provide the muscles with what they need to recover, but you also want to ensure that your body is fueled and ready for your next workout.
Once again, a well-balanced meal eaten 2 hours after exercise is enough to aid in recovery and re-fuel muscles.
If you know you are not going to have time for a whole meal after a workout, consume carbohydrate-rich foods with some protein.
Some ideas: Chocolate milk, a high-density nutrition bar, yogurt, or a fruit smoothie.
After exercise, make sure you are drinking plenty of water! Drink at least 2 cups of water after exercise.
3. Pre-Workout Nutrition for Strength Training
2-4 hours before a workout: Have a meal that is high in carbohydrate and protein, and low in fat and fiber. This combination will help maintain the blood’s glucose levels, minimize gastrointestinal distress, and provide enough protein to be available for the muscles to repair themselves quickly during and after the workout.
1 hour-30 minutes before a workout: If you have not had a meal a few hours before starting exercise, it’s best to consume 12-15 g of high-quality protein, along with a serving or two (15-30 g) of carbohydrate.
Some ideas: 12 oz (355 ml) of low fat chocolate milk (12 g protein, 39 g carbs), ½ cup (81 g) low fat cottage cheese or greek yogurt and ½ cup fruit (15 g protein, 19 g carbs), or 2 eggs with a slice of white toast.
Hydration remains just as important in strength training as it does during cardio training. Consume at least 2 cups (16 oz or 1 pint) of water 1-2 hours before training.
4. Post-Workout Nutrition for Strength Training
There is a slight increase in muscle protein synthesis (building) after resistance workouts. This is why you might see a bodybuilder run out of the gym chugging a protein shake or BCAAs (branched-chain amino acid). Within 2 hours of a strength or resistance workout, eat a well-balanced meal with a good source of protein (whether from animal source or plant source). Generally, the recommendation is to consume around 20 grams for women and 25-30 grams for men in your post-workout meal or snack, but this depends on your size, weight, and age.
The optimal carbohydrate-to-protein ratio for a post-strength workout meal is 3:1. So think 20 grams of protein and 60 grams of carbohydrates. As a reminder, carbohydrates are important to rebuild glycogen stores in the body and in the muscle tissue, especially for those who are exercising more often or multiple times a day. If you are having a rest day or two between workouts, the nutrients you eat in the meals in between should be sufficient for recovery and preparation for your next workout.
20 grams of protein and 60 grams of carbohydrate might look like: 1 cup (8 oz or 285 g) of Greek yogurt with a cup of fruit and 2 slices of whole wheat toast with avocado or 4 oz (~120 g) chicken with 1 cup of rice, 1 cup broccoli, and ½ cup fruit.
Final thoughts:
Good performance and prepping your body to work hard is not simply a matter of eating something right before or right after.
Are you focusing on nutrient-dense food throughout the day? It is important for the diet to be mainly composed of nutrient-dense whole foods. Workout and sports nutrition is not just about “pre” and “post” workout snacks or meals. Everything you eat will have some kind of influence on your recovery, fueling, and performance during workouts.
Everybody is different and needs something different depending on their goals and training. Someone who is trying to lose weight will have different needs from someone who is focusing on building endurance or gaining muscle mass. In addition, different foods work differently for different people. This article provides some solid, general advice, but take time to experiment with what works best for fueling your different workouts. We cannot emphasize this enough! This might take a couple days or weeks or even months, but learning what fuels your body the best will not only improve your performance and recovery, but will also help you get to your goals more quickly.
Share your experience with us by leaving a comment below. Have questions or want to learn more? Just let us know, and we'll be happy to help.
Written for Fitness Blender by Natalia Holguin, RDN LDN CPT
Certified Nutrition Coach
Sources:
Campbell, Bill, et al. “International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Protein and Exercise.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, vol. 4, no. 1, 2007, p. 8. Crossref, doi:10.1186/1550-2783-4-8.
Clark, Nancy. Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook. Sixth, Human Kinetics, 2019.
Nutrition, Evolution. “Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition for Strength Training.” American Council on Exercise, 23 Apr. 2015.
“Position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance.” Journal of the American Dietetic Association, vol. 109, no. 3, 2009, pp. 509–27. Crossref, doi:10.1016/j.jada.2009.01.005.