Pre, Intra and Post: Your Training Nutrition Map
Most people train hard but eat randomly. They smash a session, then wonder why they feel flat the next day. Or they skip breakfast, hit the gym at lunch, and crash halfway through. The problem isn't effort. It's timing.
Your body runs on fuel. Feed it at the wrong time and you're wasting energy. Feed it right and you recover faster, perform better, and make every session count. This guide maps out exactly what to eat before, during, and after training. No guesswork, just practical advice backed by UK health authorities.
Why Timing Matters
Your muscles store carbohydrate as glycogen. These stores are limited. According to the British Nutrition Foundation, your body only holds enough glycogen for around 90 minutes of exercise. Run out and your performance drops. Hard.
Protein works differently. Your muscles need amino acids to repair after training. Miss the window and recovery slows. The British Heart Foundation points to a 60-minute period after exercise when your muscles absorb nutrients most effectively. That's your opportunity.
Electrolytes keep your muscles firing. Lose too much sodium through sweat and you risk cramping, fatigue, or worse. The NHS recommends drinking extra fluids during physical activity, but water alone isn't always enough.
Get the timing right and you stack the odds in your favour. Get it wrong and you're training harder for less.
Pre-Workout: Loading the System
The goal before training is simple. Top up glycogen stores and give your body time to digest. Eating too close to a session leaves you sluggish. Leave it too long and you run on empty.
The Two to Four Hour Window
The British Heart Foundation recommends eating two to four hours before exercise. This gives your body time to break down food and convert it into usable energy. Your meal should be rich in slow-release carbohydrates. Think wholegrain bread, brown rice, wholemeal pasta, or porridge.
Portion size matters. Use your hand as a guide. Carbohydrates should be slightly bigger than your palm. Add a portion of protein the size of your palm for red meat, or your whole hand for white meat or fish. This keeps you satisfied without overloading your stomach.
A bowl of porridge with a banana and a handful of berries works. So does a chicken and brown rice bowl with vegetables. Or two slices of wholegrain toast with peanut butter and a glass of milk. The key is choosing foods that release energy slowly, avoiding the spike and crash you get from refined carbs.
The 30 to 60 Minute Option
Short on time? You can eat closer to your session, but keep it light. A banana provides around 20 grams of carbohydrate and is easy to digest. Two medjool dates give you roughly 30 grams. A small bowl of cereal with milk works too.
Avoid high-fibre foods if you're eating within an hour of training. They take longer to digest and can cause discomfort. Save the beans and lentils for your main meals.
What About Fat?
Fat slows digestion. That's fine for a meal eaten hours before training, but not ideal if you're eating closer to your session. Keep pre-workout meals low in fat. Skip the fried foods, creamy sauces, and fatty cuts of meat. Stick to lean protein and carbohydrate-rich foods.
Hydration Starts Early
Don't wait until you're thirsty. The British Heart Foundation suggests drinking 400 to 600 millilitres of water two to three hours before exercise, then another 200 to 250 millilitres in the lead-up to your session. This ensures you start well hydrated without needing constant toilet breaks.
Check your urine. Pale yellow means you're hydrated. Dark yellow or amber means you need more fluids. It's the simplest test you can do.
Intra-Workout: Keeping the Engine Running
For sessions under an hour, water is enough. Your glycogen stores will hold. But once you push past 60 to 90 minutes, those stores start to empty. That's when intra-workout nutrition becomes essential.
Carbohydrates During Exercise
The British Heart Foundation recommends 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour for sessions longer than 90 minutes. You can get this from sports drinks, energy gels, or whole foods.
A 500-millilitre isotonic sports drink provides around 30 grams of carbohydrate. One energy gel typically contains 20 to 25 grams. Six jelly babies give you roughly 25 grams. A banana provides about 20 grams. Choose what works for your stomach and your sport.
If you're running, gels and drinks are easier to carry. If you're cycling, you have more options. Energy bars, dried fruit, and even honey sandwiches work for longer rides. The key is practising during training. Don't experiment on race day.
Electrolytes and Hydration
Sweat contains sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes. Lose too much and your performance suffers. The British Heart Foundation highlights the risk of hyponatraemia, a condition caused by drinking too much plain water without replacing lost sodium. It can make you feel bloated, nauseous, and in extreme cases, it's dangerous.
Isotonic drinks are your best option for sessions over an hour. They contain both carbohydrates and electrolytes, and they're absorbed as fast as or faster than water. Examples include Lucozade Sport, Isostar, or fruit juice diluted 50/50 with water.
Aim to drink 150 to 300 millilitres every 15 to 20 minutes. Adjust based on how much you're sweating. Hot conditions mean you need more. Cooler weather means you can drink less. Listen to your body, but don't wait until you're desperately thirsty.
Hypotonic, Isotonic, Hypertonic
Not all sports drinks are the same. Hypotonic drinks are less concentrated than your body fluids. They rehydrate quickly but provide little energy. Plain water and diluted squash fall into this category. They're fine for short sessions but not ideal for endurance work.
Isotonic drinks match your body's fluid concentration. They rehydrate and refuel at the same time. This makes them the best choice for most endurance activities.
Hypertonic drinks are more concentrated than your body fluids. Think cola, lemonade, or neat fruit juice. They provide more energy but slow down fluid absorption. Save these for after training when you need a higher dose of carbohydrate.
What If You're Training Fasted?
Some people train on an empty stomach, particularly for early morning sessions. This works for short, low-intensity workouts. But for anything longer or more intense, you're better off eating something. Even a small snack can make a difference.
If you prefer fasted training, keep your sessions under an hour and stay well hydrated. Once you finish, prioritise your post-workout meal. Your body will need it.
Post-Workout: Repair and Refuel
The hour after training is when your body is most receptive to nutrients. This is your chance to speed up recovery, reduce muscle soreness, and replenish glycogen stores. Miss it and you're leaving gains on the table.
The 60-Minute Window
The British Heart Foundation describes this as the golden window. Protein synthesis, your body's process of building new muscle, is most effective during this time. Muscle glycogen uptake is also at its peak.
You need both protein and carbohydrates. Protein provides the amino acids to repair damaged muscle fibres. Carbohydrates replenish your glycogen stores. The ideal ratio is three to four parts carbohydrate to one part protein.
Aim for 15 to 25 grams of protein. That's roughly two eggs, a palm-sized piece of chicken, or a scoop of whey protein powder. Pair it with 45 to 100 grams of carbohydrate, depending on the intensity and duration of your session. A baked potato, a bowl of rice, or a couple of slices of wholemeal bread all work.
Practical Post-Workout Meals
A low-fat chocolate milkshake provides protein and carbohydrate in an easy-to-digest form. Supermarket own-brand versions work just as well as expensive alternatives. You're looking at around 10 to 15 grams of protein and 30 to 40 grams of carbohydrate per 500 millilitres.
Greek yoghurt with a banana and a handful of berries gives you roughly 15 grams of protein and 40 grams of carbohydrate. Add a drizzle of honey if you need more energy.
A two-egg sandwich on wholemeal bread provides around 15 grams of protein and 30 grams of carbohydrate. Simple, cheap, and effective.
If you're short on time or struggle to eat solid food after training, a protein shake works. Our NutriSport Whey Protein provides 23.6 grams of protein per 30-gram serving. Mix it with milk and a banana and you've got a complete recovery drink.
The Role of Amino Acids
Protein breaks down into amino acids. Your body uses these to repair muscle tissue. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in muscle cells and plays a key role in recovery. While your body can produce glutamine, intense training can deplete levels faster than they're replaced.
Supplementing with L-Glutamine may help reduce muscle soreness and support recovery, particularly after high-intensity sessions. It's suitable for vegetarians and vegans, and you can add it to water, juice, or a protein shake.
Don't Forget Carbohydrates
Protein gets all the attention, but carbohydrates are just as important. The British Nutrition Foundation explains that glycogen stores need replenishing after exercise. Without adequate carbohydrate, your muscles won't recover fully, and your next session will suffer.
If you've done a particularly hard or long session, aim for the higher end of the carbohydrate range. A bowl of pasta with chicken and vegetables works. So does a stir-fry with rice and lean beef. The key is getting both macronutrients in the same meal.
What If You Can't Eat Straight Away?
Life gets in the way. You might finish training and have to rush to work or pick up the kids. If you can't eat within 60 minutes, don't panic. The window doesn't slam shut. Research suggests that eating within two hours is still beneficial, though the sooner the better.
Keep a protein bar or a recovery shake in your bag. It's not ideal, but it's better than waiting three or four hours for your next meal.
Practical Application: Three Scenarios
Scenario One: Early Morning Gym Session
You wake at six, train at seven, and need to be at work by nine. You don't have time for a full meal before training.
Pre-Workout: A banana and a glass of water 20 minutes before you leave. Quick, easy, and won't sit heavy in your stomach.
Intra-Workout: Water. Your session is under an hour, so you don't need carbohydrates or electrolytes.
Post-Workout: A protein shake with a banana blended in, or two scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast. Eat within 30 minutes of finishing.
Scenario Two: Lunchtime Run
You're training for a half marathon. Your midweek runs are 60 to 90 minutes. You eat breakfast at seven and run at one.
Pre-Workout: A normal breakfast. Porridge with fruit, or scrambled eggs on toast. You're eating six hours before training, so you have plenty of time to digest. Have a small snack 30 minutes before your run. A handful of dried apricots or a cereal bar works.
Intra-Workout: For a 60-minute run, water is enough. If you're pushing towards 90 minutes, take an energy gel or a few jelly babies halfway through. Practise this during training.
Post-Workout: A chicken and salad sandwich on wholemeal bread, or a bowl of soup with a bread roll. Aim to eat within an hour.
Scenario Three: Evening Football Match
You finish work at five, play at seven. The match lasts 90 minutes. You need energy but don't want to feel bloated.
Pre-Workout: Eat a proper lunch at one. Pasta with chicken and vegetables, or a jacket potato with tuna. Have a light snack at five. A banana and a handful of nuts, or a slice of toast with honey.
Intra-Workout: Sip on an isotonic sports drink during the match. Aim for 500 millilitres over the 90 minutes. This gives you carbohydrates and electrolytes without overloading your stomach.
Post-Workout: A recovery shake or a bowl of cereal with milk. Follow it up with a proper meal an hour later. Lean meat, rice, and vegetables covers all bases.
Common Mistakes
Eating Too Much Before Training
A full stomach slows you down. You feel sluggish, and you might experience stomach cramps or nausea. Stick to the portion sizes recommended. If you're eating two to four hours before training, you can have a normal meal. If you're eating closer to your session, keep it light.
Drinking Too Much Plain Water
Overhydration is rare, but it happens. If you're drinking litres of plain water during a long session without replacing electrolytes, you risk diluting your blood sodium levels. This is called hyponatraemia. Symptoms include bloating, nausea, confusion, and in severe cases, seizures.
The fix is simple. Use isotonic drinks for sessions over an hour. Or add electrolyte tablets to your water bottle. Don't just chug water because you think you should.
Skipping Post-Workout Nutrition
You've just trained hard. Your muscles are primed to absorb nutrients. This is the best time to eat. Yet people skip it because they're not hungry, or they're trying to lose weight, or they're just too busy.
Missing this window slows recovery. You'll feel sore for longer. Your next session will be harder. And if you're trying to build muscle, you're wasting effort.
Even if you're not hungry, have something small. A protein shake takes two minutes to make and drink. It's enough to kickstart recovery.
Relying on Supplements Instead of Food
Protein powders, energy gels, and recovery drinks are convenient. But they're supplements, not replacements. Whole foods provide fibre, vitamins, and minerals that powders don't. They also tend to be cheaper.
Use supplements when you need convenience. After a tough session when you can't face solid food, a shake works. During a long run when carrying a sandwich isn't practical, a gel makes sense. But for everyday meals, choose real food first.
Ignoring Individual Needs
Everyone's different. A 50-kilogram runner needs less carbohydrate than a 90-kilogram rugby player. Someone training twice a week has different needs to someone training six days a week. The guidelines in this article are a starting point. Adjust based on your body, your sport, and your goals.
If you're feeling flat during training, you might need more carbohydrate beforehand. If you're not recovering well, look at your post-workout nutrition. If you're cramping regularly, check your electrolyte intake. Pay attention to how your body responds and tweak accordingly.
Putting It All Together
Training nutrition isn't complicated. You need carbohydrates for energy, protein for repair, and electrolytes for hydration. The timing matters, but it's not rigid. A 60-minute window doesn't mean 61 minutes is useless. It just means sooner is better.
Start with the basics. Eat a proper meal two to four hours before training. Drink water throughout the day and top up before your session. If you're training for more than 90 minutes, take on carbohydrates and electrolytes during exercise. Within an hour of finishing, eat a meal or snack that combines protein and carbohydrates.
Track how you feel. If you're performing well and recovering quickly, you're doing it right. If not, adjust. Add more carbohydrate before training. Increase your protein after. Experiment with different foods and timings until you find what works.
Our Sports Nutrition collection includes whey protein, amino acids, and other supplements to support your training. But remember, supplements support a solid foundation. They don't replace it.
For more practical advice on nutrition and training, explore our blog. We cover everything from building a balanced diet to optimising recovery. Every article is designed to give you actionable information you can use today.
Your training is only as good as your nutrition. Get it right and you'll see the difference.
Leave a comment