← ALL ARTICLES food
What to eat before and after training
By Ava Brooks · June 06, 2026 · 4 min read
You do not need a supplement shelf. You need the right ordinary food at the right time — and it is simpler than the internet makes it sound.
Before: fuel, don't fill
Eat 60–90 minutes before training: carbs for energy plus a little protein, low in fat and fibre so it digests fast. My go-tos:
- Banana with a spoon of peanut butter
- Oats with berries and yoghurt
- Toast with honey and a boiled egg
Training at dawn with no appetite? Half a banana and some water beats an empty tank every time.
After: protein plus carbs within two hours. Training opens a recovery window where muscles soak up nutrients. A proper meal — chicken and rice, eggs on toast, a big smoothie — does more than any powder.
Hydration counts as fuelling
Lose even 2% of bodyweight in sweat and strength drops noticeably. Drink 500ml in the two hours before, sip through the session, and check your urine: pale straw means you are on track.
Want the full picture? Nutrition Strategies coaching builds your eating around your training week.
Ava Brooks
Founder & head coach, Sinewbrook Personal Training. Certified nutrition coach, nine years on the gym floor.
Founder & head coach, Sinewbrook Personal Training. Certified nutrition coach, nine years on the gym floor.