Meal Timing

What is meal timing?

Meal timing is how you schedule food around the day and training. Good timing supports energy, training quality, and recovery while keeping adherence easy.

How does it work?

Carbs near training improve glycogen availability and lower perceived effort. Protein pre/post provides amino acids for repair. Spacing meals steadies energy and appetite, aiding adherence. Timing is secondary to total Calories and Protein, but it can add a performance edge.

Practical application

Eat 3-5 meals/day. Pre-lift (1-3 hours): 20-60 g carbs, 20-40 g protein, low-moderate fat. Post-lift (0-3 hours): similar protein and carbs to refuel. Bookend sleep with protein (e.g., dairy/slow protein at night). Adjust meal size to your schedule; keep fiber modest pre-lift to avoid GI issues.

• Pre-lift20-60 g carbs + 20-40 g protein 1-3 hours before.
• Post-liftRepeat protein/carb focus within 0-3 hours.
• Daily3-5 evenly spaced feedings to hit macros and manage hunger.

Common mistakes

• Training fasted with no carbs/protein despite hard sessions, hurting performance.
• Giant fat-heavy meals pre-lift causing sluggishness.
• Obsessing over minutes while ignoring daily macro targets.