---
title: 'What to Eat Before & After Lifting Weights'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=3DlBoX4m8Dc'
video_id: '3DlBoX4m8Dc'
date: 2026-07-28
duration_sec: 664
---

# What to Eat Before & After Lifting Weights

> Source: [What to Eat Before & After Lifting Weights](https://youtube.com/watch?v=3DlBoX4m8Dc)

## Summary

This video explains the critical role of pre- and post-workout nutrition for weightlifting performance, muscle growth, and recovery. It emphasizes that what you eat before and after exercise significantly impacts energy, fat burn, and muscle repair, often more than the workout itself.

### Key Points

- **Importance of Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition** [00:00] — Pre-workout foods influence weight lifted, energy, and performance; post-workout foods determine muscle building, fat burn, and recovery speed.
- **Pre-Workout Meal Composition** [00:40] — Ideal pre-workout meal combines carbohydrates for energy and a small amount of protein to spare muscle breakdown. Avoid high fat and high fiber foods to prevent digestive discomfort.
- **Best Pre-Workout Carbs: Banana** [01:42] — Bananas provide easily digestible carbs, potassium for muscle function, and are gentle on the stomach. Pair with Greek yogurt for 10-15g protein.
- **White Rice as Pre-Workout Fuel** [02:13] — White rice offers fast-acting carbs to fill glycogen stores without digestive issues. Pair with lean protein like chicken or egg whites.
- **Oats and Berries Combo** [02:44] — Oats provide sustained energy, berries give a quick boost. Combine with Greek yogurt, protein powder, or high-protein milk.
- **Quick Pre-Workout Options: Rice Cakes and White Bread** [03:23] — Rice cakes with PB2 or deli meat offer fast carbs. White bread digests in 30-60 minutes, ideal for last-minute meals.
- **Post-Workout Meal Essentials** [04:25] — Post-workout meals should prioritize protein for muscle repair and carbs to replenish glycogen. Healthy fats are also beneficial.
- **Protein Shake with Banana** [05:11] — A simple shake with whey, water, and banana aids recovery. For calorie surplus, add milk, oats, and peanut butter.
- **Salmon with Sweet Potatoes** [05:26] — Salmon provides protein and omega-3s; sweet potatoes replenish glycogen. Add vegetables like broccoli for extra nutrients.
- **Chicken, Brown Rice, and Vegetables** [06:23] — A bodybuilding staple: chicken repairs muscles, brown rice provides slow-digesting carbs, and veggies add fiber and vitamins.
- **On-the-Go Options: Hard-Boiled Eggs and Tuna** [06:50] — Hard-boiled eggs with fruit offer protein and natural sugars. Tuna packets with whole-grain crackers are mess-free and protein-rich.
- **Beef Burger with Sweet Potato Fries** [08:04] — Lean beef provides iron and zinc; whole-grain bun and sweet potato fries replenish glycogen and reduce inflammation.
- **Shrimp with Quinoa and Avocado** [08:30] — Shrimp is low-fat protein, quinoa has all essential amino acids, and avocado adds healthy fats and potassium.
- **Quick Fix: Protein Bar with Rice Cakes** [09:14] — When time is limited, a protein bar with additional carbs (e.g., rice cakes or Gatorade) can suffice, though whole meals are preferred.

## Transcript

The foods you eat before your workout will influence the amount of weight you can lift, your energy levels, and your overall workout performance. Likewise, the foods you eat after your workout will determine how much muscle you build,
how much fat you burn, and how quickly your muscles recover afterwards. Both are very important and usually people focus much more on their workout rather than what they're actually eating. This is a big mistake because planning the food you eat will lead to much better
results than just working out and eating whatever before and after your workout. Most people that aren't used to working out on an empty stomach perform much better when they actually have a pre workout meal. So let's start there first. What are some of the best foods you
can have before lifting weights? Well, lifting weights, especially if you intend to lift heavy weights, is powered mainly by glucose, which is a broken down simplified form of carbohydrates. Of course, you also already know that there are big benefits to having enough protein throughout
the day and spreading out a protein source into each meal as well, even though protein is typically not as useful as cars before a workout, protein is still an important part of your pre workout meal. So the ideal pre workout meal includes a combination of carbohydrates for energy and a small amount of
protein to spare muscle breakdown and assist with muscle recovery. The one macronutrient that you want to be careful of before you lift weights is dietary fat. Fat will slow down the digestion of your meal because of this dietary fat can cause digestive discomfort while you're exercising.
Very high fiber foods, ones that are even healthy like vegetables can do the same. So you want to stick to foods that are easy to digest before your workout. You also want to aim to eat anywhere from one to three hours before your workout. The sweet spot tends to be two hours, but it really depends on how long
it takes for your body to digest the food. So a great simple carbohydrate option right off the bat is a banana. Bananas are an excellent pre workout food because they provide easily digestible carbohydrates for quick and sustained energy, along with potassium to support muscle function and
prevent cramps during exercise. Bananas are also gentle in the stomach, making them easy to digest, and since you can take them with you anywhere, they're a convenient option for people with busy schedules. You can combine a banana with a simple easy digestible protein source like Greek yogurt,
adding 10 to 15 grams of protein to your pre workout meal. Another easy to digest carbohydrate is white rice. White rice is an excellent pre workout food because it provides easily digestible fast acting carbohydrates that fill your glycogen stores which fuel your muscles for weightlifting.
Unlike brown rice, white rice has a lower fiber content which helps it digest quickly without any digestive issues. To make it a balanced meal, pair white rice with a lean source of protein like grilled chicken, ground turkey, or egg whites. These are all light on the stomach while still
providing all the essential amino acids for your body. Another great carb combo before your workout is oats with berries. Together, these make for an excellent pre workout meal because they provide a
balance of slower digesting carbs from the oats for sustained energy and natural sugars from the berries for a faster energy boost. That's why this meal should keep you feeling energized throughout your entire workout. You can combine oats and berries with Greek yogurt, a scoop of protein powder
mixed into the oats, or a high protein milk mixed into the oats. You can also combine it with a side of boiled egg whites for an ideal pre workout meal. Now if you don't have any time to prep,
rice cakes can be an easy yet effective pre workout carb alternative. They provide fast adjusting carbohydrates for a quick energy boost without making you feel heavy. You can add PB2 or another low fat dehydrated peanut or almond butter powder to the rice cakes. This will add flavor while
also incorporating more protein. Alternatively, you can add some turkey or chicken deli slices on your rice cakes to improve taste while adding protein instead. One last very simple pre workout carb that can work very well, yet most people are terribly afraid of, is white bread. White bread can
digest very quickly, usually within 30 to a maximum of 60 minutes. It's light easy to digest and requires no prep time. Even though it isn't as nutrient dense as whole grain bread, it's quick digesting nature can make it a very practical choice before lifting heavy weights. You can add
similar protein sources as you would on top of the rice cakes or you can simply toast the bread and eat it with egg whites for your pre workout meal. Now let's move on to post workout. And the truth is you don't necessarily have to eat anything before your workout. You can get away with a workout on
an empty stomach. If you've been practicing fasting and it seems to work well for you. However, a post workout meal is definitely not something you should skip. Although you don't have to have a post workout meal immediately after your workout, you do want to get some kind of nutrition into your
body within a few hours after your workout. Your post workout meals should prioritize protein to repair the damage to your muscles and it should also include carbs to replenish your muscles, glycogen stores that were depleted during that heavy weightlifting workout. Healthy fats also have
their place in a solid post workout meal. Now most people know one of the easiest post workout meals happens to be a protein shake with a banana. You can mix way protein water and a banana in a blender and it'll help with all things you need for recovery. If you're looking to add muscle and
are trying to increase your calories, you can also swap the water for a whole milk at a scoop of uncooked oats and add a spoonful of peanut butter. This will make the shake taste much better. It'll incorporate slower and faster digesting sources of carbs and it'll help you achieve a calorie surplus
so that you can build muscle easier. Another great option is salmon with sweet potatoes. This is an excellent post workout meal because it provides the perfect balance of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates to support muscle recovery. The salmon is rich in high-quality protein for
muscle repair and omega-3 fatty acids which help reduce inflammation and soreness. Sweet potatoes deliver complex carbs to replenish glycogen stores and essential vitamins like vitamin C and potassium to aid in recovery. This nutrient dense combination helps repair muscles, restore energy and reduce
post workout fatigue, making it an ideal choice for effective recovery. Keep in mind post workout you can also incorporate vegetables into any of your meals and this would be a perfect meal to add some broccoli
or Brussels sprouts to. Since you're done with your workout, the meal can be slower digesting with more fats and more fiber. An equally effective alternative post workout meal with similar features and
it also happens to be a common staple in bodybuilding nutrition, chicken, brown rice and vegetables. The chicken delivers high-quality protein to repair and rebuild your muscles while the brown rice replenishes glycogen stores with slow digesting carbs for sustained energy. You can saute these
ingredients together with some olive oil or avocado oil and add seasonings like garlic, onion, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper to make it feel as rewarding for your taste buds as it is rewarding for your
recovery. Now, if you're on the go, you may not have time to cook a full meal, so a very simple option is hard-boiled eggs in combination with a piece of fruit. After workout, you can have the entire egg since you don't need to worry too much about the speed of digestion. Combining the eggs with fruit
makes for an excellent well-balanced, grab-and-go post workout option. The eggs offer high-quality protein to support muscle-repair and recovery along with essential nutrients like B vitamins and coline. They also provide healthy fats from the yolks. The fruit adds natural sugars to replenish
glycogen stores along with fiber and vitamins. Another on-the-go option is to have tuna packets with whole grain crackers or whole grain bread. There are many delicious tuna packets that you can buy at the store with flavors like sweet and spicy, deli-style tuna salad, ranch, and garlic herb. All these taste
great while being made up almost entirely of protein, so the tuna will help satisfy your protein requirements, although you may need two or more packets depending on your size and how much protein you're aiming for on a daily basis. The crackers or the bread are a source of complex carbohydrates to
replenish energy stores and keep you feeling fueled. This combination is quick, mess-free, and perfect for refueling after workout when time is limited. Moving on, another option that requires cooking,
but is definitely worth it, is a beef burger with a whole grain bun and sweet potato fries. This is a satisfying and nutrient-rich way to refuel after workout. The lean beef provides high quality protein and essential nutrients like iron and zinc to support muscle-repair and growth.
Meanwhile, the whole grain bun adds complex carbohydrates, helping to replenish those glycogen stores. Sweet potato fries also contribute additional complex carbs along with vitamins A and C,
which aid in reducing inflammation and boosting recovery. This balanced meal also satisfies hunger, making it both effective and enjoyable in terms of post-workout nutrition. Next, we have another option, shrimp with quinoa and avocado. This meal combines all the
essential nutrients you need after workout. Shrimp is a tasty, low-fat source of protein while quinoa serves as a nutrient-dense carbohydrate that also happens to have all nine essential amino acids. The avocado adds healthy fats along with potassium and vitamins that help promote recovery.
This meal is light yet packed with the nutrients your body needs to recover effectively and feel energized after lifting weights. One last quick option is a protein bar with rice cakes or a drink like
even gatorade that contains post-workout carbs. Although I would prefer that you make a well-balanced meal if you're in a pinch, you can simply have a protein bar with some additional carbs after your workout. This is one of the easiest post-workout meals that can really be taken anywhere. Another similar
option would be string cheese and fruit, but again, even though it will get the job done when you're in a crunch, there are far better options if you actually have time to prep a meal. So those are some of the best examples of what you can eat before and after your workout to maximize the results
from all your hard work, lifting weights. Obviously, there are many other combos that you can think of to replace these meals with. The key thing to keep in mind is that you want an easy and fast-adjusting
meal before your workout. So low fat, low fiber and easy to adjust foods. Meanwhile, after your workout, you can have more fat, more fiber and slower digesting sources of protein and carbohydrates. So that about wraps it up. I really hope this video has helped you understand more about what your
pre- and post-workout meals can look like. If you also want to learn how to lose a substantial amount of body fat or you want to build muscle faster without all the typical trial and error that most people go through, you can try my free six week shred. You'll get a workout plan, a six week
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