PERI-WORKOUT NUTRITION: YOU'RE LEAVING GAINS ON THE TABLE
Let’s get one thing straight — if you're not dialling in your peri-workout nutrition, you're not serious about performance. Period. You can talk all day about hard training, fancy supplements, or how “clean” your meals are — but if you’re winging what you eat before, during, and after training, you’re sabotaging your progress.
WHAT IS PERI-WORKOUT NUTRITION?
Peri-workout nutrition refers to what you consume before, during, and after your training session. And no — this doesn’t mean smashing a protein shake while doing curls and calling it a day. This is about strategically fuelling your body to optimise performance, recovery, and adaptation.
Let’s break it down.
PRE-WORKOUT NUTRITION: PRIMING THE ENGINE
Your pre-workout meal is not a snack. It's a launch protocol.
What it should do:
Raise blood glucose and glycogen availability
Improve training drive and neural readiness
Minimise digestive issues during training
How to structure it:
Protein: 1 serving of total daily servings
Carbs: 30-35% of total daily carbs, low-fibre, high-GI carbs (white rice, cereal, rice cakes)
Fats: Moderate to high if the session is long (>90 mins), lower if it’s short and intense
Should You Eat Fruit Pre-Workout?
Absolutely. This is where fructose shines.
Fructose replenishes liver glycogen, which is essential for keeping blood glucose stable during training. When paired with glucose (from starches or simple sugars), you activate dual absorption pathways (GLUT5 and SGLT1), improving carb uptake, energy availability, and endurance.
So, pairing fruit with a glucose source (e.g. oats + banana, rice cakes + honey) gives you the best of both worlds: stable energy and rapid fuel delivery.
And fats? If you're training for over 90 minutes, or prone to blood sugar dips, a small amount of fat (15-25g) in the pre-workout meal helps slow digestion, supporting more sustained energy. This is something that may have to be dialled in via trial and error.
INTRA-WORKOUT NUTRITION: FUEL THE FIGHT
Most people don’t need intra-workout nutrition. But serious athletes? That's a different story.
If you’re training for 90+ minutes, or doing high-volume strongman, powerlifting, or hypertrophy work, you’ll benefit from intra carbs.
What to include:
Easily digestible carbs: ~20-30g per hour (e.g. dextrose, cyclic dextrin, fruit juice)
Electrolytes: Especially sodium and potassium if sweating
This helps:
Maintain energy output
Delay fatigue
Improve muscular endurance
POST-WORKOUT NUTRITION: RECOVERY BEGINS NOW
Before you rush to slam your post-workout meal, wait until your heart rate has returned to baseline. This signals that your nervous system is shifting out of fight-or-flight mode, improving digestion and nutrient absorption.
You don’t need to eat the second you rack your last set. Give it a few minutes — walk, breathe, and let your body settle before you refuel.
What to do:
Protein: 1 serving of total daily servings
Carbs: 30-35% of total daily carbs, low-fibre, high-GI carbs (white rice, cereal, rice cakes)
Fats: Keep them low to avoid slowing digestion
The Fructose Question (Post-Workout)
Fructose gets a bad rap post-training because it doesn't directly replenish muscle glycogen — it's metabolised in the liver. But when combined with glucose, it can:
Enhance total glycogen repletion (muscle + liver)
Activate dual transporters for better carb absorption
Potentially support faster recovery by stabilising blood sugar and shifting the nervous system toward parasympathetic mode
So no, fructose isn’t useless post-training. Just don’t rely on it alone. Combine it with glucose-rich sources for best results.
TIMING STILL MATTERS
Yes, total daily intake is king. But nutrient timing is the crown.
Split your macros up incorrectly and you’ll feel it in your performance.
Ideal Macro Distribution Around Training:
60-70% of daily carbs split between pre- and post-workout
Protein spaced evenly across all meals (every 3-5 hours)
Fats lowest around training, higher away from it
REAL RESULTS COME FROM REAL STRATEGY
Look — you’re not a beginner anymore. If you want to recover faster, build more muscle, lift heavier, and look like you train — then you need to eat like it. Peri-workout nutrition isn’t optional. It’s your competitive edge.
Stop training hard and fuelling soft.
From podium to pantry, we cover it all
If you want expert guidance on building a nutrition plan that fuels your performance and recovery like a pro, apply now for 1:1 online coaching with JMSTRENGTH.