Carbs Before or After a Workout? Here's My Take
It's not really an either/or question. Here's how I think about carbohydrate timing around training.
This is one of those questions that sounds more complicated than it needs to be. The short answer is that both matter, just for different reasons. Carbohydrates before a workout fuel your performance. Carbohydrates after a workout replenish your glycogen stores and support recovery. The timing and amount depends on your goals and the type of session you're doing.
Let me break down both sides.
Which matters more: Carbs before or after a workout?
Carbs before for performance
If your goal is to perform well during the session, consuming carbohydrates beforehand makes sense. Carbohydrates are the body's preferred fuel source for exercise, and having adequate glycogen stores in your muscles means you can push harder, last longer, and avoid the energy drop that comes from training on empty when your stores are low.
For pre-workout carbs, complex carbohydrates are the better choice. Whole grains, fruit, and vegetables provide a steady release of energy rather than a quick spike and crash. Simple carbohydrates like sugary snacks might give you a short burst, but they often result in an energy dip during the session itself.
Carbs after for recovery
If your main goal is muscle recovery and growth, post-workout carbohydrates are crucial. During exercise, your body depletes its glycogen stores. Consuming carbohydrates after training helps replenish them, supports muscle repair, and prevents muscle breakdown. Carbohydrates also stimulate the release of insulin, which plays a role in muscle protein synthesis.
Pairing post-workout carbohydrates with protein is particularly effective. The combination accelerates glycogen replenishment and provides the amino acids needed for muscle repair. This is why my post-workout meals always include both.
The right balance of carbs before and after will vary from person to person depending on your training intensity, session length, and overall goals. Some people do fine with very little pre-workout food. Others train much better with a solid meal beforehand. Experiment and pay attention to what your body tells you.
Carbs before a workout: My approach
I prefer complex carbohydrates before training, not simple sugars. Whole grains, fruit, and vegetables give me steady energy through the session rather than a spike that fades.
Timing-wise, I aim to eat 1 to 3 hours before training to allow enough time for digestion. If you have a sensitive stomach or prefer to train without food sitting in your gut, a small liquid carbohydrate source closer to the session works well.
My personal approach varies depending on when I train. I prefer to work out mid-morning on an empty stomach, making sure I've had a good serve of complex carbohydrates the night before. That fuel is still available the next morning. If I'm training in the afternoon, I'll have a light breakfast with a moderate amount of carbohydrates a couple of hours before the session.
Should you eat before exercise?
Carbs after a workout: My approach
Post-workout carbohydrates are non-negotiable for me. After a solid training session, my muscles need glycogen replenishment and my body needs the nutrients to repair and adapt.
My go-to post-workout carbohydrate sources are whole grains like rice and quinoa, potatoes, legumes, and fruit. These provide a steady release of energy along with the vitamins, minerals, and fibre that support recovery.
I aim to eat within 30 minutes to 2 hours after training. During this window, your muscles are most receptive to absorbing and using carbohydrates for glycogen replenishment. I always pair the carbohydrates with a solid protein source to maximise recovery.
The amount of post-workout carbohydrates you need depends on how hard and how long you trained. A 45-minute weights session and a two-hour endurance ride require very different levels of replenishment. Listen to your body and adjust accordingly.
If you want personalised guidance on how to structure your carbohydrate intake around training, a nutrition coach can help you work out the right amounts and timing for your specific goals.
Back to Workout Nutrition Guide
Health should feel like your best life, not a break from it.
Marco ☕
About Me
I'm Marco Asnicar, personal trainer, nutrition coach and founder of Vitality Marco. I didn't discover the Mediterranean method. I grew up living it, shaped by Italian roots, real food and movement as a natural part of daily life. It took me until recently to realise that what always felt completely normal to me is exactly what most people spend years searching for.
I coach men and women aged 35 to 55 to do the same. No restriction. No fads. No giving up the life you love. Just a way of eating and living that genuinely feels good and gets better every year.
Want to know more about my story and approach? Read my full About Me page.