The short answer
After a workout, aim for a snack or meal with:
- about 20–40 g of protein to help repair muscle;
- some carbohydrate to refill your energy stores, more after long or hard sessions;
- fluid to replace what you've sweated out.
You don't need to eat within 30 minutes unless you're training again soon. Your total protein across the day matters more.
You've finished your session, so what should you eat? What you have after exercise helps your body refuel, repair and adapt to the training you've just done. As a dietitian and exercise scientist, here's what matters, what doesn't, and 11 easy ideas.
What should you eat after a workout?
There's no single best recovery meal. It depends on how hard and how long you trained, your body size, your goals and what you enjoy. A good recovery snack or meal aims to:1
- refuel the glycogen (stored carbohydrate) your muscles used;
- repair muscle with protein;
- rehydrate with water, and electrolytes after very sweaty sessions.
After a walk or a light session, your next normal meal is usually enough. A dedicated recovery snack matters most after resistance training, interval sessions and endurance sessions of about 45 minutes or more.
How much protein should you have after a workout?
About 20–40 g of protein after exercise helps stimulate muscle repair and growth.2 That's roughly a 200 g tub of Greek yoghurt, a small tin of tuna on crackers, or two or three eggs with toast.
But the post-workout snack is only one part of the picture. A meta-analysis of protein timing found that total protein across the day, rather than eating it straight after training, was the strongest predictor of muscle gain.4 Another meta-analysis found extra muscle gains from protein levelled off at about 1.6 g per kilogram of body weight a day.3 Spreading protein over your meals every few hours works well.2
Get support from a sports nutrition practitioner
Find practitioners on HealthBank who work in sports and performance nutrition. Many offer a free discovery call, online, by phone or in person.
Find a sports nutrition practitioner →How many carbs do you need after exercise?
It depends on what you've done and what's next. After a long or hard session, carbohydrate refills your muscles' energy stores. If you're training again within about 4 hours, sports nutrition guidelines suggest eating carbohydrate early and often: about 1.2 g per kilogram of body weight an hour.2 For a 70 kg person, that's about 85 g an hour.
Most people exercising once a day don't need that much. Including some carbohydrate, like fruit, bread, rice, pasta or potatoes, in your next meal or snack is enough. Your daily carbohydrate needs rise with how much you train; see our guide to fuelling for running for daily targets.
Do you need to eat within 30 minutes of a workout?
Not usually. Eating soon after exercise matters most if you're training again within a few hours, because it gives your muscles more time to refuel.2 Otherwise, eat when it suits you, ideally within a couple of hours as part of a normal meal or snack.
Not hungry after training?
A drink can be easier. Milk-based options give you protein, carbohydrate and fluid together. A meta-analysis found chocolate milk worked as well as or better than other recovery drinks, though the evidence is limited.5
11 post-workout snack and meal ideas
- A smoothie with milk or soy milk, fruit and Greek yoghurt (or a protein powder, if you use one)
- Two boiled eggs and a banana
- A small tin of tuna on two wholegrain rice cakes
- Seasonal fruit salad topped with Greek yoghurt
- A 200 g tub of Greek yoghurt with a teaspoon of chia seeds and a sprinkle of nuts
- A lean chicken and salad wholemeal roll
- A small tin of tuna with a cup of cooked quinoa
- Wholegrain crispbreads with peanut butter (or another nut butter) and a banana
- Hummus with a wholemeal pita bread
- A small bowl of lean mince bolognese with pasta
- A cup of ricotta with a teaspoon of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon, served with sliced apple
Plant-based? Tofu, tempeh, legumes, soy milk and soy yoghurt are good protein sources to build around.
Want a recovery plan that fits your training?
HealthBank practitioners who work in sports nutrition can match your protein, carbs and timing to your training, goals and routine.
Find a sports nutrition practitioner →Frequently asked questions
What should I eat after a workout?
A snack or meal with about 20–40 g of protein, some carbohydrate and fluid, such as Greek yoghurt with fruit or a chicken and salad roll.
How much protein do I need after a workout?
About 20–40 g. Your total protein across the day matters more than the exact amount in one meal.
Do I need to eat within 30 minutes of exercising?
Only if you're training again within a few hours. Otherwise, eating within a couple of hours as part of a normal meal is fine.
Is chocolate milk good after a workout?
It can be. It provides protein, carbohydrate and fluid, and studies suggest it works as well as other recovery drinks.
Do I need a recovery snack after a walk?
Usually not. Your next normal meal is enough after light exercise.
References
Research (PubMed)
- Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. American College of Sports Medicine joint position statement: nutrition and athletic performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(3):543–568. PubMed 26891166
- Kerksick CM, Arent S, Schoenfeld BJ, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:33. PubMed 28919842
- Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, et al. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376–384. PubMed 28698222
- Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA, Krieger JW. The effect of protein timing on muscle strength and hypertrophy: a meta-analysis. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013;10(1):53. PubMed 24299050
- Amiri M, Ghiasvand R, Kaviani M, Forbes SC, Salehi-Abargouei A. Chocolate milk for recovery from exercise: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2019;73(6):835–849. PubMed 29921963
Australian guidelines
- National Health and Medical Research Council. Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand: protein. View source
This article is general information and isn't a substitute for personalised advice. Speak to your practitioner about your situation.
Robbie is a Sydney-based Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) and Exercise Scientist with over 17 years of experience. He holds a Bachelor of Exercise Science (Nutrition) and a Master of Nutrition and Dietetics, and is the Director and Co-founder of HealthBank.