How to Build a Pre-Workout Meal for Muscle Gain
If you’re wondering how to build a pre-workout meal for muscle gain, here are some key factors to consider, as well as sample meal ideas.
A pre-workout meal for muscle gain is typically not on the top of the list for those looking to build strength. However, whether you’re an elite athlete or just someone who is regularly active, pre-workout nutrition is essential. If your goal with exercise is to gain muscle, then a pre-workout meal is absolutely non-negotiable.
However, not just any meal before a workout will do. And some meals can seriously hamper your performance no matter what type of physical activity you have planned. So, what can a well-crafted pre-workout meal do for muscle gain? When should this meal be consumed and what should it consist of? Let’s take a look.
How Long Before a Workout Should You Eat a Meal?
Sports dietitians recommend consuming a pre-workout meal 3-4 hours before intense physical activity. The rationale behind this timing is that it typically takes 3-4 hours for food to be fully digested. If you wait longer than 4 hours to exercise after this meal, the fuel is no longer readily available for use. And then, you guessed it, catabolism is far more likely.
When you eat a full pre-workout meal less than 3 hours before exercise, you risk partially-digested food causing stomach upset, which not only causes discomfort, but can also seriously hamper your performance.
What to Eat Before a Workout to Build Muscle
The best pre-workout meal for muscle gain is one that is:
high in carbs
moderate in protein (about 15-25 grams)
low in fat
How much you consume of each, and the timing of your meal is specific to your body weight, exercise, and time of day. If your workout falls more than 4 hours after a meal, but before the next meal, a larger snack or a smaller meal 30 minutes - 2 hours before exercise may be needed. In this case, the meal should primarily be focused around carbohydrates and a little bit of protein.
Here are a few key things to note when building your meal.
Carbohydrates in Your Pre-Workout Meal
Carbs are the most important component of a pre-workout meal because they are the body’s fuel source. If you have to prioritize any macronutrient in your pre-workout meal – it’s carbohydrates.
The typical daily recommendation of carbohydrates is 1.8-3.6 grams of carbs per pound of body weight. So, if you’re a 140-pound female, you want to shoot for 252 - 504 grams of carbs per day. If you’re looking to bulk up, shoot for the higher goal. If staying lean or weight loss is your goal, it would be wise to stick to the lower end of this range and distribute your carbs evenly throughout your main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner). No matter how you distribute them, however, be sure to reserve at least 30-60 grams of your daily carbohydrates to be consumed during your pre-workout meal.
Protein in Your Pre-Workout Meal
The inclusion of protein not only has a protective effect on your muscles, and also helps with satiety. This decreases feelings of hunger to prevent you from feeling hungry during exercise. Thus, you want around 15-25 grams of protein in your pre-workout meal. Even though specific protein needs vary according to your weight and existing muscle mass, you should be eating more protein if you are trying to lose weight than if you are trying to gain muscle. Again, this protein intake is meant to protect your muscles from breakdown while you’re in a calorie deficit. One easy rule of thumb is to consume 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight to maintain muscle mass.
Fat in Your Pre-Workout Meal
You really don’t want fat hanging around in the stomach while you workout because it digests slowly and can make you feel heavy, which is why it’s best to monitor the fat content of pre-workout meals.
Examples of Pre-Workout Meals for Muscle Gain
Greek yogurt with berries and granola
Overnight oats with low-fat milk and fruit
Turkey sandwich with low-fat cheese on whole grain bread with baked chips
Breakfast burrito with potatoes, eggs and beans
Pasta with meat sauce with veggies
Shrimp and vegetable stir fry with brown rice
Chicken and bean tacos with corn tortillas
Kale and quinoa salad with tuna
Does a Pre-Workout Meal Help Build Muscle?
The short answer? Technically no. However, pre-workout meals indirectly help build muscle by preventing catabolism. This is a term that describes muscle breakdown. I like to compare muscle gain and muscle loss to a bank account balance. Adding muscle is like adding money to the “bank” of lean mass on your body. The more “money” you build by lifting weights and eating adequate protein, the more muscle mass you gain.
Why is it Important to Eat Before a Workout for Muscle Gain?
During sleep, your body uses up most of its carbohydrate stores for fuel to recover from a long day, so if you don't eat before a workout, your body may start breaking down muscle for energy. Muscle breakdown also occurs when you don’t eat enough protein or calories throughout the day because there simply isn’t enough fuel available to the body. This deducts from your muscle bank, undoing all the hard work you’ve put in with your exercise and good nutrition, simply from skipping a meal.
However, when you eat a balanced meal pre-workout, it prevents these deductions from your bank of muscle mass. In other words, when you workout, the gains you make can only increase your balance, instead of simply reestablishing your balance after fasted workouts created an overdraft.
Thus, pre-workout meals can help with your muscle-building goals by making your efforts in the gym and the kitchen more efficient. When you don’t eat before a workout, it’s just like taking two steps forward and one step back.
How Pre-Workout Meals Help Performance
Finally, pre-workout meals help with muscle gain because they give you the fuel to perform better during exercise. You may not feel fatigued as easily, and will have more energy to make it through the whole workout. You may even be able to push your previous highest weight you were able to lift in certain exercises.
When you skip meals, and then attempt to perform the exercises needed to gain muscle, you aren’t nearly as strong. Pre-workout meals can indirectly lead to faster muscle gain through better performance in the gym.
The Bottom Line
Pre-workout meals are a vital tool for building muscle. When composed properly, it helps you perform up to your potential during physical activity, wards off hunger pains and prevents the catabolism that inevitably occurs during intense exercise. Just be sure to time your meal mindfully and pack it full of nutritious foods.