How I Fuel For My Workouts
Fed? Fasted? Unpacking the science of when (and what) to eat around training...
“Should I eat before my workout?”
“How quickly do I need to consume a high-protein meal after training?”
“Will my gains disappear if I don't eat within the ‘anabolic window’?”
“Do you train fasted?”
These questions flood my DMs on IG every week. And I get it.
When you’re putting in all of that effort at the gym, you want to ensure that you’re stacking the deck in your favor—not leaving results on the table. And it’s not just experienced gym-goers asking. Beginners want to build optimal habits, too.
Whether you’re workout-confident or fitness-curious, we all want the same thing: to feel strong, energized, and powerful when we move.
How I Approach It
I wake up at 5:17 a.m. almost every weekday morning and strength train soon after. I’m not hungry at that hour, but I do drink a big cold glass of water mixed with aminos and creatine—and a couple mugs of coffee with whole milk. (More on caffeine before a workout in a future post.)
This gives me the lean muscle mass benefits of amino acids without the digestive load of a full breakfast. (I did a very deep dive into aminos here, plus a separate one on creatine here.) It’s simple, it’s fast, and it supports my training.
My one exception? Deadlift days.
For me, big lifts require extra focus (and take longer), and I tend to get hungry mid-workout. Not how I want to feel as I approach my most challenging sets and reps. So I eat something light: If I’m feeling fancy, then it’s Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey stirred with oats and some sliced banana, or, on the low-maintenance end of the spectrum...leftover, homemade pizza (let me live!). I get up a smidge earlier so I have more time to digest.
That’s my personal playbook—but let’s unpack what the research shows actually matters when it comes to food timing…
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