The weight room is a hotbed of unsettled debates about everything from the best muscle-building supplements and lifting shoes to optimal workout rep ranges and exercise order. But today, the question is: Is it better to eat before lifting … or not?
there are supposed benefits of fasted cardio-so it’s a valid question whether the same can be said of lifting sans fuel. Or, is a pre-workout snack to get the most out of your strength session the healthier, more effective route to gains?
Ahead, sports nutritionists share the pros and cons of lifting fasted and fed, so you can settle the dispute for yourself. Plus, experts spill the best pre-workout eats for maximizing your training session while minimizing digestive distress.
Meet the experts: Jason MachowskyRD, CSCS, is an exercise physiologist and board-certified sports dietitian.Laura Kunces, Ph.D., RD, CSSD, is a sports dietician, clinical researcher, and the vice president of medical strategy at Thorne. Mallory AldredRD, is a registered dietitian and the founder of What Mallory Eatsa functional nutrition coaching service.
So, do you need to eat before lifting?
For the vast majority of lifters, “it’s best not to go into a strength workout hungry, thirsty, and totally depleted,” says Jason Machowsky, RD, CSCS, an exercise physiologist and sports dietitian. Having some food in your system will give you the energy you need to put in your best effort in the actual session, as well as the raw material you need to start the repair process as soon as you’ve finished training, he says.
Having mentioned that, “whether or not you need to eat before strength training is dependent on what your goals are and the actual intensity, duration, and volume of the strength session,” says Laura Kunces, PhD, RD, a sports dietician, clinical researcher, and the vice president of medical strategy at thorne. Some people-very early morning exercisers, peeps with sensitive stomachs, and those trying to cut fat-may benefit from lifting in a fasted state, she says.
eating before a strength workout is a lot like putting your texts on Do not Disturb (DND) before screen-sharing or doing a quick Google search on the cute guy from Hinge before agreeing to a date. No, you don’t need to, but it’s probably a good idea-especially if you’re working out in the morning and your last meal was dinner the night before. More specifically, you should give your body carbs for energy and protein to fuel muscle growth and recovery, says Kunces.
Why? Well, the carbohydrates you eat turn into glycogen in your muscles, which comes through as energy while you lift, she says. So, “adding carbs to your system before a lift will help you move well, lift heavy, and feel powerful,” she says. And that stands whether you’re going for a one-rep max or hitting a kettlebell circuit. Think of it as adding a little more gas in the tank to work with.
Meanwhile, protein gets broken down into amino acids, which supports your muscle during and after a workout, says Machowsky. “Strength training induces the breakdown of muscle, which is what signals the body to repair and get stronger,” he says. “But having protein in your body will minimize muscle protein breakdown during a workout as well as prime your body to start the muscle protein synthesis required for repair as soon as you finish training.”
On the flip side, “not eating before higher intensity, higher volume, or heavier weight strength workouts can lead to quicker muscular fatigue, reduced ability to do work, and the perception that the work is harder,” says kunces. In fact, because mental and muscular energy are needed for maintaining sound form, “injury may be a higher risk during a fasted lift,” she says. Basically, you’ll get less bang-and more pangs-from a fasted lift than a fed one.
Benefits Of Eating Before Lifting
- More access to energy to power lifts
- Increased mental focus
