What To Eat If You Just Started A Strength Training Program

What you eat can help you get the most out of (and help you put more into) a strength training program. And food plays a crucial role in supporting muscle growth, recovery, and overall performance during a workout. 

Eating more protein and strength training go hand-in-hand. Lifting weights puts your muscle fibers under tension—creating micro-tears in muscle fibers. To repair and build muscle, your body ramps up muscle protein synthesis (aka the process of building new protein) and requires more amino acids to support this repair. 

A high-quality protein powder like mindbodygreen’s grass-fed whey protein isolate+ also fits the bill. Each serving offers 25 grams of easy-to-digest protein with 2.5 grams of leucine and only six clean ingredients. 

Whey protein is the most researched type of protein, and is considered a superior protein source1 for muscle protein synthesis than soy and casein. 

Not to mention, both chocolate and vanilla grass-fed whey protein isolate+ transform any meal or snack into a crave-worthy—yet high-protein—choice (including this chia pudding and these ice cream cookies).

Getting a protein-rich meal or snack within an hour of a strength training session can also support muscle protein synthesis and recovery. You don’t have to get overly hung up on timing, though, as research shows that total protein intake (spread throughout the day) is most important for maximizing muscle protein synthesis. 

Protein tends to get all the glory when we talk about strength training, but don’t forget about (or demonize carbs). 

Carbs are stored in your muscles and liver as glycogen. During strength training, your muscles rely on these glycogen stores for energy—especially during intense, short bursts of activity like lifting heavy weights. 

Pairing carbs with protein after exercise also supports recovery. If you don’t get enough carbs with your protein after exercise, your body may convert protein to glucose (yes, that’s possible) to replenish glycogen stores. 

It’s always important to include plenty of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables on your plate. 

When a hard strength training session creates those micro-tears form in your muscle fibers, it creates an acute inflammatory response, which isn’t a bad thing!

That inflammation can’t be avoided (it’s part of the recovery process), but antioxidants can help resolve inflammation more timely and support proper recovery and muscle health.

In fact, a systematic review and meta-analysis found that people taking creatine gained an average of 2.5 pounds of muscle3, around 4-5% more muscle mass than those who just exercised.* 

What's also exciting is that these benefits are consistent regardless of whether you're new to resistance training or a seasoned pro.*