Nutrition & supplements
What should you eat after a workout for recovery?
Protein, carbs and optional BCAA after training — honest recovery math, not hype.
Quick answer
Post-workout nutrition is simpler than supplement ads suggest: total daily protein (1.6–2.2 g/kg for active people) drives muscle repair more than any single shake timing. The post session window matters mainly for glycogen if you train again within 24 h — not because BCAA powder is magic.
- Protein after training
- 19 g
- Daily protein target
- 120–165 g
- Daily reference
- 120–165 g/day (1.6–2.2 g/kg)
- Carbs to replenish
- 38 g
- BCAA (optional)
- 8 g (2:1:1 ratio; redundant if protein is adequate)
Recovery is driven mainly by total daily protein, carbs after hard work and sleep — not BCAA alone. Supplements only fill gaps your meals do not cover.
How it works
This calculator gives three honest blocks: protein grams after training, carbs to replenish by intensity, and optional BCAA (~0.1 g/kg) with the caveat that complete protein already contains those amino acids. Food first; powder fills gaps. Compare whey protein powder only if your meals do not hit the daily target.
Whether the timing matters at all depends on one thing the calculator cannot know: when you train next. If the following session is a day away, glycogen refills perfectly well from ordinary meals and there is no window to catch — the total across the day is what counts. The window becomes real when the gap is short: two sessions in a day, a tournament, a stage race, a match followed by another match. In that case the first hour genuinely matters, and carbohydrate matters more than protein, because it is fuel you have to replace and not tissue you have to rebuild.
Frequently asked questions
How much protein after a workout?+
Rough guide: 0.25–0.4 g/kg body weight in the meal or shake after training — e.g. 75 kg × 0.3 ≈ 22 g protein. That is one large chicken breast or a scoop of whey, not four scoops.
Do I need BCAA if I eat enough protein?+
Usually no — whey, meat, eggs and dairy already provide leucine, isoleucine and valine. BCAA supplements add little when daily protein is on target; they are mainly relevant for very low protein diets or training fasted.
How many carbs after weights vs cardio?+
Hard endurance or two-a-days need more carbs (up to ~1 g/kg in the post meal). Typical strength sessions are fine with 0.5 g/kg unless you are depleted — rice, fruit or maltodextrin if the next session is soon.
Is the 30-minute anabolic window real?+
It is wider than marketing claims — several hours if daily protein is adequate. Prioritize total intake and sleep; do not stress if dinner is 90 minutes after the gym.
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