Work Out Smarter, Not Harder: Pair Your Nutrition with Exercise to Reap Better Outcomes
We all know that good nutrition is important. Yet, when most of us plan to build strength, tone our bodies, or improve performance, where does our focus go? The workout. It's time to shift that focus. While your training is essential, the timing and quality of your fuel is the true non-negotiable factor that determines how your body performs, looks, and recovers.
The latest scientific research reveals that building and preserving lean mass (skeletal muscle) is the key to optimal health and longevity. The more muscle you carry, the greater your capacity for sustained health and physical independence. We are shifting away from the outdated diet mentality of "eating less and moving more" and "skinny is healthy" to a mindset that being strong and well-nourished is healthy. The research shows that it is absolutely imperative that we strength train a minimum of 2 times per week and consume the right nutrient-dense foods, timed around our exercise, to feel our best and to maximize our ability to maintain and build muscle mass.
Non-Gender Specific Guidelines to Build Muscle and Strength
These rules apply to everyone who wants to optimize body composition, strength and energy.
- Consume Enough Protein Daily: Our first nutrition goal should be to ensure an adequate daily protein intake. Protein, composed of 20 amino acids (9 of which are essential), is vital for building muscle, repairing tissues, building bone, and providing steady energy.
- Daily Protein Goal: Aim for 0.8−1.0 gram of protein per pound of ideal body weight. Ex: If your goal weight is 150 lbs, you would aim for 120 to 150 grams of protein per day.
- The Power of 30: Consuming this much protein per day can be a huge leap for most. Start gradually and aim for 30 grams of protein per meal. It’s currently recommended to consume a minimum of grams of high-quality protein per meal to maximally stimulate Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS). Hitting this threshold provides your body with the necessary amino acids to kickstart muscle growth and stop muscle breakdown.
- Focus on Protein for Breakfast: Consume 30 grams of protein for your first meal of the day. A savory, protein-focused breakfast helps refill muscle stores after the overnight fast and sets you up for steady blood sugar and energy throughout the day. If you participate in intermittent fasting, make sure your first meal of the day has at least 30 grams of protein.
- Fuel Post-Workout Growth: The growth of muscle occurs after your workout, and you must feed your muscles for them to grow. If you strength train and then fail to consume enough protein (35 -50 grams) in your next meal, you are missing the prime opportunity to build that muscle and fully support your recovery.
Gender-Specific Guidelines
For Women: Women are not Small Men
Current research from experts like Dr. Stacy Sims, an international exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist, is revolutionizing exercise nutrition for women. The majority of scientific studies have been done on men. New research reveals how men and women experience cortisol (the stress hormone) differently. Women are more sensitive to low blood sugar and must keep their cortisol in check to avoid surges that can lead to the breakdown of lean tissue (muscle), abdominal weight gain, poor stress regulation, and energy crashes.
Female Fueling Strategy Dr Stacy Sims
| Guideline | Rationale |
| Don't Skip Breakfast. Eat within the first 30 minutes of waking (30 grams of protein). Or start with a mini breakfast 20 grams and have a second breakfast (30 grams) later. | Women's physiology is more sensitive to cortisol, which naturally spikes in the morning. Delaying food forces the body into a higher stress state, which can lead to the breakdown of lean muscle mass for fuel. |
| Fuel Before You Work Out. Consume 15 grams of protein 30 -60 minutes before your workout. Add 30 grams of carbs if you plan on doing HIIT, endurance, or cardio. | Without fuel on board, training in a fasted state can spike cortisol, increasing the risk of muscle breakdown to fuel the workout, as well as decreased performance, and poor recovery. |
| Fuel Post Workout: Strength Training, HIIT, or 90 Minutes of Cardio. Aim for 35 — 50 grams of protein within 45 minutes of training. | Women require protein post workout to shift the body out of a catabolic (muscle-burning) state and kickstart muscle repair. Recommendations: Women in reproductive years: 35 grams of protein. Women in peri or menopause: 40-50 grams. Aim for whole foods whenever possible, but when needed a 30 -50 gram protein shake is a quick, easy option. |
For Men: Focus on Total Protein and Carbohydrate Intake
Dr. Andy Galpin, professor of kinesiology at California State University, Fullerton, and expert in the fitness world, suggests that while timing can be beneficial, the total daily protein intake is often the more critical factor for muscle building in men. However, immediate post-workout fueling with protein and carbohydrates is essential for those training multiple times a day or at high intensity.
Male Fueling Strategy Dr Andy Galpin
| Guideline | Rationale |
| Consume Protein Consistently Throughout Day: Aim for high overall daily protein intake, spread evenly throughout the day. Shoot for 0.8-up to 2.0 grams per pound of ideal body weight to support muscle growth (depending on activity level). | To build strength and muscle mass, men need to ensure high overall protein intake spread out through the day vs. timing around workouts. Men have greater flexibility with MPS and respond better to fasting and fasted training (not eating before workouts). |
| Maximize Protein for First Meal: Aim for 30 — 50 grams of protein for breakfast or your first meal of the day to refill muscle stores from overnight fasting. | Men are not as susceptible to hormonal changes and early morning cortisol and some can skip or delay breakfast. |
| Fuel Post Strength Training: Consume 30 — 50 grams of protein and 30 — 50 grams of carbohydrates post workout. Use a 1 : 1 ratio of protein to carbs for strength recovery. | Males have a higher baseline testosterone that supports MPS. They have a larger window (up to 3 hours) to refuel post workout. If you fast before workout, eat within 30 minutes of workout to refuel. |
| Carbs for High-Effort Recovery: Aim for 3:1 to 4:1 Carbs to Protein post intense cardio or HIIT to rapidly refill glycogen stores. | Men have greater reliance on carbohydrate oxidation (burning) during exercise making it important post intense cardio or high-volume work, to prioritize complex carbohydrates with protein. |
Focus on complex carbohydrates like vegetables, low glycemic fruit, potatoes, whole grains like rice and quinoa and legumes over highly processed carbohydrates like chips, cookies, and sweet treats.
Moving forward, let's leave the old "diet" rules behind. Your body isn't a math problem; it's a incredible system that needs quality fuel at the right time. Focus on being strong, well-nourished, and consistent with both your protein intake and your exercise. These gender-specific strategies ensure you're working with your biology, not against it, giving you the best chance to build and preserve the muscle that is key to a long and active life.
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