Eat a carbohydrate-focused meal 1–3 hours before training — roughly 1–2 g of carbs per kg of body weight for longer efforts. Take on 30–60 g of carbs per hour on sessions over 90 minutes, then eat a mixed carb-and-protein meal within a couple of hours after finishing.
What to eat before a workout
Carbohydrate is the priority before training: it tops up glycogen and steadies blood sugar through the session. As a general guide, a larger meal 2–3 hours before, or a smaller snack 30–60 minutes out. Familiar foods beat perfect ones — race or hard-session days are not the moment to experiment.
For easy sessions under an hour, many athletes get by with little or nothing beforehand. Pre-workout coffee is a genuinely useful tool: caffeine reliably improves perceived effort and performance for most people.
What to eat during a workout
Mainstream guidance lands at 30–60 g of carbohydrate per hour for sessions beyond 90 minutes, increasing toward 60–90 g per hour for very long events if your gut has been trained to tolerate it. Gels, carb drink mixes, bananas, and chewy bars all work — the best source is the one your stomach agrees with.
Fueling by session type
| Session type | Before | During | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy session (< 60–90 min) | Normal meal or nothing special | Water only | Regular balanced meal |
| Hard or 90+ min | Carb-focused meal 1–3 h before | 30–60 g carbs per hour | Carbs + protein within 1–2 h |
| Long endurance (3 h+) | Larger carb breakfast 2–3 h before | 60–90 g per hour if tolerated | Full recovery meal soon after, then rest |
What to eat after a workout
The recovery window is less urgent than marketing suggests, but eating a carb-and-protein meal within roughly two hours is a sensible habit — especially after hard or long sessions, or when training again within a day. Aim for something practical: eggs on toast, yogurt with fruit and granola, rice with chicken, or a shake if appetite is low right after finishing.
Across the day, total carbohydrate and adequate protein do the real recovery work, not any single magic meal.
Simple food examples that work
- Before: oatmeal with banana and honey; toast with jam and eggs; a bagel 45–60 min out if time is short.
- During: banana + gel + carb mix per hour; date-and-nut bars on steadier sessions.
- After: chocolate milk and a sandwich immediately, then a proper meal with carbs, protein, and vegetables.
- Always: test anything new on training days first, never before a big event.
Using Vo2Max
Vo2Max schedules ride durations and intensities in advance, so fueling targets for each session are obvious before you clip in.