Teens: For Muscle Building, Eat Protein Foods at the Right Time

In addition to eating enough protein and muscle-building leucine, you’ll want to time your protein intake relative to your workout schedule. This is the final step to maximize the muscle building and toning benefits of a high-protein diet.

Sports nutrition experts report that consuming 20 to 40 grams of high-quality protein maximizes the rate of muscle protein synthesis for three to four hours following exercise.¹ In other words, the right post-workout meal can make a big difference in your ability to build and tone your muscles, whether your goal is to excel in sports or simply look and feel great.

The bottom line

Maximize the muscle benefits of your weight training efforts by eating a high-protein diet the 1-2-3 way: Amount, Type and Timing.

When it comes muscle building and toning, aim to eat a high-protein meal within 3 hours of weight training.

Post-exercise recovery

Don’t forget that without enough rest between weight-training sessions, you’re more likely to tear down muscle and undo all your hard work.

Here’s how to recover like a pro:

1. Get enough rest. Resist the urge to overdo it in the gym. Wait a day between sessions or, at the very least, work different sets of muscles on consecutive days.

2. Eat before a workout. If you expect your next protein-rich meal to be more than 3 hours after a workout, consider eating before you hit the weight room. Not only will this fuel your workout, it will help optimize muscle protein synthesis.

3. Keep a food log. You can easily keep track of your protein and leucine intake by using a simple composition book to log your food intake. It’s a great way to make sure you’re eating a high-protein diet the 1-2-3 way.

You’ve got this!

The EatingFor Team

References:

1. Kerksick CM, Arent S, Schoenfeld BJ, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:33. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28919842/