The Best Time Window to Eat Protein to Build Muscle, According to an Expert

We all know getting enough protein is important. Protein supports muscle growth, keeps you feeling full, aids with weight management, and supports a healthy immune system.

It’s even more important to consume protein when you’re strength training. Depending on your age and activity level, you’ll need to eat a certain number of grams of protein per day.

While it’s easy to focus on hitting that total number of grams, the time of day you consume that protein also matters.

TODAY.com previously spoke with Dr. Ian Smith, physician, fitness expert and author of “Eat Your Age,” about strategies to see faster results from strength training. Here, Smith shares the best time window during the day to eat protein in order to maximize muscle growth.

Diet Tip of the Day: Eat 30% of Your Protein Within 1 Hour After Strength Training

The recommended daily intake for protein for healthy adults who exercise regularly is about 0.7-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, Smith tells TODAY.com. If a person weighs 150 pounds, that’s 105–150 grams of protein per day.

Generally, you should split up your protein throughout the day, but there’s one time window you should eat protein if you’re trying to grow muscles and see faster results, according to Smith.

“If you’re strength training, you want to consume at least 30% of that protein within an hour after working out,” says Smith. The rest should be spread out between your other meals or snacks.

If you can’t eat or drink that protein within an hour after your workout, aim to as soon as you can or within about two hours.

Why It Matters

Strength training works by breaking down our skeletal muscles, causing microscopic tears in the fibers. As we recover after exercise, the body repairs and rebuilds these muscle fibers, which causes muscles to become larger and stronger.

However, muscle growth doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a gradual process that requires a consistent strength training routine, as well as eating enough high-quality protein every day, says Smith.

Protein is made up of amino acids, which are the “building blocks” of muscle tissues, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Eating protein shortly after a workout is important because it provides the body with these amino acids right after the muscles are broken down. This can aid with recovery and help repair damaged tissues to promote more muscle growth, Smith notes.

If you can’t consume 30% of your protein within that one-hour window after exercise, don’t worry. Research suggests getting at least some protein in within a few hours of your workout can still help promote muscle growth.

How to Get Started

If your daily protein intake goal is 100 grams, for example, you’ll want to eat a meal or snack with 30 grams of protein within one hour after working out. The other 70 grams can be split between breakfast, dinner and lunch.

Smith’s recommendation is to get as much protein as you can from whole, unprocessed foods. The best foods to eat while strength training include beans, lentils, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, tofu and greek yogurt.

If you can’t stomach a meal after exercising or don’t have the time, protein shakes are a convenient way to meet your goals.

Whether it’s whey protein, plant-based protein, or even clear protein, these can all supplement your diet and quickly provide your body with the protein it needs after a workout.

It’s also important to eat enough healthy fats and complex carbohydrates, which nourish the body and provide energy for the next workout.

TODAY’s Expert Tip of the Day series is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more.