When to Eat for Muscle Growth & Fat Loss
Are you new to training? Explore the exercise galleries and begin with our beginner workout programs .
Meal timing supports results, but it’s not everything. Focus on daily totals first, then optimize timing: pre-workout carbs + protein for energy, post-workout protein for recovery, and evenly spaced meals to hit your protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats targets. Whether you prefer breakfast or fasted mornings, consistency beats strict schedules.
What does this teach us? It teaches us that when you eat is not nearly as important as what you eat. Your success as a bodybuilder is contingent upon timing your meals around your workouts and getting the right nutrients each time.
Have a pre-workout and post-workout meal/snack. Then, for the rest of the day, just worry about getting the right macronutrient ratios and number of calories. Whether you go three, four, or even six hours in between a meal will not cause your muscles to immediately start eating themselves away.
Understand that your metabolism is not going to come crashing to a jarring halt. The biggest advantage to having meals every three hours is to simply help you avoid binging. However, if you are following a strict daily calorie allowance with planned meals, binging is not much of an issue. Additionally, eating more frequently stabilizes your blood sugar.
Just make sure that you are not getting too stressed out or this will increase your cortisol levels which WILL negatively impact your ability to improve muscles and reduce fat. High cortisol levels result in catabolic states and prompt your body to store excess fat, particularly in the abdominal region.
When you are bodybuilding, you need to get in a pre-workout and a post-workout meal whenever you are exercising. In the end, what really matters is your calories and nutrition.
Timing tips & workout meals
- Always include a pre-workout and a post-workout meal/snack.
- Outside workout windows, focus on hitting macros and total daily calories.
- Meal frequency (every 3–6 hours) matters less than consistency and adherence.
- Manage stress/cortisol—chronic stress can increase fat storage and hinder progress.
- Use more frequent meals if it helps you avoid binging and keep blood sugar stable.
Week 1 Recipes
Breakfast Recipes
Cereal with milk and berries
- 1 cup of Whole grain cereal
- 1% milk or almond milk
- 1/2 cup berries
- Serve and enjoy!
Scrambled egg wrap
- One whole egg
- 3/4 egg whites
- 1/4 cup low fat cheese
- Spinach, tomato wrapped in a low carb tortilla
- 1/4 cup salsa if desired
- Serve and enjoy!
Veggie omelet
- Sauté bell peppers, tomatoes, onions until soft
- Make omelet with one whole egg and 5 egg whites
- Add cooked veggies
- Add 1/4 cup low fat cheese
- 2 pieces of whole grain bread
- Serve and enjoy!
Snack Recipes
Bread with almond butter
- 3 slices of Ezekiel bread
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 1 tablespoon natural berry jam
- Serve and enjoy!
Cereal with fruit and milk
- 1 cup whole grain cereal
- 1 cup of 1% milk
- 1 cup strawberries
- Mix and enjoy!
Chocolate protein pudding
- 1 ½ scoops of whey/casein powder
- Add water and stir until thick
- Microwave for 1 minute
- Add 1/4 cup almonds or walnuts
- Blend until creamy!
Oatmeal nut butter mixture
- 1 cup of oatmeal
- 1 scoop of whey protein
- 1 tablespoon natural almond butter
- Cook according to package directions
Cottage cheese and English muffin
- 1 whole grain English muffin, toasted
- 3/4 cup cottage cheese (no salt)
- 3/4 cup pineapple
- Mix and enjoy!
Yogurt parfait
- 8 oz. nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or almonds
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 medium apple
- Serve and enjoy!
Lunch Recipes
Salmon with greens
- Prepare 5-6 oz. grilled salmon
- Serve on top of salad with vegetables
- Add 2-3 brown rice cakes
Tuna wrap
- 1 can tuna + 1 tbsp fat free mayo
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard + 1 cup celery/onion
- Spread onto tortilla wrap
- Add 1 cup romaine lettuce
- Wrap and enjoy!
Grilled chicken salad
- 5-6 oz chicken breast, steamed or grilled
- Make salad with balsamic vinegar & 2 tbsp avocado
- Serve with 2 slices Ezekiel toast
Dinner Recipes
Pork and applesauce
- 5-6 oz lean pork
- 10-12 stalks asparagus
- 5 oz sweet potato or yam
- Serve with 1/2 cup applesauce
Salmon with string beans
- 5-6 oz grilled salmon
- 2 cups string beans
- 5-6 oz cooked red potatoes
Steak and spinach with sweet potato
- 6 oz grass-fed flank steak
- 2-3 cups baby spinach sautéed with olive oil,
sea salt, garlic & pepper - 5 oz sweet potato
- Serve and enjoy!
Week 2 Recipes
Breakfast Recipes
Ham, egg and cheese muffin
- 1 whole grain English muffin
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 pieces of ham
- 1/4 low fat cheese
- 1/2 cup fruit
- Serve and enjoy!
Blueberry oatmeal
- 1/2 – 1 cup oatmeal with water
- 8 oz. nonfat Greek yogurt stirred in
- 1/2 cup blueberries, cinnamon to taste
- Mix and enjoy
Protein fruit smoothie
- Vanilla whey powder
- 1 small banana
- ½ cup strawberries
- Toss in blender with almond milk and ice
- Blend until creamy!
Snack Recipes
Rice cakes with guacamole
- 3-4 brown rice cakes
- 1/4 cup of guacamole
- ½ cup of nonfat 1% cottage cheese
Eggs with toast
- 2 whole hardboiled eggs / 4 hardboiled whites
- 2 slices of whole grain toast
- 1-2 tablespoon of berry jam
Apple dipped in nut butter
- 1 medium apple
- 1 tablespoon natural nut butter
Chocolate protein drink
- 1 scoop of chocolate whey protein powder
- Combine in a blender then add almond milk and ice
- Let it mix, then add 1/2 Tablespoon of coconut oil
- Blend until creamy!
Yogurt parfait
- 8oz nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup fruit
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Fruit with nuts
- 1 medium orange
- 12 toasted almonds
- 3/4 cup 1% cottage cheese
Lunch Recipes
Ground turkey salad
- 5 oz. of lean ground turkey over
- Salad with 1/2 small avocado chopped
- 2 slices of lean turkey bacon
- Add salsa
- 15 baked tortilla chips
- Toss and enjoy!
Bison burgers
- 5 oz. bison burger
- 1 whole grain whole bun
- Add slices of lettuce and tomato
- 1 slice low fat cheese
- 1 Tablespoon mustard
Salmon with brown rice
- Prepare 5-6 oz. grilled salmon by cooking
for 12-15 minutes until it flakes easily - Cook 1 cup of brown rice (prepare ahead of time)
- Add 2 cups of steamed broccoli
Dinner Recipes
Shrimp stir-fry
- Take 6-8 oz. shrimp and add 2 cups mixed vegetables in a pan
- Cook all in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until the shrimp is cooked
- thoroughly
- Served over 1 cup of brown rice (prepare ahead of time)
Fish with veggies
- 6-8 oz. of white fish (cod, halibut, etc.)
- 2 cups of kale cooked in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
- 1 cup of long grain wild rice
Steak with potatoes
- 6-8 oz. grilled flank steak
- 2-3 cups of spinach sautéed in 1 tablespoon of olive oil
with sea salt - and garlic
- 1 medium baked potato
Week 3 Recipes
Breakfast Recipes
Whole grain waffles and eggs
- Prepare 3 whole grain waffles
- Cook 5-6 egg whites 1 whole egg
- Cover the waffles with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
- Add 1/2 cup fruit and enjoy
Avocado toast
- Toast 2-3 pieces of whole grain whole bread
- Spread 1/2 small avocado on top
- Serve with 1/2 cup of 1% no-salt added cottage cheese
- Add ½ cup of cantaloupe or honeydew melon on the side
Oatmeal with berries
- Prepare 1 cup of Oats
- Add 3/4 cup of berries to the oats when finished
- Prepare 1 cup liquid egg whites and 2 whole eggs
Snack Recipes
PB & J sandwich
- Take 3 slices of Ezekiel bread
- Cover all three with 1 tablespoon almond butter
and 1 tablespoon natural berry jam
Cereal with fresh strawberries
- Mix 1 cup whole grain cereal
- With a cup of 1% milk
- Add 1 cup strawberries on top
Chocolate protein pudding
- 1 ½ scoops of whey/casein powder
- Add water then stir until you get the consistency
of cake batter or muffin batter - Put in the microwave for one minute
- Add in ¼ cup sliced, crushed, or chopped almonds or walnuts
- Blend until creamy!
Rice cakes with guacamole
- Take 3-4 brown rice cakes
- Top with 1/4 cup of guacamole
- Add ½ cup of nonfat 1% cottage cheese no salt
Berry jam toast
- Prepare 2 whole hard boiled eggs and 4 hardboiled whites
- Serve with 2 slices of whole grain toast covered
with 1-2 tablespoon of berry jam
Apple dipped in nut butter
- Cut 1 medium apple and eat with1 tablespoon natural nut butter
Lunch Recipes
Turkey wrap
- Take 1 low-carb wrap
- Cover with 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Add 4-5 slices of sliced, smoked turkey breast
- Add one or two slices of lettuce, tomato
- Chop or spread 2-3 tablespoons avocado
Grilled salmon salad
- Grill 5 oz. of salmon and serve over a large salad with vegetables.
- Cook salmon for 12-15 minutes until it flakes easily
- Add 5 oz. baked potato (white or sweet)
- Cover it the potato with 1 tablespoon of grated cheese,
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar to taste
Chicken over brown rice
- 6 oz. of grilled chicken breast.
Grill chicken on the stove in a saucepan on medium heat
with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil - 1 cup of brown rice (prepare ahead of time)
- Steam or consume raw 3/4 cup of broccoli
Dinner Recipes
Turkey with Brussels sprouts
- Prepare 6-8 oz. of turkey breast in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
- Add 2 cups of Brussels sprouts
- Serve with 6 oz. of yams
Steak and sweet potatoes
- Prepare 6 oz. grass-fed sirloin
- Serve with 1 medium sweet potato
- Cook 10 asparagus spears and enjoy
Chicken with zucchini pasta
- Prepare 6-8 ounces of chicken breast,
sautéed in 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil - Cook 2 cups of zucchini pasta
- Add 1-2 cups of brown rice pasta
