Pre-workout and post-workout nutrition gets more attention than it deserves. For someone training for strength and health a few times a week, getting enough total energy and protein across the day does most of the work. Timing fine-tunes the result; it does not make it.
That said, a little planning makes sessions feel better, and that is worth having.
Before training
A normal meal one to three hours before you train, with some carbohydrate and some protein, suits most people. Rice and chicken, a sandwich, oatmeal with yogurt—nothing specialized is needed. Very large or very fatty meals close to training can sit heavily, so leave more time after those.
If you train within an hour of waking or straight after work, something small and easy—a piece of fruit, a glass of milk, a yogurt—can help you feel less flat. Try it and see whether your sessions are better.
After training
The idea of a 30-minute window in which you must drink a shake is not well supported for typical training. Eating a meal containing protein within a few hours after a session is sensible and easy to achieve in normal life.
If your last meal was long before training, or you trained fasted, it is more worth eating reasonably soon afterward. Otherwise, your next normal meal is usually fine.
Training fasted
Some people train well first thing on an empty stomach; others feel weak or lightheaded. For general strength training, either can work if total daily intake is adequate. Let your sessions decide: if your lifts consistently suffer or you feel unwell, eat something first.
If you take insulin or other medication that lowers blood sugar, talk to your doctor about how to time food around exercise rather than experimenting on your own.
Fluids and longer sessions
Drink normally through the day and have water available during training. A typical hour of lifting does not call for sports drinks. Long endurance sessions, or training in serious heat, are where fluids and carbohydrate during exercise start to matter more.
What to do this week
Note when you ate before each session and how the session felt. After a week, you will know whether to move a meal earlier, add a small snack, or leave it alone. Most people end up leaving it alone.
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