10 Best Foods for Energy: What to Eat Before, During and After Training

What Are Good Energy Foods?

Good energy foods share a few things in common. They provide a steady supply of fuel rather than a quick spike and crash; they're rich in nutrients that support how your body produces and uses energy, and they're practical enough to eat consistently, not just on perfect days.

The best options tend to combine:

• Complex carbohydrates: the body's preferred fuel source for exercise

• Quality protein: to support muscle repair and recovery

• Healthy fats: for sustained energy between meals

• Key micronutrients:  B vitamins, magnesium and iron all play a role in how efficiently your body converts food into energy. 

Before Training: Build Your Energy Foundation

There's a point in every long session where your body starts negotiating with you. One minute you're moving well, and the next, heavy legs, brain fog and the sudden urge to stop.

For most people, the issue isn't fitness or motivation. It's under-fuelling.

Think of your pre-training meal as an investment. What you eat in the hours before a session determines the energy you have when it counts. 

The goal is steady, sustained fuel that your body can draw on throughout the session. That means slow-release energy foods, complex carbohydrates that digest gradually, paired with enough protein to protect muscle and help you start sessions feeling ready rather than running on empty. The good news is that the best foods for energy aren't exotic or complicated. They're practical, accessible and easy to build into a regular routine. 

Remember to eat a full meal 2–3 hours before training. Short on time? A lighter snack 45–60 minutes out works too.

Here are some Pre-Training Options to Choose from:

1. Chicken Breast

Chicken breast is one of the most practical pre-training foods going. Lean, easy to digest and packed with protein, a 150g serve delivers around 46 grams and fuels muscle without slowing you down before a session. It's also rich in B vitamins that help your body convert food into usable energy efficiently. TheChipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl pairs tender chicken breast with basmati rice, black beans and capsicum, giving a complete pre-training meal with protein, slow-release carbohydrates and real flavour, ready in minutes.

2. Basmati Rice

Basmati rice is one of the best slow-release energy foods for pre-training meals. Its lower glycaemic index means energy releases gradually rather than spiking — exactly what you want heading into a session. It's light on the stomach, pairs effortlessly with any protein source and is easy to prepare in bulk. TheThai Green Chicken Curry with Basmati Rice combines lean chicken breast with fragrant basmati rice — high in protein, low in sugar and genuinely satisfying before a workout.

3. Legumes and Beans

Black beans, kidney beans and lentils are some of the most underrated energy boosting foods for training. Dense in slow-release carbohydrates, high in plant-based protein and rich in iron and magnesium — minerals that directly support energy production and muscle function — they digest slowly and provide sustained fuel across a long session. TheMexican Superfood Bowl combines black beans, kidney beans, sweet potato and brown rice into a plant-based pre-training meal that genuinely delivers on energy without the heaviness.

4. Spiced Potatoes

Potatoes — particularly when spiced and roasted — are one of the most filling and effective good energy foods before training. Rich in complex carbohydrates, potassium and vitamin C, they fuel glycogen stores and support muscle function. They're often overlooked in favour of rice or pasta, but they're just as effective and far more satisfying. TheTandoori Chicken with Broccoli and Spiced Potatoes is a PRO meal that pairs lean, aromatic chicken with spiced potatoes and broccoli — high protein, real carbohydrates and a macro profile built for performance.

During Training: Keep the Tank From Running Dry

For sessions under an hour, stored glycogen is usually enough to get through. Push past 90 minutes, and the picture changes, with energy dips and performance dropping off faster than it needs to.

Aim for 30–60 grams of fast-acting carbohydrates per hour of sustained effort.

5. Protein Yoghurt

Protein yoghurt sits in a useful middle ground,  substantial enough to fuel longer efforts, fast enough to digest without discomfort. It combines fast-acting carbohydrates with protein that helps protect muscle during extended training. For sessions with a break in the middle or back-to-back training days, it's one of the most practical foods that gives you energy quickly without needing preparation. My Muscle Chef'sHigh Protein Yoghurt Pack comes in multiple flavours and travels well. Grab one between sessions and recovery nutrition is sorted.

6. Protein Cookies

On longer training days when appetite is high, and you need something more substantial mid-session, a high-quality protein cookie hits differently than a standard snack. Fast carbohydrates for immediate energy, protein to protect muscle and enough calories to keep you going,  without the sugar crash of typical snack bars. My Muscle Chef'sCookies and Cream Protein Cookie delivers 22 grams of protein, includes creatine for explosive energy support and contains 35% less sugar than a standard chocolate biscuit. A smarter mid-session option that actually tastes like a treat.

7. Ready-to-Drink Protein Shakes

When you're mid-training day and need fast fuel without stopping to eat, a ready-to-drink protein shake is one of the most convenient energy-boosting foods available. My Muscle Chef'sProtein Shakes deliver up to 35 grams of protein per serve with added electrolytes for hydration. Under 200 calories and ready to go straight from the fridge. They are a fast, practical and effective when the gap between sessions is short.

After Training: Recover Well or Pay for It Later

The 90 minutes after training is where recovery either happens or doesn't. Your body is primed to repair muscle tissue and replenish glycogen, but only if you give it what it needs. Skip this window and recovery slows, soreness lingers, and your next session suffers before it's even started.

The formula: 20–40 grams of protein combined with quality carbohydrates, within 90 minutes of finishing.

8. Beef with Pasta

Lean beef combined with pasta is one of the most complete post-training recovery meals going. Beef provides high-quality protein, iron for oxygen transport and creatine to help replenish energy stores depleted during training. Pasta delivers the carbohydrates needed to refill glycogen quickly. Together, they cover every post-training nutritional base in one satisfying meal. TheBeef Stroganoff with Mushrooms and Spinach Fettuccine combines tender beef strips with earthy mushrooms and spinach fettuccine — a hearty, high-protein recovery meal ready in minutes when cooking is the last thing you feel like doing.

9. Chicken with Vegetables

Post-training recovery isn't just about protein; micronutrients matter too. Magnesium, potassium and vitamin C all play a role in how quickly your body recovers after intense exercise. A lean chicken meal with vegetables hits all of these while delivering the protein your muscles need. TheTandoori Chicken with Spiced Vegetables and Mint Yoghurt is 53% vegetable-based, high in protein and low in calories — exactly the kind of meal that supports recovery without undoing your training.

10. Recovery Protein Bars

Sometimes a full meal after training isn't practical — and that's where a quality recovery bar earns its place. Developed specifically for post-workout recovery, My Muscle Chef'sRecovery Bars are loaded with protein, amino acids and electrolytes to support muscle repair and rehydration. Available in Peanut Butter Choc, Cookies and Cream, Salted Caramel and Double Choc Fudge — they're the kind of recovery snack you actually look forward to after a hard session.

Foods That Cause Energy Crashes

Some foods cause rapid spikes in blood sugar followed by sudden drops. These foods can leave you feeling tired shortly after eating.

Common examples include:

Sugary Breakfast Cereals

These contain refined carbohydrates and added sugars that digest quickly.

White Bread and Pastries

Refined grains lack fibre and are absorbed rapidly.

Sugary Drinks

Soft drinks and fruit juices deliver large amounts of sugar without fibre or protein.

Ultra-Processed Snack Foods

Chips, biscuits and confectionery provide calories but very little nutritional value.

These foods can create a cycle of spikes and crashes, which contributes to fatigue and increased cravings.

Fuelling Shouldn't Be the Hard Part

My Muscle Chef's range ofhigh-protein meals and snacks is chef-prepared, dietitian-designed and ready in minutes, so the nutrition side of training takes care of itself. Explore the full menu at My Muscle Chef.