After intense training, prioritise enough food, protein for repair, carbohydrate to replenish fuel stores and fluids to replace sweat losses. Recovery nutrition supports adaptation; one perfectly timed snack is not the whole picture. 1

Recovery Windows and Nutrient Timing

A meal providing around 20 to 40 g of protein is a useful starting point. Needs vary with body size, age and training. Spread protein across the day rather than saving it for one large serving. 2

Eating within a couple of hours is practical, not a deadline. Resistance exercise increases responsiveness to protein into the following day, and a protein-containing meal before training also counts. 2

Carbohydrate needs depend on the session and your next workout. Prompt refuelling matters most when demanding sessions are close together; a fixed 30 to 60 g serving will not suit everyone. 1

For a practical recovery meal, try:

  • Chicken or tofu with rice and vegetables.
  • Eggs on toast with fruit and yoghurt.
  • A milk or soy milk smoothie with banana and oats when a full meal feels unappealing.

Adjust portions to your needs. Replace fluid losses gradually; after substantial sweating, sodium from food or an appropriate drink also helps rehydration. 1

See pre and post workout nutrition for more on timing.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Recovery

Keep salmon, sardines, walnuts and colourful fruit and vegetables in your meal rotation. Use turmeric and ginger for flavour, rather than treating these foods as a recovery prescription.

Tart cherry evidence is mixed. A trial of 20 marathon runners found faster strength recovery with cherry juice, but not less soreness. 3

A 2026 trial of 35 runners found lower inflammation with tart cherry powder, but no improvement in strength recovery or soreness. Different preparations and small samples limit generalisation. 4

These findings suggest that lower inflammation markers do not necessarily mean better functional recovery. Tart cherry products are optional, not a substitute for adequate meals. 3 4

Sleep and Recovery Nutrition

Protect a regular sleep schedule. Caffeine can disrupt sleep, including caffeine in pre-workout products. Move it earlier if sleep suffers; sensitivity and dose matter more than one universal afternoon cut-off. 5

An evening carbohydrate meal can help refuelling. Evidence that it reliably improves sleep through serotonin or melatonin is limited. 1 5

A yoghurt or milk snack before bed can help meet protein needs. Studies show overnight protein synthesis benefits, but a special long-term advantage from bedtime timing remains uncertain. 2

Magnesium supplements are not a routine sleep recommendation: rigorous evidence of benefit remains insufficient. 6

Signs You May Be Under-Recovering

Watch for persistent fatigue, declining performance, disrupted sleep, frequent illness or loss of motivation. A changed resting heart rate can add context, but no single sign diagnoses overtraining. 7

Neither a body composition scan nor declining lean mass establishes the diagnosis. Overtraining assessment requires a wider history and exclusion of other causes. 7

If symptoms persist despite easier training and adequate meals, see your GP or a sports physician. Inadequate intake, iron deficiency and illness can cause overlapping problems. A sports dietitian can review fuelling. 7

Eating on Rest Days

Do not automatically cut calories. Keep protein regular while recovery continues. Carbohydrate portions may be smaller on easier days, but consider yesterday’s workload and tomorrow’s training before reducing them. 1 2

For help fitting recovery meals around your routine, explore nutrition coaching.