Prioritize carbs
Squats and leg press draw heavily on muscle glycogen, so a carb rich meal gives you the energy to hit all your reps. Rice, oats, potatoes, fruit, or bread all work well before heavy leg training.
What should I eat before leg day?
Eat a carb heavy meal with some protein 1 to 3 hours before, like oats and eggs or rice and chicken.
The quick answer
Legs are your biggest muscles and burn through glycogen, so fuel with carbs and some protein 1 to 3 hours before. Think oatmeal with fruit and a shake, rice with chicken, or a bagel with eggs, roughly 40 to 80 g of carbs and 20 to 40 g of protein. If you train soon after eating, keep it lighter and lower in fat and fibre so you are not sluggish under the bar.
How to think about it
Add protein, ease off fat
Pair the carbs with 20 to 40 g of protein to support the session and recovery. Keep fat and fibre moderate in the pre workout meal so digestion does not leave your stomach heavy during squats.
Time it right
A full meal sits best eaten 1 to 3 hours before. If you only have 30 to 60 minutes, go smaller and simpler, like a banana with a shake or some rice cakes, so you feel fuelled but not full.
Do this
- Load carbsInclude 40 to 80 g of carbs like rice, oats, or potatoes.
- Add some proteinPair it with 20 to 40 g of protein for recovery.
- Go easy on fatKeep the meal lower in fat and fibre so you are not sluggish.
- Mind the timingEat a full meal 1 to 3 hours out, or something small if closer to training.
Keep going
How SUUPR helps
Eat a carb heavy meal with some protein 1 to 3 hours before, like oats and eggs or rice and chicken.