Key facts
- Total daily protein matters most; timing is a smaller factor.
- Spreading protein across 3–5 meals is a practical approach.
- The post-workout 'anabolic window' is wider than once thought.
- Aim for roughly 0.3–0.4 g per kg per meal.
Protein timing used to be dominated by the idea of a narrow 'anabolic window' right after training. Research has softened that: as long as you eat protein within a few hours around your workout, you capture the benefit. The window is more like several hours than 30 minutes.
What does help is distribution. Spreading your daily protein across 3–5 meals, each with roughly 0.3–0.4 grams per kilogram of bodyweight, keeps muscle protein synthesis elevated more consistently than loading it all into one meal. But this is a fine-tuning detail — hitting your total daily protein is far more important.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need protein immediately after training?
No. The 'anabolic window' is wider than once believed — eating protein within a few hours around your workout is sufficient for most people.
How should I spread protein across the day?
Distributing it across 3–5 meals of roughly 0.3–0.4 g per kg each is a practical way to support muscle growth, but total daily intake matters most.
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