The thirty-minute anabolic window is an old story. What actually matters is how much you eat across the day, and whether you've got the energy to train hard.
Before training
An hour or two before, eat something with easy carbohydrates — rice, potato, a banana — and a small serve of protein. Go light on fat and fibre; they sit heavy. If you've only got thirty minutes, a banana or a slice of bread will do.
After training
Within two hours, eat properly: 30 to 40 grams of protein plus carbohydrates to refill glycogen. Rice with chicken breast, fish, eggs and vegetables is the familiar option, and it works.
Do you need a shake straight after?
No. A shake is handy when you can't get a real meal in the next two hours. If you can go home and eat, eat.
The rule underneath all of it: eat enough, eat regularly, and eat in a way you can keep up for years.
