How soon after working out do I need to consume protein?

Including a quality protein source after your workouts can help support recovery and muscle repair. Protein powder is often used for this situation because it's super easy and convenient. There isn't necessarily a time limit on when you can consume protein after your workouts, though. As a general rule of thumb, if you didn't eat before working out, try to include protein as soon as you can afterwards. Otherwise if you had some protein with a pre-workout meal or snack, it's fine to wait a couple hours after if you prefer.