What to eat before/after workouts?

lilmrshaynes
lilmrshaynes Posts: 17 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am new to hitting the gym as hard as I have been lately. I need to educate myself more on what is best to eat before and after each workout. I go at all different times of the day, so I have no set schedule. I usually just have a Kashi GoLean bar or something before I go in and nothing afterwards. What are the benefits of eating after a workout?

Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    What are the benefits of eating after a workout? Nothing really unless hungry.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    edited May 2016
    you have to figure out what works for you and the kinda workout you are doing and what your goals are. I don't eat or drink within a few hours before working out or i puke. After i work out i eat and eat and eat, chicken and vegetables to feed the muscles i just ripped up.

    everyone does something different, experiment with what makes you feel good.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited May 2016
    lilmrshaynes wrote: »
    I am new to hitting the gym as hard as I have been lately. I need to educate myself more on what is best to eat before and after each workout. I go at all different times of the day, so I have no set schedule. I usually just have a Kashi GoLean bar or something before I go in and nothing afterwards. What are the benefits of eating after a workout?

    Massively overstated and for the vast majority not worth bothering about.

    Overall nutrition = important.
    Nutrition timing around exercise = very minor consideration unless you are an elite athlete or doing multi hour endurance cardio.
  • pzarnosky
    pzarnosky Posts: 256 Member
    SonyaCele wrote: »
    you have to figure out what works for you and the kinda workout you are doing and what your goals are. I don't eat or drink within a few hours before working out or i puke. After i work out i eat and eat and eat, chicken and vegetables to feed the muscles i just ripped up.

    everyone does something different, experiment with what makes you feel good.

    This.
    Nutrient timing isn't all that important. I'm a runner and even after a long run I don't eat for a few hours because I'm simply not hungry. Then the hunger sets in lol.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Your overall diet and nutritional profile is going to be far more important here than timing food before or after a workout...it also really depends on what you're doing.

    I usually ride in the morning or during my lunch hour so I have breakfast or lunch after my ride. I usually have an apple and a whey supplement after lifting as that aids in recovery...but really, the overall makeup of your diet is what is going to matter most.

    The only time I really worry about something specific before or after is if I'm doing a long ride or a race or doing multiple glycogen depleting events...in those instances I start carb loading a couple of days before and I eat during the event so I don't bonk and have recovery food very shortly afterwards...usually some fast carbs (sugar) and protein.

  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    i'm a believer in nutrient timing, at least for me. I get headachy if i don't have certain types foods in me at certain times of my day. I have noticed weaker workouts, slower recovery, etc. Overall diet is obviously the most important, but timing is something i've experimented with over the years, and on my heavy workout days i carefully calculate exactly what i eat and when so that i dont get a headache or heartburn and i feel good my entire workout, and i always walk out of the gym eating something high protein.
    But everyone is different and reacts to food differently. The nutrient timing for weight loss makes no difference, but nutrient timing for a properly fueled workout does make a difference for me.
  • lilmrshaynes
    lilmrshaynes Posts: 17 Member
    Thanks for everyone's input. Like I said, I am totally new to this. I've just randomly seen things in fitness blogs where people are eating/drinking certain things before or after a workout and I just wasn't sure if there were any benefits to it other than just being hungry. I am focused on overall diet and nutrition for sure. I will just experiment with different things.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    lilmrshaynes wrote: »
    Thanks for everyone's input. Like I said, I am totally new to this. I've just randomly seen things in fitness blogs where people are eating/drinking certain things before or after a workout and I just wasn't sure if there were any benefits to it other than just being hungry. I am focused on overall diet and nutrition for sure. I will just experiment with different things.

    Yep, it's all about what works for you!
  • andrewq6100
    andrewq6100 Posts: 415 Member
    just like everyone said it's all about experimentation.

    if you can stomach it, try a fasted workout or fasted cardio, the changes are definitely more noticeable at a nicer pace, and also people say "protein an hr after workout" but that is a continuous battle. as long as you consume enough protein to help recover your muscles after workout you will be good, and also no junk of course because your hard earned workout will go to poop, even though you may feel so hungry to just eat everything! (guiltyyy) if you need energy for workouts though you can eat a nice medium sized breakfast an hr and a half before workout like eggs,oatmeal and some peanutbutter, then go ham! it's all up to you and what you can make work though, you got this!!
  • 2011rocket3touring
    2011rocket3touring Posts: 1,346 Member
    Before; nothing.
    After cardio; nothing for about 2+ hours
    resistance training: soy protein, almond milk, natural peanut butter: a quick 38 grams of protein.
  • lilmrshaynes
    lilmrshaynes Posts: 17 Member
    andrewq6100 wrote: »
    just like everyone said it's all about experimentation.

    if you can stomach it, try a fasted workout or fasted cardio, the changes are definitely more noticeable at a nicer pace, and also people say "protein an hr after workout" but that is a continuous battle. as long as you consume enough protein to help recover your muscles after workout you will be good, and also no junk of course because your hard earned workout will go to poop, even though you may feel so hungry to just eat everything! (guiltyyy) if you need energy for workouts though you can eat a nice medium sized breakfast an hr and a half before workout like eggs,oatmeal and some peanutbutter, then go ham! it's all up to you and what you can make work though, you got this!!

    Thank you!
  • filovirus76
    filovirus76 Posts: 156 Member
    For cardio, a banana an hour or so before. Protein fortified chocolate milk within 20 mins aftward. That's what I do consistently. Might not work for everyone. Elite endurance athletes time their meals, why not mimick their behaviors. They must be doing something right.

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