Pre-Workout: Will is make you gain weight/hurt weight loss?

Options
jasminelemae03
jasminelemae03 Posts: 15 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've begun to stall a bit on my weight loss and I want to kick my workouts up a notch. I walk/jog every morning and hit the gym every evening following a workout plan I found online. The issue is, in the evening I feel I have NO ENERGY! I still go and definitely get the work done, but I feel like I can't push myself the way I want to during those workouts because I'm so tired. My brother is a gym rat and so is my best friend. I always see them posting about the pre-workouts they use and how it gives them energy for the gym. I'm concerned that it might make me gain weight or make it even harder to lose. TBH I'm not even 100% sure what it does. Is it something I should try or no? If not, what can I use to get some extra energy before my evening workout? Please help. :)
«1

Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
    edited February 2017
    Options
    jasminelemae03 wrote: »
    I've begun to stall a bit on my weight loss and I want to kick my workouts up a notch. I walk/jog every morning and hit the gym every evening following a workout plan I found online. The issue is, in the evening I feel I have NO ENERGY! I still go and definitely get the work done, but I feel like I can't push myself the way I want to during those workouts because I'm so tired. My brother is a gym rat and so is my best friend. I always see them posting about the pre-workouts they use and how it gives them energy for the gym. I'm concerned that it might make me gain weight or make it even harder to lose. TBH I'm not even 100% sure what it does. Is it something I should try or no? If not, what can I use to get some extra energy before my evening workout? Please help. :)

    Most pre-workouts are in large part caffeine...

    If your energy is low, you might want to re-evaluate your calorie targets.
  • Stella3838
    Stella3838 Posts: 439 Member
    edited February 2017
    Options
    Do you like black coffee? A cup of that really helps me when I need a kick. It's cheap and not loaded with a bunch of stuff.

    ETA: I usually drink it about 30 minutes before I plan to workout.
  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
    Options
    Calorie deficits cause weight loss; surplus causes gain. If it fits in your calorie goals then go for it. Its mostly caffeine and stimulants. I prefer natural: coffee.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    Options
    Energy comes from carbs. Are you eating enough carbs to fuel your workouts?
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
    Options
    Sounds like your body is telling you that you need a rest. How much/often are you exercising?

    I had a manager that used to talk his 'hulk' juice to help amp him up, but it just helped it didn't make the workout possible. I have a coworker now that uses something different, but it just gives him some extra energy is all.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    Options
    Also, pre-workout in the evening = no sleep for me. :#
  • jasminelemae03
    jasminelemae03 Posts: 15 Member
    Options
    @cwolfman13 I stick pretty closely to what the app tells me I should take in daily. Do you think adding a snack before the gym would help?
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    Options
    I don't believe in the powders or bottles of pre-workout stuff, but having a small snack an hour or so before a workout can help. Just stay in your calorie range for the day.
  • andrea4736
    andrea4736 Posts: 211 Member
    Options
    I drink it every morning. I get up super early and have to exercise on an empty stomach. It helps me a lot. Coffee makes me overheat/sweat and I don't feel like adding ice, cooling it down, etc.
  • jasminelemae03
    jasminelemae03 Posts: 15 Member
    Options
    @Stella3838 I thought about that, but they always make it seem like coffee is so bad for you when losing weight. Except for a cup every few weeks, I've basically given it up for green tea.
  • andrea4736
    andrea4736 Posts: 211 Member
    Options
    jasminelemae03 wrote: »
    @Stella3838 I thought about that, but they always make it seem like coffee is so bad for you when losing weight. Except for a cup every few weeks, I've basically given it up for green tea.

    It's not the coffee, it's what some people put IN the coffee...i.e., tons of cream and sugar. I learned to drink it black so I'm not drinking a ton of calories.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    edited February 2017
    Options
    jasminelemae03 wrote: »
    @Stella3838 I thought about that, but they always make it seem like coffee is so bad for you when losing weight. Except for a cup every few weeks, I've basically given it up for green tea.

    Black coffee isn't bad for you.

    ETA: Even cream and sugar in your coffee isn't bad for you if it fits in your daily calories.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    Options
    Afura wrote: »
    Sounds like your body is telling you that you need a rest. How much/often are you exercising?

    This. And how many calories are you eating a day?
  • Stella3838
    Stella3838 Posts: 439 Member
    edited February 2017
    Options
    jasminelemae03 wrote: »
    @Stella3838 I thought about that, but they always make it seem like coffee is so bad for you when losing weight. Except for a cup every few weeks, I've basically given it up for green tea.

    You'll have people for and against, but it could be better than it's had a reputation for. I agree with @andrea4736 that many times people load it up with high calorie things. Black coffee would certainly be best.

    https://authoritynutrition.com/top-13-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee/
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Options
    Coffee is like chocolate. It is practically a health food if you don't load it down with sugar. Caffeine can aid your workouts by giving you a boost of energy and coffee is source of potassium, which most of us need more of.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
    Options
    jasminelemae03 wrote: »
    @cwolfman13 I stick pretty closely to what the app tells me I should take in daily. Do you think adding a snack before the gym would help?

    Perhaps...

    But the app isn't really telling you anything...you put in your stats and desired rate of loss and the app ran an algorithm and spit something out...if you have an aggressive rate of loss target you are going to be pretty low calorie...and thus pretty low energy (because that's what calories are)...as energy dips, most people are going to have a dip in their CO.

    An interesting thing happened to me when I went to maintenance. I basically went to maintenance because I was in a very long stall and just said screw it. I was still losing, but it was at an incredibly slow pace and so decided to take a maintenance break and then I thought I'd resume things a few weeks down the road.

    As per my results and the math that was going on, I assumed my maintenance calories would be pretty low...by the math I figured they'd be around 2300 calories or so. Oddly enough (but not really) as I increased my calories I felt better...I was less fatigued and all of a sudden my weight started dropping again...I hit 2300...then 2500 and my weight continued to drop...2700 and weight continued to drop though it slowed...finally hit 3000ish calories and had dropped an additional 6 Lbs when it finally leveled off.

    What is this sorcery? No magic really...I was so fatigued from dieting that my workouts were suffering...not only that, but my daily general movement was suffering. I found that as I increased calories I had a hard time sitting still to watch a t.v. show or movie...I was super fidgety, and I wasn't that way before...and in the gym, all of my lifts went up immediately...I was suddenly faster on my bike and able to go longer...my sprint intervals went through the roof, etc.

    Not saying that's what you should do necessarily...just that a lot of people forget that when their CI comes down, very often their CO comes down with it, particularly if you've been dieting awhile.
  • jasminelemae03
    jasminelemae03 Posts: 15 Member
    Options
    @quiksylver296 I'm trying really hard to avoid carbs. Maybe not the best idea? I'm doing this by myself so I honestly have no idea what I'm doing. Just always hear that carbs are bad.
  • jasminelemae03
    jasminelemae03 Posts: 15 Member
    Options
    @andrea4736 Is there a certain brand you recommend?
  • Stella3838
    Stella3838 Posts: 439 Member
    Options
    jasminelemae03 wrote: »
    @quiksylver296 I'm trying really hard to avoid carbs. Maybe not the best idea? I'm doing this by myself so I honestly have no idea what I'm doing. Just always hear that carbs are bad.

    Carbs aren't the enemy! :smile: Eating more than you expend is the problem. You really can eat whatever you like, just stay within your calorie target.

Categories