Who eats before workout who doesn't and why ?

anitastevens75

Wondering who eats before workout and who doesn't if u do what do u eat and if not why not ?

janejellyroll

I typically exercise in the morning. If I am going to be running less than 8-9 miles, I usually won't eat anything. I feel better running on an empty stomach. If I'm going to be running more than that, I'll usually have something light, like half a slice of bread or some fruit.

cwolfman13

Like right before a workout...I'd be puking my guts out...not to mention I would feel heavy and sluggish.

In the summers I do my rides in the AM and I ride fasted...if I ride later in the day, obviously I've eaten breakfast and/or lunch, etc depending on what time I ride. I typically have a few hours of digestion before I ride or hit the weight room...

RLeighP

I work out in the mornings, and I usually don't eat first because I'll forget until I'm almost at the gym. But if I do eat, it's something light.

Bloodandguts1980

I don't eat too near the gym as I don't want raise blood sugars (and insulin) to allow me to burn more fat and use more glycogen.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

I tend to skip breakfast (except coffee) to save my calories for the rest of the day. So if I work out in the morning (lifting, walking or moderate bike ride), then I don't eat before that workout. If I'm doing a long bike ride, or a race I eat a couple hours before.

aeloine

I definitely eat before I work out. If not, I will literally not be able to think about anything else. Must be some mental thing, but my work out suffers and my stomach starts to growl about 30 minutes into any work out if I haven't eaten. I get hangry, emotional, and just want to quit. I have left class before to go eat.

COMPLETELY opposite of my S.O. He can't eat before working out, otherwise he gets sick to his stomach. Gym dates are always a bit of a hassle.

sijomial

I eat before (or during) a cycle ride of over two hours - otherwise both eating and exercising just fit in my day wherever suits me on that day.

Before a very long ride (4hrs +) it's predominately carbs, some protein, little fat. A big bowl of granola with milk and protein powder perhaps.

Would normally give myself half an hour or more after eating a meal though before intense exercise. But a large or fatty meal would need longer for me to digest or I get heartburn.

I've done fasted exercise in the past and it took quite a while to get used to and adapt before it felt normal.

For most exercise it's really personal preference and scheduling rather than anything else - we do carry enormous reserves of energy around with us.

ShibaEars

aeloine wrote: »

I definitely eat before I work out. If not, I will literally not be able to think about anything else. Must be some mental thing, but my work out suffers and my stomach starts to growl about 30 minutes into any work out if I haven't eaten. I get hangry, emotional, and just want to quit. I have left class before to go eat.

COMPLETELY opposite of my S.O. He can't eat before working out, otherwise he gets sick to his stomach. Gym dates are always a bit of a hassle.

Ditto to the bold.

I workout after work (around 5:30pm) and eat 45-60 minutes before. I usually have ground turkey & rice, or a protein bar if I haven't been good about prepping my food lol.

glennwright57

I eat before and have a protein shake I make after my workout

AuthorNinja

I feel better working out on an empty stomach. However, if I wake up feeling particularly bad, I'll take a few bites of X food and wait an extra ten to twenty minutes. Normally, I enjoy having my coffee and breakfast post workout. It sets me in a good mindset for the rest of the day

ent3rsandman

If I'm going for a jog, I'll usually do it fasted just because it feels better to me personally. If I'm sprinting, I'll eat something light and carb-heavy (a banana or something). If I'm lifting, you better believe it's with a full stomach and plenty of all three macros.

lorrpb

Yes, to help fuel the workout.

anybeary

Yes, I eat first. According to what I've read, if you are lifting weights or doing HIIT, it's great to make sure you get a good helping of protein and some carbs to fuel that workout. Then some protein after helps recovery.

anitastevens75

I haven't tried working out without food but I have found if I have an big work out burning lots of calories I tend to feel faint afterwards until I eat again ...does anyone think age is a factor.o watches something this morning that states after 35 for a female u should exercise on empty belly so u burn insulin

apullum

I eat a small carb-heavy snack, usually a banana, before I run. I feel sick if I don't eat anything.

ck2d

I fast in the morning and eat before evening workouts, and I usually do two-a-days, cardio in the AM and weight lifting in the PM.

spiriteagle99

I usually run an hour to two after a meal - either after breakfast or after lunch. How long I wait depends on how hard a run I plan to do. If I run just before dinner, I'll usually eat a banana or juice before I go out.

Fitnessmom82

I work out first thing in the morning, also take thyroid meds so I can't eat for one hour after taking. So I work out before I eat. Didn't like it at first but now I have no problem with it. I worked out after a light breakfast a few weeks ago and I didn't feel right. I do strength training and cardio and don't have any issues doing it on an empty stomach.

AnnPT77

These days, my main exercise, in the morning, is either rowing (around 90 minutes on the water) or 45-minute spin class. If I don't eat beforehand, I don't have enough energy for decent intensity, and I'd be ravenous afterward, to the point of risking eating stupidly on the way home. I keep it light(-ish).

In both cases, I have lowfat kefir, hot skim milk with vanilla, and peanut butter. For spin, I put the peanut butter on a 20-cal large cracker-like thing called a Coco Lite Pop Cake. For rowing, I put it on an Ezekiel pita along with some flaxseed. (From experience, the row requires more calories/nutrients).

I've experimented in the past and found I can do a reasonably vigorous 2 x 10 minutes on the rowing machine fasted, but any intense thing much longer is foolishness. Couple mile or so walk fasted is fine, too, as even at my peak pace (around 4mph), it's much lower intensity.

Fasted or not, and what to eat if you do, is going to be very individual. Experiment. You want to be able to do a solid workout, but not have digestive distress. I tend to be a cast iron peasant when it comes to digestive issues, so it's mainly about feeling energetic, but not weighed down.

SCoil123

I work out later in the day so I have eaten but I have to eat at least 1-2 hours before or I will feel sick. I also eat within an hour after finishing a workout because I'm starving