Full Stomach or Empty?

AmazonianNat

Hi All

I have just joined the gym, and am making the most of the workout classes so far!

I do 4 high intensity classes a week, all of which start between 19:30 and 20:00 and last for an hour so it leaves me in a bit of a dilemma - should I be eating dinner BEFORE I go to the class or after? At the moment I've been having a banana about 45 mins before they start but is this enough? Also it means that I am not eating till around 21:30 some nights which is surely too late?

Please help!

Thanks!

bcattoes

Meal timing has minimal effect on how food is processed. Just eat at whatever time fits your schedule and is comfortable to you.

lilRicki

I prefer empty, I did aquafit yesterday after I had a light supper, and I was sluggish. I'd rather go home and eat after working out.

Lemongrab1

To avoid the much loved bloated stomach phenomena, you should exercise two hours after you eat a meal.
When you're exercising your body's ability to digest your food decreases because your energy is being used up to support you during your workout.
So give your body adequate time to mush your food up.

AllanMisner

Empty

If you're not going at intensity for more than 60 minutes, you might need some carbs during the work. Otherwise, the banana 45 - 60 minutes beforehand is fine.

For the stomach to work, it needs blood. For muscles to work, they need blood. Don't make them compete. And then after hard work, your body is primed to use the nutrients you take in. So, yes, eat dinner afterward

mfclingan

Play around with it. I have found that if I eat too soon before a high energy class that I literally think I'm going to see it on the floor after I hurl it up. However, if I eat lunch and don't eat until after my class (which is over at 8PM) then I have had some issues with feeling sick and weak. It's a fine line. For me, I just eat a bit of a snack about 2-3 hours early and it works perfectly for me...keeps me from dying of starvation but also from feeling sick!

pastryari

Personal preference.

jacksonpt

should I be eating dinner BEFORE I go to the class or after? At the moment I've been having a banana about 45 mins before they start but is this enough?

Eat whenever you want. If you feel better with food in yoru stomach, then eat before hand. If you feel better working out on an empty stomach, then don't. Meal timing has a negligible impact on progress.

Also ot means that I am not eating to around 21:30 some nights which is surely too late?

Not at all. Unless it's affecting the quality of your sleep, feel free to eat as late as you want.

MissKitty9

I feel better working out on an empty stomach--- usually I'll have a spoonful of peanut butter or glass of almond milk, but that's it. Bananas are great too!

mzenzer

If the banana is working for you keep doing that. I like a light snack about an hour before working out. Too much and I feel nauseous. Eating late is fine. You still burn calories when you sleep. It's not the eating late that has a bad rep, it's that people usually eat a half of gallon of ice cream and bag of doritos before bed that started the whole eating late is bad thing. Eat your normal dinner. That being said, I find that I sleep better when I'm up at least 2 hours after I eat. Right before bed usually gives me indigestion.

tmpecus78

I always train fasted.

AmazonianNat

Thanks so much to everyone that responded! I think I will stick with the banana beforehand and the dinner after - at least I now know that you CAN eat before you go to bed!

Thanks again!

admegamo

If you're worried about a blood sugar drop (working out does lower your blood sugar) the diabetic educator at my work says that if you don't want to eat something (a banana is not too much food) you can always drink some juice for the sugar boost and you should be find during the work out.

AmazonianNat

Brilliant! I will keep that in mind!

AdrianBry

whatever works best for you.

doesn't matter WHEN. It's the HOW MUCH for losing weight but

You will burn more fat working out in a fasted state or basically you'll burn more fat the less you eat before working out (but I guess that's pretty much common sense))

mzenzer

If you're worried about a blood sugar drop (working out does lower your blood sugar) the diabetic educator at my work says that if you don't want to eat something (a banana is not too much food) you can always drink some juice for the sugar boost and you should be find during the work out.

This is a good point too. I have pretty low blood sugar and a hard crash is always a danger for me so I need something before a workout, even if just a pre-workout drink like NO-XPLODE.