Eat before a workout?

tigersword

if you want to burn storage fat, you have to do your workout with empty stomach. so the body will burn the storage fat not the meal you have eating. another secret if you want your body to burn storage fat while sleeping, you have to eat 3 hours before sleeping , so your stomach will empty and your body will not burn the meal but the storage fat. try keeping on these rules and you will see fantastic results as me. good luck.

Um no. Absolutely does not work like that. You burn adipose fat based on the total number of calories consumed vs the total number of calories burned, not by specific times of eating.

toddis

Can a car run without gas? No it cannot, so why do you expect this from
your poor body ?

If you fill the car with gas the night before do you wake up and it's gone?

qtgonewild

on the weekends when i can workout in the morning. i do so before eating. then come home shower and eat. on the weekdays when i work out after work, i figured out i work out a lot longer if i go home and eat first THEN go to the gym. When i was doing it the other way around i noticed wanting to leave the gym alot sooner just so i can go home and eat dinner. But maybe thats because my lunch is at 10 and by 5 im starving. Anyways i found what works best for me. and keeps me in the gym longer. win win.

rileysowner

I normally wake up and then do my work out then grab something to eat after a shower, is that right or should I be eating before my work out?

Can a car run without gas? No it cannot, so why do you expect this from
your poor body ?

Good thing my body is not a car. By the morning your energy stores are not depleted as your supper would have been used to fill up both muscle and liver glycogen stores. That would be a full or almost full tank of gas, to use your analogy. No need to try to fill the tank more.

As the article repeatedly posted, not to mention the host of other links, it is all up to personal preference. I almost always train fasted. That includes weight training and cycling. My performance is no different, although it seems to be marginally worse when training fed.

I know others who are the exact opposite. Without a meal an hour or two before their workout, they have no energy, at least by their perception.

To the original poster, do what works for you.

contingencyplan

I usually have a relatively small meal/snack of a piece of fruit and a protein shake (mixed with water, not milk) prior to working out. Not for any nutritional reasons, but I find that I don't do well working out on an empty stomach.

sugarkissprincess

I eat lunch before working out, however towards the evening a workout first then eat.

tigersword

I normally wake up and then do my work out then grab something to eat after a shower, is that right or should I be eating before my work out?

Can a car run without gas? No it cannot, so why do you expect this from
your poor body ?

WAIT!? Your car doesn't have a gas tank that stores gas for use between refueling?

Radnee

I usually eat a banana before and after.

Brandee_Rissmiller

Interesting, thank you for sharing!! I had no idea!

ndj1979

I normally wake up and then do my work out then grab something to eat after a shower, is that right or should I be eating before my work out?

Can a car run without gas? No it cannot, so why do you expect this from
your poor body ?

what? This makes no sense...by this logic then you would not be able to get out bed because you lack sufficient fat stores/energy/etc to do basic body functions...your body does not use up 100% of its energy from the time you go to sleep to the time you wake up ...

GreatGreenSea

I work out after I get off work, anywhere from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm (depends if I stay late). I eat some cashews or an Odwalla protein shake before I work out, then I go home and have dinner afterward.

When I've worked out in the morning, in the past, I can't eat before hand, or I'll end up spending at least half an hour on a toilet (TMI, sorry). That's part of the reason I quit working out in the morning...my stomach just can't handle food too early in the day.

subsonicbassist

You totally posted this at just the right time because I just got done with a nutrition class on pre and post workout fuel.

The gist of the whole thing is that if you aren't fueling (and with the proper things) before and after workouts (ANNNND in a correct tie frame) then your workout is considered a bust.

pre and post workout nutrition is apparently EXTREMELY important and I myself witnessed the help the proper foods/timing provides to my own workouts tonight.

Since you are working out in the early morning like I usually do, you will want to eat something lower in fiber and quickly processed about 30 minutes before your workout. I.e. 1/2 a banana or 1/2 scoop protein in water.

post workout your window to replenish your glycogen is about 30-45 minutes and some top choices here would be 2 rice cakes, 4 oz sweet potato or 1/2 an apple.

Of course these are not your meals, but simply fuel. Today was my first day following this 100% and OMG did it make a HUGE difference in my workout. Hope it works well for you too

Pretty much how that is stated. Depending on how well your stomach handles food however, the pre-workout protein intake should be given a larger window than the simpler carb. I do protein and complex carb 1hr to 1.5hrs pre workout, and if I feel that may not be enough, I'll eat 1/2 or whole banana (simple carb) about 30 minutes beforehand.

Post is spot on with the carbs for replenishing glycogen stores, however it should also include protein as well. If you consume enough simple carbs, it should spike the insulin and actually help carry the protein for a much faster/better recovery.

Just some things I've learned and go by... someone by all means correct me if I am wrong.

This is what I do as well, like the Hodgetwins say- Do whatever the F*** you wanna do!!! If you can't eat before a workout, don't force yourself to do it because some bro at the gym said it and he's ripped. I'm a big dude and I need a lot of preworkout fuel or I get gassed, but postworkout I feel like I have to force myself to eat because I want those gainzzz!

SisterhoodoftheShrinkingPants

Im just a normy and I have no scientific evidence to support what Im about to say, but my experience is that after I eat I feel too full to start jumping around! I believe in giving my body time to digest (usually about 45 mins of standing or sitting in an upright position) before I do much of anything.. That said, I CANNOT work out on an empty stomach either. I found that I have zero energy to get through the workout if I dont have Something to burn.. So, for me, if I have eaten already I work out about 2 hrs afterwards. If I cant time it just right I eat a banana right before I work out. It seems to be the perfect amount of food/energy to get me through. I only eat after my workout if its time for the next meal ( I usually eat every 4 hrs, 3 meals and a snack). Ultimately its up to you. Everyone is different Ive noticed

Cre8veLifeR

Thanks for the science that was posted - I have been researching this myself! I am also taking a nutrition & weight training class right now, and it seemed to me what makes sense is that I won't eat before a weight training workout (AM) because I am only getting my HR up in the fat burning zone rather than an aerobic zone, so my body is utilizing fat for energy rather than catabolism of muscles for energy. If I am planning an aerobic workout then I eat about a few hours before so that my body uses glycogen + fat for energy (plus if I don't eat and I am doing, say an hour long intense kickboxing class, I will totally poop out!)

It takes your body 2+ hours to digest food, so your body isn't really "using" all of the energy you consume before a workout anyway because it isn't digested. Eating a healthy diet all of the time is important. A light snack before a morning workout will increase your blood sugar if it's low in the morning so that will help you feel more energized.

It's my understanding that our bodies take energy from your muscles last, as in the case of starving yourself.

I have read different theories pertaining to eating before a workout going both ways. The fact is that we are ALL totally different (bioindividuality) and what works for one person is not necessarily what another person needs. OP You need to log what you are doing and pay attention to A. how you feel and B. Your results. ...this is what has been working for me: I switched to not eating before my weight training workout which I do in the morning, and then eating a protein + carb meal after. I typically do my cardio workouts in the afternoon when I have eaten all day and have plenty of energy stored. In just this month and I am definitely losing fat (already 1.5" off my waist and 1" off my thighs). I am getting leaner - especially in my abs, butt and hips.

Experiment and see what works for you. The basic bottom line is that eating before your workout WILL increase your blood sugar level (about 1/2 hour after eating), and this may make some people feel a LOT better when exercising.

KHalseth

Most research leans towards eating before a workout. If people are getting sick, then eat less. A little bit of protein. After working out, and this may sound odd, but most experts have been saying that the best after workout food is chocolate milk. It has the correct ration of protein, fat, and carbs. (2% choco milk, not skim choco milk). You don't want to eat a full meal before working out, but you do need to get some ready 'enegy' before hand. It's a little like gasing up your car.

heybales

After working out, and this may sound odd, but most experts have been saying that the best after workout food is chocolate milk. It has the correct ration of protein, fat, and carbs. (2% choco milk, not skim choco milk). You don't want to eat a full meal before working out, but you do need to get some ready 'enegy' before hand. It's a little like gasing up your car.

The post workout recommendation is for very specific use case.

It helps get max uptake of the glucose into the muscles.

So 2 things for the advice to actually apply. Both needed.
1 - you must have done an endurance cardio workout over 1.5 hrs where you even have used up a decent amount that you need a fast fill.
2 - you are going to do another one tomorrow.

If neither or only 1 of those apply - your normal diet, with a reasonable deficit, would be able to take care of those needs. Doesn't hurt anything, but if that 160 calories could be a bigger more enjoyable dinner - don't waste it on the chocolate milk.

And actually yes, it is the skim milk, as too much fat slows exit from the stomach.

heybales

if you want to burn storage fat, you have to do your workout with empty stomach. so the body will burn the storage fat not the meal you have eating.

So you must be talking cardio up to a certain point where fat is even part of the fuel source.

If the effort is intense enough, the normal ratio of fat/carbs will be used no matter if elevated insulin and available carbs post meal.

Read the links provided - you must look beyond the 30-60 min of the workout, because the body's response post workout depending on what you did prior can make a difference too. As those links show.

empowered2bfit

You totally posted this at just the right time because I just got done with a nutrition class on pre and post workout fuel.

The gist of the whole thing is that if you aren't fueling (and with the proper things) before and after workouts (ANNNND in a correct tie frame) then your workout is considered a bust.

pre and post workout nutrition is apparently EXTREMELY important and I myself witnessed the help the proper foods/timing provides to my own workouts tonight.

Since you are working out in the early morning like I usually do, you will want to eat something lower in fiber and quickly processed about 30 minutes before your workout. I.e. 1/2 a banana or 1/2 scoop protein in water.

post workout your window to replenish your glycogen is about 30-45 minutes and some top choices here would be 2 rice cakes, 4 oz sweet potato or 1/2 an apple.

Of course these are not your meals, but simply fuel. Today was my first day following this 100% and OMG did it make a HUGE difference in my workout. Hope it works well for you too

So what is recommend if you workout in the evenings after work? I have stopped eating before I workout because I seem to get heartburn about 10 minutes into my workout not matter what I eat but especially peanut butter? Is that normal? want to do this right and am clueless on how the body works but determined to do it right and learning as I go

bagge72

You totally posted this at just the right time because I just got done with a nutrition class on pre and post workout fuel.

The gist of the whole thing is that if you aren't fueling (and with the proper things) before and after workouts (ANNNND in a correct tie frame) then your workout is considered a bust.

pre and post workout nutrition is apparently EXTREMELY important and I myself witnessed the help the proper foods/timing provides to my own workouts tonight.

Since you are working out in the early morning like I usually do, you will want to eat something lower in fiber and quickly processed about 30 minutes before your workout. I.e. 1/2 a banana or 1/2 scoop protein in water.

post workout your window to replenish your glycogen is about 30-45 minutes and some top choices here would be 2 rice cakes, 4 oz sweet potato or 1/2 an apple.

Of course these are not your meals, but simply fuel. Today was my first day following this 100% and OMG did it make a HUGE difference in my workout. Hope it works well for you too

Oh man this has to be embarrassing, you first ask for reliable references when you didn't post any yourself, and then you learn from these reliable references you got from people, that everything you just learned from a nutrition class you probably paid for is wrong.