To eat or not to eat?

MikeSloaninLDubya

I've heard conflicting information from nutritionists, Dr.'s, gym rats, TV, etc. When is the right time to eat the first meal/snack of the day? I usually go to the gym immediately after rising, usually on an empty stomach. However, I heard that one should eat within 30 minutes of rising to prevent the body from going into "starvation" mode and storing calories. So, I was eating 1/2 a banana before heading out. Then I was told I shouldn't eat the banana: avoid sugars (natural or otherwise) as first bites: only eat protein. Fine. So, I start eating 5.3 oz of plain, fat free (hence 6 g of sugar) Greek yogurt with 1 tbs of chia seed and 3 tbs of hemp seed. Then I heard on the Today show that one should eat within 3 hours of rising which sounds good because I'm OK with not eating before the gym. Oh, and someone else said you shouldn't eat before working out because if you do, the body gets busy digesting food and not burning stored fat. So, I'm real confused about these issues and hope someone has some useful tips.

deksgrl

Meal timing doesn't matter for the average person and weight loss. If you were training for a competition, then it could be important. If not, don't worry about it, eat when you want.

monicapatituccijones

Starvation mode, as many people here refer to it, is a myth. Your body will try to conserve calories if you are actually starving to death, but that's not the case for you. Eat whenever you want.

tgmichelleee

Starvation mode is a myth, in fact there were forums addressing that even within the last week (wish I could link it but can't remember the titles).

That being said, I live an intermittent fasting lifestyle on a 17:7 time schedule. I don't get my first meal in until 4pm and even manage to squeeze in work outs before then in a fasted state. I love it, it works great for me but maybe not for others.
There's so much information out there and I know it can be so overwhelming (especially when they seem to contradict). I think the key though is to find what works for you through experimentation and stick with it.
For example, I don't like eating protein high meals to start my day (when I'm not on IF) but to others that works best for them. I like working out in a fasted state, but others prefer having carbs in their system to help with their performance.

Whatever you choose there will always be evidence that helps support your habits, so take what nutritionalists, doctors, etc say with a grain of salt and just do what feel is best for you

adaybetter

Whats your goals? i can give a better response if i know what your trying to do.

ericscontreras

When someone talks about "starvation mode", they should say catabolism, which is not a myth.

When your body goes into a catabolic state it begins to break important hormones and proteins down (like muscle tissue) to provide the more basic, simpler cellular needs. see the link below. Another nasty effect catabolism has on the body is it raises glucagon levels; the result is higher sugar levels in the body, which results in higher insulin levels, which results in lower fat metabolism. Hard to lose the right weight when you are not burning fat as energy.

So not eating properly could mean losing lean muscle tissue and halting fat metabolism.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/8871.php

ericscontreras

Whats your goals? i can give a better response if i know what your trying to do.

These are both very valid questions. If you are trying to gain lean mass vs. Weight Loss, even you workout intensities will all require different nutritional plans.

Gain Lean Mass- Your body is currently gone the longest without food (due to sleep). Especially after training days you need protein and carbs, stat. This is why suggestions on eating protein in the morning have come your way.

Weight Loss- Your first full meal should be Protein, Mono-saturated fats, and veggies (fruit and additional carbs are optional). If you find that your workouts leave you nauseated then get that pre-workout snack in. If this is not the case then just be sure to eat 30-45 minutes after your workout.

Have a different goal? Be happy to help

MissBabyJane

I don't think "meal timing" or what you eat before workout matters very much. I workout at the morning (with empty stomach) and I feel great! I am now at my goal weight and trying to maintain. It's working out great so far.

missomgitsica

If you're just trying to lose weight I don't think it matters much. I just can't eat when I first wake up (don't know why that is) so I usually just have coffee and don't actually eat any food until around 11 AM. So I would say just eat when you're hungry and let that be that.

MikeSloaninLDubya

My goals are simply to eat "better": less fat, fructose, processed, preservative-laden "crap" in order to achieve optimal nutrition. I'm not in training or trying to bulk up, in fact I'm trying to control my weight. I have lost pounds over the past 2 years and I want to keep it off. i go to the gym 6 days a week for "cardio" and strength training. So, as I said, I've heard conflicting information and just want to keep improving. You know??!! Thanks SO much for your input.

adaybetter

Since you are working out. Try to eat something that has protein and a little carbs like a quick shake with a little bit of oatmeal in it. Do your cardio after your workout when your livers storage of glycogen is depleted. This will cause your body to use fat as energy. After if you would like to keep burning fat just have some protein that has BCAA in it. 1 hour after that eat something with carbs and protein in it. Delaying the ingestion of carbs after a workout will keep your gh spike going. The introduction of carbs to insulin spike blunts gh production.