Eat Before or After Exercise?

Lyadeia

I get emails from Jillian Michaels' website everyday, and I thought that I would share this from today's email that I received.

Q: Is it better to eat a meal before or after a workout?

A: Both. Here's what I like to do: have my breakfast at 9 a.m., work out from 10:30 to 12, and eat by 1 p.m. Here's why:

Back in the old days, people thought they should train on an empty stomach in order to burn more fat, but that has turned out to be FALSE. In fact, your body needs some glucose (blood sugar) for fuel in addition to what it can use from fat stores when you're working out. If you don't have any blood sugar available, your body will eat the muscles' glycogen, or stored glucose. Low blood sugar will also make you tired and sluggish during your training session. For these reasons, I suggest you eat something 45 minutes to an hour before training — you'll have more energy and endurance to work harder, burn more calories, and improve your muscle tone.

After training, during a period known as the golden hour (45 to 60 minutes after a workout), muscles absorb the most nutrients, and glycogen is replaced the most efficiently. You don't have to have a huge meal — just a little something that contains both protein and carbs will give the best results.


...So the "cardio on an empty stomach burn more fat" myth has been debunked by another fitness "guru." I just wish that someone had explained this to me before I about passed out last year. But I learned and now I have something small about 1-2 hours before working out and then a protein shake right after finishing. I have definitely noticed a difference, especially in performance during the workout!

doublexhelix

thanks for posting that! i've often wondered that myself, so it's good to hear that!

Abbyg35

Yes thanks for that post - I also have read/heard you should excercise on an empty tummy...I just feel sick and exhausted if I do! (o:

Pennylite

Thank you - I've always wondered. Very helpful

lesley1981

I would always have ate something small prior to a workout (usually a small piece of meat and some veg) as I would have felt quite sick otherwise, then something more substantial afterwards, so thanks for clarifying that I've been doing the right thing

amycal

Thanks for sharing - I always have to eat something before exercise or I will feel sick. My husband doesn't always agree with this and he is much more active than I am but maybe he is wacky and I am normal LOL!

fasttrack27

A nutrionist told me that even just a bananna would be good thing to eat before an early workout. I already have a hard time getting up at 4:30 a.m. so I can workout before work. There is no way I could get up at 3:30 just so i could eat a small meal an hour before. The bananna has good potassium and helps tell your body its time to wake up. I then stop back home and eat breakfast (so its within that 30-60 min window). One evening a week I squeeze in a class - since i dont like to eat a full meal before, I just eat a protein bar and water, then eat dinner when I come home. Seems to work pretty well for me.

rockabyesarojane

oh good! i do this because it makes me feel sick if i dont. but i'm glad to know that it's probably helping me more than anything else!

thanks for the information!

TateFTW

This is generally good advice, but If Jillian Michaels is a fitness guru I'm freaking Ghandi.