Eat before or after morning workout???

darrob06

I have been getting up at 430am work out and really enjoy it. I do spinning class 3 days a week. Is it better to eat before or after my workout? Also need some suggestions for healthy good things to eat in the morning.

Hype

Eat after a workout.....if you get up and exercise you burning fat....but if you eat first you need to burn the food off before you burn off any fat

EmilyJ1979

If I feel really hungry on waking up I have something little, otherwise I wait till afterwards.

pbellino

I eat after my morning workout!

nmp1994

I've always been told to eat fruit/veggie carb BEFORE and then again AFTER a workout!? I often have a small apple before and then a banana after. GOOD LUCK! Nice work getting up early for spin class!

sociable15

Scientifically it doesn't really matter from what I understand. As long as net in is less than net out. I can't eat before a workout first thing in the morning because it will make me sick. Nothing substantial anyway. If I'm running I just get up and go. If I'm going somewhere (like a spin class) I will eat something light so that I'm not crashing midway but a full breakfast? Can't happen. I'll get sick.

tmaksparkie

It rely does not matter as long as you have the energy, but for after make sure you are having protein and a fast carb like a fruit ot just plain dextrose. It helps the protein go straight to you muscle to recover them and you will be less sore. That is what I do for weight training, I use a protein shake and 2 smarties rolls yes candy because the first ingredient is dextrose it helps a ton. But I also lift heavy weights. Check out the info on body builder.com they have a ton of info on before and after workouts.

Ellem86

I have an apple at 7.00 am before spin class and then a proper breakfast at 9.30 at my desk at work x

teracallaway1

I eat a pack of oatmeal and maybe an apple before my workouts. Then after workout its a protein drink so I don't go overboard.

vroyyoung

I have recently read an article by Jillian Michaels that said that you should always eat a small something 30 minutes before working out. I also had a nutritionist once tell me that if you get up and exercise without eating, you'll burn muscle as your body searches for energy, so that the most productive workout follows a small food intake by about 30 minutes.

Newfiedan

Eat after a workout.....if you get up and exercise you burning fat....but if you eat first you need to burn the food off before you burn off any fat

Wrong answer, when you first wake up eating is vital to get the metabolic rate off right. Here is the rule I follow for that kind of a routine, eat a small meal carb/protein maybe a quick shake with some fruit in it preworkout. Post workout drink 1-2 cups of choc 1% milk. 15 mins later follow up with a good hearty meal consisting of 30% protein or a good shake.

nomex

I actually read in a health magazine lately to eat AFTER. I was surprized but the original artical was a reputable journal. I didn't believe it, so I looked up the journal artical. The study included 2 groups, one group ate before and one group ate afterward. The afterward group lost signifiatly more weight than the before group.... So, if weightloss is your goal, then I would suggest you eat before (based on this study).

Having said this, I try not to eat in the evening before bed, so I am famished when i get up. I haven't been able to go without SOMETHING (banana) before a work out n the morning. Twice I have gotten part way through the work out and felt light headed, so had to stop and eat. Maybe I will try to snack before I go to bed and see if that helps me workout without brekky!

If I can find the jounal artical again, I will post it.

neo999

I think it's a great idea to try and eat an hour before, but is that realistic for the guy working out at 430am. I work out at 530am and try to eat 1/2 a banana before I go but that's because i use advil before most of the workouts due to muscle soreness and I don't want to get an ulcer.

pyro13g

Eat after a workout.....if you get up and exercise you burning fat....but if you eat first you need to burn the food off before you burn off any fat

Not true, amount of fat burned as fuel does not change. You burn muscle first when glycogen depleted. You have to use strength training to recover the losses.


And that article measured total loss, but the ones not eating before also lost muscle which is never good since it drives down metabolism.

sh0ck

Eat after a workout.....if you get up and exercise you burning fat....but if you eat first you need to burn the food off before you burn off any fat

I have heard this is the best way to do it. Get up and do a nice hard workout and then after that fill up with a nice healthy breakfast. I don't work out in the mornings so I have never tried it. I have a few friends who are hardcore exercisers and this is what they do.

arosegeo

defiantly after so your body used what it has stored not what you just ate, and if you work your stomach too you will feel full faster

shreddingit

I was looking at this site before reading this post...
http://www.building-muscle-guide.com/pre-workout-meal.html

johnwhitent

I had great success losing weight when eating after my morning workout, but now I understand that some of my weight loss was muscle. So now I have a small carb before working out (banana or similar) and drink lowfat chocolate milk afterwards as a recovery drink. The milk has a 4 to 1 carb to protien ratio as is recommended and several studies that can be found online demonstrate that it beats all of the commercial recovery drinks. A cup of yougurt and an orange is also very good for recovery. A little later I have a whole wheat bagel with lowfat cream cheese. Works for me!

scottb81

Better to eat something with both protein and carbs immediately after. For about an hour after your exercise your muscles will absorb nutrients at a much faster rate than at other times. You will feel better and have more energy to exercise the next time.

caat1rules

Ok, this is how it works; your body will burn carbs first, then fat, then muscle for fuel. First thing in the am before you eat you have no Carbs left in your system (Glycogen stores); therefore, you will start burning fat immediately. If you eat first you will have to burn those carbs off first. Some studies have shown that doing cardio before eating in the am is 300X more effective at burning fat.