Workout before/after eating?

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plm209
plm209 Posts: 222 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My younger brother just came back from college (nursing) and I asked him to go on a run with me. He said no and now, after we ate, he's going running. I was like really? and he said that it is better to work out after eating to burn those calories off. He's always been athletic and is actually under weight.

I feel like it doesnt really matter as long as you're creating a calorie deficit. I even think it might be better to work out before it so your body gets replenished by the food you eat.

Can anyone weigh in on this?

Replies

  • plm209
    plm209 Posts: 222 Member
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    My younger brother just came back from college (nursing) and I asked him to go on a run with me. He said no and now, after we ate, he's going running. I was like really? and he said that it is better to work out after eating to burn those calories off. He's always been athletic and is actually under weight.

    I feel like it doesnt really matter as long as you're creating a calorie deficit. I even think it might be better to work out before it so your body gets replenished by the food you eat.

    Can anyone weigh in on this?
  • Zara11
    Zara11 Posts: 1,247 Member
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    I prefer to do it an hour after a good solid meal, and before another meal so that my sore muscles remind me to keep it healthy. I don't think you really need to do it after meal to burn of "those" calories - they're not going to multiply the longer they sit there.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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  • hiddensecant
    hiddensecant Posts: 2,446 Member
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    It's good to wait until about an hour or two after a meal but you shouldn't exercise on a completely empty stomach.

    I'll have a tbs of peanut butter with 4oz of milk before my morning workout. Then I'll have chocolate milk for recovery then breakfast.
  • prayerfulmom
    prayerfulmom Posts: 409
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    Its an individual thing. I run empty in the morning unless I'm going on a run over an hour. Anything over an hour I crash. I think its a personal choice. Lots of debate out there. During training with a group they always recomend to eat first but its about performance. You need about 1 1/2 to 2 hours before you run to digest it and store.
    Then there are those who insist that to burn fat you need to run empty. Its another one of those age old questions like what came first the chicken or the egg.:laugh:
  • SDawgW
    SDawgW Posts: 160 Member
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    Here's a great article: http://health.msn.com/fitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100146039

    Hope that helps! :smile:
  • hiddensecant
    hiddensecant Posts: 2,446 Member
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    Here's a great article: http://health.msn.com/fitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100146039

    Hope that helps! :smile:

    Wow, I love that article. It makes me feel really good about my current schedule!
  • Treadly
    Treadly Posts: 17
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    I do both. Why work out hungry, and then you need the nourishment afterwords.
  • healthiesthappiestme
    healthiesthappiestme Posts: 29 Member
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    thanks for the link to the article. Real good info!
  • hulkj
    hulkj Posts: 218
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    The article was great!! Thanks for sharing it because it cleared up a lot for me! ♥
  • nightangelstars
    nightangelstars Posts: 337 Member
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    Ditto on the article! Makes good sense. I usually try to make sure I eat something before I work out, something small at least, and then I usually have a bigger meal afterwards (since my workout times are usually either midafternoon or early evening). I like to have protein afterwards just because I like to think that it helps my body repair the muscles I just broke down, but I might rethink some of my strategies after that article.

    Thanks! :flowerforyou:
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
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    Here's a great article: http://health.msn.com/fitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100146039

    Hope that helps! :smile:

    Great article!! Nutrient Timing that they reference at the end is a great read! Here it is...

    ************************************************************************************************

    The Post-Exercise Energy Window

    If you went on an easy walk for an hour, you don’t need to eat extra. But if you had a high-intensity workout lasting 60 to 90 minutes or longer, then it’s crucial to eat afterwards. Within the first 45 minutes post-exercise, there is a “metabolic window.” This means that enzymes that replenish muscle carbs are at their highest levels. Plus, insulin, which rebuilds protein stores, is at peak levels. So eating a carb-and-protein mix (peanut butter sandwich, yogurt with fruit, bagel with cream cheese, or a handful of nuts) at this point will maintain muscle, replenish glycogen stores and reduce the amount of fat your body stores. Even a sport drink or a piece fruit are a good idea if you don’t have something more complex available. (These calories are needed to recover, so they are less likely to be stored as excess fat.)

    The problem is, it may be an hour or more before you get a chance to eat, especially if you’re at the gym and need to grab a shower before a long journey home. Missing the metabolic window is bad news: If you delay refueling, you slow carb replenishment by 50 percent and protein repair by 80 percent, according to John Ivy, an exercise physiologist at the University of Texas and the author of Nutrient Timing. And that means that you may be sluggish and fatigued during tomorrow’s workout.

    Sometimes an immediate side effect of a tough workout is that you are not hungry. But, you still need some calories. So drink juice or a sports drink at the very least. If you experiment with different food options, you should be able to find something that sits well with your stomach and improves your performance.
  • molsongirl
    molsongirl Posts: 1,373 Member
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    AHAHAHA! why do I think that you wrote something...ummm, nasty?? :laugh: :wink:
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    AHAHAHA! why do I think that you wrote something...ummm, nasty?? :laugh: :wink:

    I dont know, why do you think that?

    peace and love baby
    peace and love
  • get_fit2009
    get_fit2009 Posts: 827 Member
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    Personally, it depends on the workout. If I am going to workout really hard, I can't have eaten within the last 2 hours or I get nauseous. However, if I have NOTHING in the tank, I get dizzy. I usually get up at 5:00, eat at 6:15 and workout at 8:15 in the morning. That provides me with fuel and doesn't make me fill sick.
  • Nich0le
    Nich0le Posts: 2,906 Member
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    Runners SHOULD eat before AND after their runs.

    http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-304-310-7771-0,00.html

    sorry, I am not good at creating links but you should visit runnersworld.com for tons of info on when and what to eat as a runner. :drinker:
  • Ang8178
    Ang8178 Posts: 308
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    I enjoyed the article as well. I read in some crazy "skinny chick" book not to eat before a workout. I just can't do it! "Donger need food" :laugh: I do have my goals set at 1200, so eatting just 150-200 calories for breakfast really does help. Plus I take a multi vitamin, if I don't eat on that I'll puke :sick: !

    Yep, so I eat about 1 to 2 hours before a workout then have a light snack of 50-60 cals after :wink:

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