The Infamous Exercise Calories..

pkgirrl

Okay, so, I have read that brilliant article posted by someone who's name i can't remember ( sorry! :blushing: ) but it was brilliant and I completely agree. Mainly because I feel like crap if I DON'T eat after exercising. Acid reflux and vomitting and all that fun stuff.:sick:

So here's my issue. I workout usually at night, its the only time I can. Problem is, I get home from soccer or my run or bike ride or whatever , usually half an hour to an hour before I'm ready to sleep. I can't sleep and usually get sick if I don't eat, but I'm afraid I'm sabotaging my progress by eating late at night?

Any suggestions on what I should do?

pkgirrl

And does anyone else have that issue? Getting sick after they exercise or if they out off eating too long in the day?

christahollis

Your body needs calories, and it needs recovery nutrients too. In the end, it matters little/not at all WHEN you eat...just how much and what...
Your body needs to be re-fueled after a workout, so don't worry about ruining your chances at progress because of this.
The "don't eat after whenever" rule is really meant for people who binge(or just eat a lot of junk they shouldn't) in the evenings when they're bored/loney/unhappy/watching tv/whatever and then don't do anything to work those calories off.

brainey100

Totally agree. Your body needs a certain amount of fuel regardless, even more so with exercise. Obviously, junk food is a bad idea for recovery meal, but a good nutritious meal sometime after you workout is a must in my opinion, no matter the time of day.

ivykivy

I eat late at night all the time. Sometimes 30 minutes before bed. It has not stalled my weight loss. I usually eat most of my protein at night and carbs high in fiber. The whole eating before bed makes you fat is a myth. Eating too many calories then going to bed will make you fat.

Also keep something in the car and eat on your way home (if you drive).

aballew05

EAT! You will sabotage your entire fitness goals if you do not eat. If your body is hungry it will start eating away at your lean muscle. I also read somewhere that it doesn't really matter when you eat, as long as you stay within your day's calorie goal, the reason people gain weight at night is because that is the time more people choose empty calories over real nutrition (ice cream, snacks, cookies). I would keep some pre-made chicken breasts and salad greens ready for when you get back from a late work out and eat knowing you are actually helping yourself rather than allowing your body to tear away at all the work you just did.

pkgirrl

Thanks everyone
I was pacing around the kitchen waiting for answers, haha, to eat or not to eat, that, is the question. Or was. I had a pork chop and some light yogurt, I was so hungry, I waited to respond till after I dug in lol. thanks

Amy_B

I personally like some chocolate milk after a workout. It's not heavy, and it does the job. I tend to eat healthy cereal with added fruit and skim milk before bed most nights (within an hour or two of bed), and it hasn't hindered my progress.

chickylet

If you have any protein/whey powder, you can have a shake made either with water or skim milk.

annaliza

I'm so glad you chose to eat!!

What a world we live in - you can eat plenty and still lose weight!

katealim

I also have no choice but to work out in the evening; usually between 8-9:30 pm. I usually eat dinner about an hr. and a half before I go and when I get home I have a chocolate myoplex shake. I make the shake then freeze it before I go so it's like ice cream/malt when I get home. This way I trick myself into thinking I'm rewarding all my hard efforts with a yummy dessert but it's really good for me and it isn't so heavy that it makes my tummy upset and it's something so that I don't get sick-like etc. from not eating.

TaraJ16

i can't eat an hour before bed or i get heartburn and feel sick, but i have to eat something after working out.

my trainer at curves suggested having something full of protein after a work out. so generally i'll have some cheese and crackers or something

Delphi

You need some kind of recovery snack after a workout, especially if it is vigorous. However, I'm one of these people that don't eat after seven at night. But only because, I eat a higher carb diet due to my exercise routine and to replenish my energy stores throughout the days. Whatever you eat that late at night, make sure it isn't high in carbs. Carbs are the most efficient nutrient for conversion for energy, so they are not ideal to eat right before bed. If carbs are not converted to energy, your body will store them as fat.

pkgirrl

thanks everyone! great advice!
Hmm, the frozen protein shake " ice cream" sounds great, a lot of the time the first thing i want is a bowl of lemon gelato hehe. not bad for cals, and it tastes just like frozen lemonade, however, its kinda sugary, and completely lacking in nutrients. I think I will try freezing the protein shakes and see how it goes, usually just drinking gives me heartburn, so maybe frozen will be enough.

My boyfriend does the cereal thing. He's naturally slim though, and he doesn't count his cals or watch that kinda stuff. He's just blessed with the gift of the uncanny ability to self regulate haha.

Yeah Annaliza, it is kinda sad
I tend to do that a lot. Spend half an hour wondering around the kitchen debating whether I should eat or not lol. I'm starting to see good results though, while eating as much as I'm supposed to, actually, 152lbs today
! the lowest weight Ive ever gotten to .. well, healthily haha, so it's pretty encouraging!

pkgirrl

Hmm. One more question about those exercise calories, you lovely and helpful people
So I work at an auto shop, teenager, summer job, kinda deal. Today I spent about 5 hours gardening, edging the property, and sweeping the entire parking lot. ( It was pretty intense, lol)

So I thought I'd log it as general gardening, just curious to see how many calories i burned.. says about 1400.. I mean, eating the 300-400cals you burned at the gym is one thing, but do any of you have physical jobs? and do you eat the exercise cals for that? I mean, I bike there and back, and its about 7miles, so I eat those cals, but between that and work it puts my cals from 1200 over 3000. Err. I don't even know how Im supposed to eat that much without cracking out the cookies and ice cream and maybe a slab of butter heh heh. What do you think?

katealim

What did you put under your settings...sedentary, lightly active, etc. when you started your profile. Sounds to me like it should be set to very active. MFP will update your caloric intake and it won't be any where near 3000 cal. I would make sure yours is set to very active and then not worry about adding in those cals. burned (if your work is usually like this). I know if I had to eat 3000 cals. in healthy food I'd probably just make myself sick.

pkgirrl

hmm. I think lightly active? Problem is I dont work like this every day, maybe every other? but I bike twice as much or run on the days I dont, hmm. okie, sounds great! thanks!