Trying to understand working out and eating routine better

redmohca89

So, Im very new to the working out thing and dieting and have some things I need to better understand, I know I'm probably going to like a fool asking but hey, I want to know so im going to ask, lol.


So, IF I wake up in the morning, And than do my workout routine, burn x amount of calories and such, And than I go about my day, eating breaky, lunch and dinner and snacks in between and whatever, does this mean the work out i did in the morning has become completely pointless ? And that I should do another workout at the end of my day, before bed also, or should I just do a workout before bed everyday, and skip the one in the morning? I'm just trying to understand better how this works, because to me I feel like IF I workout before eating anything and than eating all day, that workout has become lost ...... Am I wrong?


Thanks so much in advance for your help and advice

beachlover317

Uh, no. I work out EVERY day before I eat anything and I'm losing. It doesn't matter when you eat or when you work out. The only consideration is if you feel bad working out before eating. If not, go for it. There is no benefit to working out at any given time. I find first thing in the morning is best simply because if something happens later - I've got my work out in already.

meerkat70

Working out is never pointless and eating good food in moderation couldn't possibly cancel out your workout.

now_or_never13

Whether you workout first thing in the morning, at noon or late at night you are still getting the same benefits from that workout.

Workout whenever you have the time and the ability to get a good workout in. It is never pointless. Regardless of when you workout you are getting exercise in.

psuLemon

Exercise is fitness, diet is weight loss. If you follow mfp and have a deficit in your plan, then exercise and eat back those calories you still are in a calorie deficit. Weight loss will still happen. You also have the ability to eat more when you exercise as its important to fuel your body. If you also eat high protein and do heavy weight training, you will preserve lean body mass or mitigate muscle loss. Muscle is critical to having a lean body. The more you have the more definition you will have and the less weight you will be required to lose. What i have found works for many, since no one consistently loses two lbs per week is set your goal at 1 lb per week and eat 50% of your exercise calories. And do heavy weight training 3 days a week and fill the last 3 days with cardio or flexibility training.

redmohca89

Thanks everyone for the clarification, I understand now.

quirkytizzy

Sometimes I work out in the morning, sometimes at night. Sometimes my biggest meal is lunch, sometimes it's dinner. The body doesn't differentiate activities on a 24 hour clock - it doesn't know the difference between 8 AM and 4 PM. The eating certain ways at certain times or working out at a certain times just makes it easier people to form habits they can comfortably (and successfully!) stick with.

One explanation that helped me was to think exercise as subtracting calories from whatever you eat that day. No matter what you ate in total, you are still minus whatever cals you burned when you exercise.

redmohca89

Sometimes I work out in the morning, sometimes at night. Sometimes my biggest meal is lunch, sometimes it's dinner. The body doesn't differentiate activities on a 24 hour clock - it doesn't know the difference between 8 AM and 4 PM. The eating certain ways at certain times or working out at a certain times just makes it easier people to form habits they can comfortably (and successfully!) stick with.

One explanation that helped me was to think exercise as subtracting calories from whatever you eat that day. No matter what you ate in total, you are still minus whatever cals you burned when you exercise.

redmohca89

that helps, thank you . that makes sense to me

ifoundroadkill

Me personally I prefer to work out in the morning, it helps me to eat less during the day and night. Because my rational is "hey I just worked my butt off for an hour do I REALLY want to ruin all those calories burned by scarfing down those cookies?" If I work out at night I tend to get lazy and eat more during the day because I tell myself, "Oh well you'll work it off tonight..." And I never work out hard enough to burn off those extra calories that I ate

redmohca89

Good thinking,Most days I would say yup, eat my face off, ill burn it later,never seems to work that way tho, lol

WinnerVictorious

some people prefer to work out in the morning because they have more energy when they wake up and they like knowing they've gotten their workout accomplished before they head off to work to start their day... but it doesn't really matter when you do it.