Do you eat before or after you exercise?

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  • Zumaria1
    Zumaria1 Posts: 225 Member
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    I work out in the early evening, before dinner, and sometimes I'm hungry, so I will have a yogurt, or canned tuna, something light like that, then after I workout, I have my dinner.
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
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    After. I don't like exercising with food in my stomach.
  • Birdy989
    Birdy989 Posts: 52 Member
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    My boyfriend is a bodybuilder and used to be a physical trainer. He told me that if losing weight is my number one goal, then I should do moderate cardio on an empty stomach. At the very least, if I need to eat, have protein and fat, but no carbs or sugar. If you eat carbs or sugar, then your body will burn that -- it looks for glucose first. If there's no glucose readily available to burn, then it will go after the stored body fat and convert that into the energy it needs (i.e. "burning fat.") If you eat a muffin or bagel before a brisk 30 minute walk or jog, then all you've done is burn off that muffin or bagel -- no real fat burning has taken place.

    However, for strength training it's okay to have a light meal including complex carbs about 30 minutes before, and then eat simple carbs with protein afterward (like a protein shake and apple).
  • Ninguneado73
    Ninguneado73 Posts: 832
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    I work out too early to eat. If I go the gym after 9AM I try to eat something. Otherwise, I feel too tired to lift.
  • MoosieMooMama
    MoosieMooMama Posts: 26
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    I follow LeanGains and StrongLifts 5x5 and I lift at 5am or 6am... so I do IF with the 30g of BCAAs in the morning. LOVE IT! It really fits my lifestyle better.

    This +whey protein on the way to the gym.

    Because I can't dictate when my workouts are, I can't eat beforehand. While I try and work out between 10am and noon, something can come up and I have to go at 8:30, therefore if I just ate, it isn't good.

    But then I am eating all day it seems.
  • lucianqueenjay
    lucianqueenjay Posts: 1
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    I was told by a fitness coach that you should workout two hours after eating which usually works for me. I usually do high impact aerobics so I feel weak close to the end when I don't eat before. I still eat after as well.
  • Sycoholic
    Sycoholic Posts: 282 Member
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    Eating before means your body is fueled for your workout. You don't need to do this. Army, we do pt before breakfast. It can be tough eating before working out because it may not sit right with you. Your body diverts blood and this could lead to dumping too. Runners experience this and have to be very careful of what they eat, especially since they may wind up miles from a bathroom. You do want to eat afterwards though. Carbs and protein, especially protein. A benefit to working out after eating is maximizing your workouts because you're fueled. How can you expect to do max anything if you're running low on energy? I like to wait a couple hours after eating to be safe.
  • CoachMaxima
    CoachMaxima Posts: 9
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    I eat before AND after.

    Before - oatmeal or banana

    After - apple or my Shakeology
  • ktliu
    ktliu Posts: 334 Member
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    Breakfast before exercise.
    Eggs, English muffins, yogurt, banana. (not all in one sitting of course.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    I eat before and after.
  • SteelySunshine
    SteelySunshine Posts: 1,092 Member
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    It's like whatever man. I walk two to three times a day, for 20 minutes to 1 1/2 hours or even sometimes 2 hours. Total walk time can be 1 1/2 hours to 2 1/2 hours but one day it was 3 hours. Sometimes my dog wants a walk before I have eaten breakfast so I take her on a quick 20 and then have breakfast. Sometimes she won't want to walk at all, so I will go do errands (on foot) that takes up at least 30 minutes, but I have been known to walk around the neighborhood doing errands for a couple of hours. Then I will walk my dog for another hour to 2 hours broken up of course between her morning and evening walk. Anyway, it's a lot of walking so at some point I am eating before I walk and at some point I am walking before I eat and sometimes it's both.

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