Better to eat before or after workout??

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MissCierra2008
MissCierra2008 Posts: 36
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone! So I have heard that it is bad to eat right before a workout (that youre supposed to give it a few hours before working out)... Is this true?

Someone told me that if I eat and jump into physical activity, I will only be burning off what I just ate. I want to work out first thing in the morning, but I dont want to eat and wait a few hours- or worse, work out on an empty stomach feeling like I have no energy..

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  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    Eat whenever it works best for you. If you can handle eating right before a workout, do it; if not, save it for afterward. It makes no difference in the big picture.
  • Heather_Rider
    Heather_Rider Posts: 1,159 Member
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    You will find this question is about like which came first, the chicken or the egg. lol

    My personal opinion is that you dont ever STOP burning calories. You burn calories when you breathe, so do what feels best for you. I personally work out about an hour after i eat. Its what makes sense in my mind, so thats what i do. It gives me more energy to finish out my day also! AND if im running, i dont have to worry if i decide to have a late night snack. Its just what works for ME, so find what works for you & do it! :drinker:
  • Cassandram333
    Cassandram333 Posts: 36 Member
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    I would be worried working out after eating that i would get a stitch or vomit. haha. i heard its better to eat after as ur body is burning energy still especially when weight training.
  • DrJeep
    DrJeep Posts: 37 Member
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    I genuinely can't eat before a workout. I tend to give it all back up if I do. So generally I do my work outs, hydrate a lot during and after them. And about half an hour to an hour later I have my meal.

    Then again I do generally work out after my work day, when I have some food to burn inside of me already.
  • ShaneOSX
    ShaneOSX Posts: 198
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    Both, really. Or at least, ideally, you would get carbs and protein before and after working out.

    When talking pre-workout, if it's solid food, 60-90 min before. If it's liquid, like a whey protein shake for example, 30-0 min before, or even during.

    For the post-workout meal, ideally it would within 30 min of workout completion. The post meal is pretty much the only time it's good to eat high-glycemic carbs, so treat yourself.
  • ash190489
    ash190489 Posts: 587 Member
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    Hi there,
    Personally, eating right before a workout does not work for me, I literally have to workout after 2-3 hours if I am doing high intensity training. If it's weight training, usually 30min-1hour before is okay (unless I am doing abdominal stuff then 2-3 hours again).
    Whatever works best for you.
  • MissCierra2008
    MissCierra2008 Posts: 36
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    Awesome- thanks guys! It really helps to get the opinions of others..
    I dont think I would get sick if I tried (but best not to find it out the hard way) haha. Losing weight really is a journey and what better way to kick off a journey through trial and error! I guess it really is what works best for some people and what doesn't- its hard to determine if certain aspects of weight loss is generic or if its personalized between us humanoids ;) Keep up the good work everyone!!!
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
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    It is physical impossible for you to only burn the calories you've consumed right before working out. Most solid foods take hours to be digested. Digestion and metabolism are 24/7 activities. Think of it this way: Calories are a measure of energy. If your workout requires 500 calories of energy, but you only ate 400 calories right before working out, your body can't say, "Oh well. We only ate 400 calories. Guess we need to stop functioning at the 400 calorie mark."

    That said, many people feel nauseous eating right before exercising. Something about all that jiggling around on a full stomach. Also, carbohydrates can be useful before a cardio workout because they provide quick energy. Protein is necessary for your body's muscles to improve from exercise.

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