Best to eat before of after exercise?

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2

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  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
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    I do best exercising about an hour after a meal. If I do it on a totally empty stomach, I sometimes feel weak during exercise.
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
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    She's silly.

    After workout is just fine, and probably better for most.

    If you always go into a workout having just eaten, the first thing burned is the food you ate, and since you likely kicked off insulin response, fat storage and carb burning mode are now on, so not even getting into the fat stores likely.

    Whereas if 2+ hrs from last meal, fat burning mode is on, and you should have plenty of carb stores to have a great workout (as opposed to morning workout after sleeping fast may have you low on stores).

    Nope, I think your idea is better. That way any carbs can top off glucose stores you just used, rather than being surplus that goes you know where.

    This does not even begin to pass the sniff test
    Did you just make this up as you were typing?

    How would when you ate in relation to your meal effect your overall calorie burn for the day?
    And if your burn for the day is constant then how would how much weight you lose be changed?
  • Marquettedominos
    Marquettedominos Posts: 107 Member
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    She's silly.

    After workout is just fine, and probably better for most.

    If you always go into a workout having just eaten, the first thing burned is the food you ate, and since you likely kicked off insulin response, fat storage and carb burning mode are now on, so not even getting into the fat stores likely.

    Whereas if 2+ hrs from last meal, fat burning mode is on, and you should have plenty of carb stores to have a great workout (as opposed to morning workout after sleeping fast may have you low on stores).

    Nope, I think your idea is better. That way any carbs can top off glucose stores you just used, rather than being surplus that goes you know where.

    This does not even begin to pass the sniff test
    Did you just make this up as you were typing?

    How would when you ate in relation to your meal effect your overall calorie burn for the day?
    And if your burn for the day is constant then how would how much weight you lose be changed?

    This^^^^^

    And just eat whenever you want to.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    Totally up to you.

    I can't work out on a full stomach, it makes me queasy.
  • Fit_Vixen
    Fit_Vixen Posts: 201
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    I eat after I workout. But it sucks when life gets so hectic that I don't have breakfast until after noon. (I prefer to workout in the morning)
  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
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    I've done both and haven't noticed a change in my results either way.

    I prefer to workout in the morning on an empty stomach. I do a lot of high intensity stuff, and a full stomach would likely make my hurl. Plus, my first meal tastes 10000x better after a good *kitten* kicking in the gym.
  • GypsysBloodRose26
    GypsysBloodRose26 Posts: 341 Member
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    Do what works for you! If you feel sick eating prior, then don't do it. You have lost a tremendous amount of weight, so I think you know what works for you.
  • stupidloser
    stupidloser Posts: 300 Member
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    I would say it depend on the type of exercise you do. High intensity like running or low intensity like walking. If you are just walking you don't need to load up on carbs b4 exercise because walking use fat mainly as fuel.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    I eat a small meal (really a snack) before and big meal after. Do whatever works for you, there is no right or wrong answer.
  • 0MissErin0
    0MissErin0 Posts: 92 Member
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    It really depends on your body and it is upto you. Some people can't stomach food before a workout. Others cannot workout without fuelling their body :) Protein and healthy carbs either way.
  • tyresank
    tyresank Posts: 174 Member
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    I have seen this thread before, and did attempt to eat prior to my strenght training sessions, BUT since I meet my PT at 5am, eating at 4:30am ish is just tooooo early and it sort of makes me feel sick. So I stopped that, and eat once I return home, which is ususally around 7am, as I strenght train for 1hr, cardio for 30 mins, and then yoga for 30mins.

    I think in generally it depends upon the person, whilst it maybe better to eat prior, the timing is an issue for me. But so far so good, 79 lbs down in 1 yr, or 1 yr on Wed that is!!

    10269526.png
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    I don't eat until I get back from exercising. Then I have my lunch that is high in protein with some carbs to help balance things out.

    My sister disagrees with this wholeheartedly. She believes that this is entirely counterproductive. That I should eat before I exercise and I won't lose weight because I eat after my workout.

    I do 60 min of cardio and 10 min of strength training 6 days of the week. Should I be eating after a workout? Not opinions, facts please.

    And I'm not gonna fight with you. I only fight with family..because I know all their secrets. It's more fun that way ! :)

    You've lost 100+ lbs already, so unless your sister has lost 200lbs recently, I'd consider you the family expert on the subject. The way you're doing it is just fine.

    But what's up with the 60 mins of cardio to only 10 mins of strength training? Can a brother get 30/30? Okay, I'll settle for 40/20, but that's my final offer. Seriously, upping the strength training will improve your overall results.
  • teepeetim
    teepeetim Posts: 99 Member
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    I eat before and after working out...because I'm a fatty.

    Yeah right. I don't think so !
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
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    But what's up with the 60 mins of cardio to only 10 mins of strength training? Can a brother get 30/30? Okay, I'll settle for 40/20, but that's my final offer. Seriously, upping the strength training will improve your overall results.

    For me, when I swim, I do 2 miles. Alternating 12 lap "sets" with and without hand pads. The hand pads greatly increase the resistance aspect. It becomes more like doing a few hundred 20# straight arm pull downs.
    The 2 miles takes me under 1:10 to complete, then I move to the weight room. How much I do tends to depend on how late it is more than how much energy I have. I mix up the weight groups so I am doing some push pull combo each time. And always start off with medicine ball crunches. Up to a 15# MB so far.
    I have not noticed any difference in strength or dizziness eating before or not. I definitely feel lighter during the workout if I don't eat anything before. Just keeping hydrated.
    This week I am going to try to swim 2 miles every day following by 20+ (shoot for 30+) circuit training speed weights. One of these days I'll get an HRM to monitor how much I keep my heart rate up during weight training.
    I've done a full hour with a personal trainer after a 2 miles swim as well. A great workout.
  • nml2011
    nml2011 Posts: 156 Member
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    She's silly.

    After workout is just fine, and probably better for most.

    If you always go into a workout having just eaten, the first thing burned is the food you ate, and since you likely kicked off insulin response, fat storage and carb burning mode are now on, so not even getting into the fat stores likely.

    Whereas if 2+ hrs from last meal, fat burning mode is on, and you should have plenty of carb stores to have a great workout (as opposed to morning workout after sleeping fast may have you low on stores).

    Nope, I think your idea is better. That way any carbs can top off glucose stores you just used, rather than being surplus that goes you know where.

    This does not even begin to pass the sniff test
    Did you just make this up as you were typing?

    How would when you ate in relation to your meal effect your overall calorie burn for the day?
    And if your burn for the day is constant then how would how much weight you lose be changed?

    Heybales is actually (mostly) right... what you eat at what time of day is almost important as what you eat!

    Fats and Protein in the AM and Protein and Carbs in the PM.

    Look into carb backloading by Keifer and the studies associated with it.

    I have been eating a large calorie excess 500 - 1000 cals above maintance on a workout days, eat all my carbs either post workout and in the evening and lose approx 1% bf a month and my weight stays roughly the same +/- 2kg.
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
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    I have been eating a large calorie excess 500 - 1000 cals above maintance on a workout days, eat all my carbs either post workout and in the evening and lose approx 1% bf a month and my weight stays roughly the same +/- 2kg.

    One aspect of before/after that is most challenging for me is exercise calories. I don't front load because I don't know if my plans will be changed by something with my kids when I get home from work. Then when I get home from the gym, sometimes after 8PM I don't have the time or appetite to make up 2K on a Swim and weights day.
    My net cal chart for the last 7 days looks weak but I certainly don't feel weak. (for some reason, day 1 of the 7 day plot is always wrong).
    I used to have no problem grazing through a bag of Doritos at night. How things change when one decides to finally make real habit changes.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Fats and Protein in the AM and Protein and Carbs in the PM.

    Nonsense!

    Personally, I eat all macros at each meal.
  • Dudagarcia
    Dudagarcia Posts: 849 Member
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    If you have already lost 123 lbs, haven't you already answered your own question? (Congrats BTW)

    This ^^^^^
  • Dudagarcia
    Dudagarcia Posts: 849 Member
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    She's silly.

    After workout is just fine, and probably better for most.

    If you always go into a workout having just eaten, the first thing burned is the food you ate, and since you likely kicked off insulin response, fat storage and carb burning mode are now on, so not even getting into the fat stores likely.

    Whereas if 2+ hrs from last meal, fat burning mode is on, and you should have plenty of carb stores to have a great workout (as opposed to morning workout after sleeping fast may have you low on stores).

    Nope, I think your idea is better. That way any carbs can top off glucose stores you just used, rather than being surplus that goes you know where.

    What a smart guy! :-)
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
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    I usually exercise then eat dinner, but last night I ate first then exercised about an hour later and was much more energized through my workout. I might have to switch!

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