What do you eat before and after a workout???

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Alisonsapp
Alisonsapp Posts: 4 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
This is one thing thats always confused me!!! Do you eat before a workout (for energy?) and what/how much, Do you eat after a workout (for recovery?) and again, what kind of food! Carbs?? Protein?? its all so confusing!!!

I do high energy bootcamp for 45 mins, 3 mornings a week before work, and an hour before the bootcamp session, I have a small banana, with water afterwards of course, then a high protein, lo-carb bar (low sugar too).
About 1 1/2 hours later I have a late 'breakfast'.

Also, I'm doing a fun-run on the weekend, and I'm never sure what to eat before or after these too!! Obviously I need a decent breakfast for energy, but I dont want to feel BLEUGH! while running/jogging too!
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Replies

  • coffee_rocks
    coffee_rocks Posts: 275 Member
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    Yea, nobody does what I do.

    Nothing beforehand. Hour in the gym, and the I have two cups of coffee. Maybe some toast.
  • Jemmuno
    Jemmuno Posts: 413 Member
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    I eat some type of small carb like an apple or a banana before I workout then after I eat a large meal about 300-600 cal which is usally a large salad with avocado and home made dressing and two chicken thighs.
  • averylopez
    averylopez Posts: 28 Member
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    This is the first time I am posting so I hope I am doing this right......

    About an hour before working out you should have both protein and carbs. Such as a cup of oatmeal and an egg white.

    After working out you should also eat carbs and protein. A half of turkey sandwich, piece of chicken with veggies, chicken spinach salad with avocado.

    If you like protein shakes you can try a 1/2 cup of fruit, cup of almond milk, ice, water and protein powder and blend it. This is something to try prior to working out. I hope this helps.

    I have lost over 100 lbs and have kept it off for over 10 years. This has just seemed to work for me I hope it helps!! :)
  • leemay001
    leemay001 Posts: 13 Member
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    My usual workouts are either first thing in the morning before work and/or Taekwondo at 6pm.

    When I'm doing a morning workout (most weekday mornings unless I'm destroyed from the night before's Taekwondo class):

    Alarm goes off at 7am. I take a thermogenic pill (pre-workout supplement), then lay back down and go back to sleep / relax. I'm currently taking Stim-10 thermo's. I've also tried RoxyLean, ThermoFuse and Detonate by Gaspari. Detonate was by far the best but they all work well.

    At 7:30 am my second alarm goes off. By then, the pill is kicking in and I'm buzzing with raw, clean energy. I jump on my exercise bike and spin as fast as I can for 20 mins while I watch an episode of anime (currently catching up on Naruto eps).

    I then chuck 1/2 cup of brown rice in a pot of boiling water and go have my shower, get dressed etc (this is about 8am for me). At 8:20 am I pop 2 eggs in the pot to boil too and by 8:30 my meal is ready. This is a fairly typical Japanese breakfast except they generally use white rice and add some kind of fish. I personally can't stomach fish first thing in the morning. The 2 eggs gives me about 12g of protein and the rice another 8g.

    Then I don't usually eat anything until 1pm. I usually have a wrap with sandwich meat and salad (home made).

    At 3pm I take a second thermo. By Taekwondo at 6pm I'm buzzing with energy again and I can maintain at least 80% effort for the full hour. It's also a 30 min walk to and 30 min from my lesson, so that's 2 hours of exercise really. Then I come home, shower etc and have dinner, usually trying not to have any carbs except from vegetables.

    With this routine I've consistently lost weight for a long time. But thanks to the litres of beer I used to drink after dinner, the weight loss was SLOOOWWWW. I'm now 10 days sober (sounds stupid to me now, it's hard to believe I ever even drank). The weight is coming off faster and faster since cutting out the alcohol (as my liver gets cleaner and functions better I imagine).

    The next thing I'm going to try is mixing up my meals a bit. For example, this morning I smashed a plate of 2 slices of bacon, 2 eggs, mushrooms and zucchini. I've found the paleo diet works well with my body. I metabolize fat and protein very efficiently but carbs turn straight into fat for me. I'm also having one of those Weight Watchers type microwave meals for lunch today. They're rubbish really, but I had no wrap ingredients left and needed to grab something in a rush while at the shops yesterday.

    I'm certainly no shining example of great weight loss, not yet at least, but hopefully this gives you something to ponder for a while.

    Lee
  • cleotherio
    cleotherio Posts: 712 Member
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    I almost always work out in the morning, so nothing before. I'm out of bed, dressed and warming up in 15 minutes. Afterward, I usually make a smoothie with protein powder, spinach and whatever flavoring I feel like that day. Cocoa, peanut butter, fruit, etc. On weekends I usually work out in the afternoon after just eating normal meals. I do feel like I have more energy, but on my normal early days, I just don't want to get up 1/2 an hour earlier just to eat.
  • RepsnSets
    RepsnSets Posts: 805 Member
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    I workout early morning before work. I dont eat beforehand. Post workout I will have a protein shake or an egg on wholemeal toast with a coffee
  • MuslimFitnessInstructor
    MuslimFitnessInstructor Posts: 119
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    Not eating before working out can cause you to pass out.

    I eat eggd, toast, orange juice or a green naked juice an hr before I workout. After I workout it is lunch time do I eat lunch.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    There are no rules here. Do what feels best and helps you perform best. There are lots of people who will tell you to load up on carbs prior to a workout and then take in X grams of protein immediately following a workout. Or to do a 4:1 ratio of carbs:protein right after, etc, etc, etc. Don't sweat it. Just work out sensibly, and aim to keep your nutrition on point every day as best you can.
  • drchimpanzee
    drchimpanzee Posts: 892 Member
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    Not eating before working out can cause you to pass out.

    I eat eggd, toast, orange juice or a green naked juice an hr before I workout. After I workout it is lunch time do I eat lunch.

    I'm not sure this is 100% true. I frequently run first thing some days without eating first. Everyone is different though I suppose so go with what your body tells you.
  • drusilla126
    drusilla126 Posts: 478 Member
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    I eat an apple and a bowl of cereal (Mini Wheats seem to be best) before. After I have a protein shake.
  • sigsby
    sigsby Posts: 220 Member
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    I only have morning workouts on weekends. Morning workouts are the best though. I have coffee before and a oatmeal made with milk and a piece of fruit. Usually an apple or an orange. Sometimes I get really crazy and have a pear or a banana. :)
  • RepsnSets
    RepsnSets Posts: 805 Member
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    Not eating before working out can cause you to pass out.

    I eat eggd, toast, orange juice or a green naked juice an hr before I workout. After I workout it is lunch time do I eat lunch.

    I always thought that too but so far I havent felt the need to faint but may of had lactic acid build up once in a while. Im definitely hungry after my workout though
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Do whatever feels best. I may eat before and after if I'm trying to gain, and just after if I'm trying to lose. Some people feel better on an empty stomach, some feel better full. Either way is safe and effective. Totally your call.
  • MidwestAngel
    MidwestAngel Posts: 1,897 Member
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    Levothyroixin and a glass of water.
  • scottdeeby
    scottdeeby Posts: 95 Member
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    Here's what I do, but it's mostly due to scheduling and not preference:
    Eat supper 6pm'ish
    Put kids to bed, done at 7:30
    Work out (weights - in the basement - gyms are a time waster).
    Water during workout
    If I start losing steam during the workout and I still have a lot of work to do, I have a couple shots of orange juice
    After workout, protein shake.

    If it's the weekend and it's during the day (rare occurrence) I'll have coffee before the workout and make sure I do some heavy deadlifts lol

    Don't overthink it. If you have energy and you're not barfing during the workout, you're doing it right.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
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    Before lifting - a protein shake, a couple glasses of water and my supplements.
    After lifting - oatmeal made with milk and PB2, and a couple glasses of water.

    Before cardio - a banana and a couple cups of water and my supplements.
    After cardio - oatmeal made with milk and PB2, and a couple glasses of water.
  • wolfelements
    wolfelements Posts: 117 Member
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    I don't eat anything before my workout. After I guzzle water like crazy, then in about 30 minutes I eat lunch.
  • shovav91
    shovav91 Posts: 2,335 Member
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    Before, I generally eat about 200 calories, complex carbs, nuts, etc. After, generally a decently large meal with plenty of protein.
    Here is an interesting article on the subject:
    http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/nutrition/best-workout-foods/
  • shellylb52
    shellylb52 Posts: 157 Member
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    bump for later :smile:
  • Teaka94
    Teaka94 Posts: 3
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    I don't like to eat too much before a workout, especially since I do a lot of cardio. I usually eat an apple beforehand, then eat a regular breakfast, such as egg whites and toast or cereal or oatmeal afterwards. That gives me plenty of energy for the day!

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