Carbs Before Or After Training

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Kaylee_Loren
Kaylee_Loren Posts: 56 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've heard and read so many different stances on when to eat your carbs. For a while, it was eating them before training, but recently I've seen that you should eat them after. I'm trying to lose the last 10 pounds, so I'm trying to restrict my simple carbs to one meal a day. Which makes more sense?

Thanks!

Replies

  • dickrocketjones
    dickrocketjones Posts: 78 Member
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    Carbs before, proteins after always made the most sense to me.
  • Mrsallypants
    Mrsallypants Posts: 887 Member
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    Neither.
  • annette_15
    annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
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    Carbs before, proteins after always made the most sense to me.

    This, I always have more energy if I eat carbs before working out
  • cad39too
    cad39too Posts: 874 Member
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    Before. Protein after.
  • Kaylee_Loren
    Kaylee_Loren Posts: 56 Member
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    PPs-That's what I had always seen & followed, but have recently been seeing articles and heard trainers talking about "eating carbs to replenish your body after training." :noway:
  • jdholland5508
    jdholland5508 Posts: 162 Member
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    As long as you have energy for your workouts it does not matter.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    What kind of workout?
    Is the purpose purely losing weight, or are you after fitness improvements (ie longer/faster running, strength improvements, etc?)

    Some people find they work better having had some carbs. I certainly seem to do better having had some food - I can do a morning run with the lower group in the running club I was running without any food just fine. I'll still go full pelt up hill, but typically then get a good bit of a break or circle back more gently.
    However, a race or competitive event where I'm trying to push myself a bit, I do need to have had something to eat - doubly so if I've had a low calorie day the day before.

    If you're reasonably fit and healthy, not obese and so on, I haven't see any reason to restrict to simple carbs in one meal a day.

    Incidentally, from what I've seen, if you've had some protein before a workout, you've got less worries about jamming some in straight after.
  • Kaylee_Loren
    Kaylee_Loren Posts: 56 Member
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    It's for losing fat, and increasing my strength and endurance. I've hit a major plateau in the past four months, and I'm trying pretty much everything to get back to weight loss. Cutting simple carbs seemed like the next reasonable option, but I didn't want to cut them too drastically as to stall muscle gainzzz.
  • Mrsallypants
    Mrsallypants Posts: 887 Member
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    I guess it depends on the what you're doing and your goal, and how you feel after you workout.

    If eating nothing before you workout doesn't affect your performance, then why eat carbs before, especially simple carbs? Complex carbs break down slower and gradually release energy as opposed to breaking down rapidly and spiking your blood sugar with the inevitable low blood sugar phase.

    For me, doing deadlifts and squats fasted or near carb depleted is a bad thing and negatively affects my performance of which I am concerned with. If I am feeling sick, shaky, and extremely tired after a workout I will eat carbs to stabilize blood sugar, otherwise if I feel good and energized after working out I really don't need to eat anything.

    You could complex carbs after you workout too.
  • ME0172
    ME0172 Posts: 200
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    Before. Protein after. Then about an hour later a snack with carbs.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    Unless you are very low carb for days or you are doing VERY long strength training sessions it is unlikely that you will be glycogen depleted and therefore require glycogen replenishment.

    The purpose of the post workout meal should be to halt muscle protein breakdown and start muscle protein synthesis. This can be done with protein alone.

    If you feel that your performance is better if you eat some carbs before training (this is very individual and I think the placebo affect can definitely play a part also) then eat some before. If not, eat them after.

    Playing around with nutrient timing should be the "icing on the cake" after you have sorted your energy balance and macro splits. It will make a miniscule difference basically.
  • MichaelRobinson1994
    MichaelRobinson1994 Posts: 83 Member
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    I always have a Banana about an hour before training, by then the carbs (in the form of sugar) are in my system and im bouncing off the walls with energy to get going!
    Then drink water during and a I have a protein shake after (mixed with semi-skimmed cows milk (350ml)) - provides 38g of Protein in the powder alone, plus the little extra carbs and protein from the milk!
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    Both.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    Shouldn't hurt to try cutting out simple carbs.
    For me they certainly don't make a difference.

    Can't see your diary, but it does always end up as calories in vs calories out.

    Some people find different foods may change the latter.

    In some cases the body can adapt to a sustained calorie deficit by reducing the calories it burns.

    Using a 'leangains' approach where I eat 1000 calories more on weights days may well help because the body doesn't adapt to sustained low calories.

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