Calories before evening exercise

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MN4US
MN4US Posts: 78 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I attend evening gym classes (it's been a month now) and am finding myself feeling dizzy and faint during these one hour classes (circuits, cardio and strength like LBT & body pump).. However, I can manage Zumba.

I'm wondering if this is because I'm not eating enough of my calories for the day before I start?
On average I'll have 800 of my 1,550.. What about others doing evening gym sessions/classes? How many of your daily calories do you have by the evening time of a work out day?

I'd just like to have calories left over for dinner.. Or is it because I'm generally unfit/it'll get better?

5'6, 154lb

Replies

  • ericzanetti
    ericzanetti Posts: 41 Member
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    How much time do you have between your last meal and your workout?

    I workout after work at about 4:30 - 5:00 pm.

    I drink a shaker cup of protein (30g) and eat a banana about 1 - 1.5 hours before a cardio or HIIT workout. For weight training, I move it up to about 30 mins before the workout.

    I then eat dinner 1.5 - 2 hours after that. (about 500 cals)
  • dawnmcneil10
    dawnmcneil10 Posts: 638 Member
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    You may want to play with the types of food you eat before exercise and if you're not having a mid afternoon snack you should probably add one. Not sure if you're eating back your exercise calories or not but that's something to factor in as well, you need to have enough fuel for your body. I'd suggest adding 100-200 extra calories to your afternoon, this is where you'll need to play with foods though because several will cause issues with your tummy while you're training. I can eat greek yogurt with granola and fruit and be fine 2 hours before working out but a friend of mine can't eat any of those things before a workout so it's really finding your own personal balance.
    Good luck!
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
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    How many times a week do you attend your classes? How rigorous or advanced are the classes? Depending on your health and fitness levels and how regularly you attend your classes, part of the issue could just be stamina. However, if you are relatively fit and healthy, train on a regular multiple day schedule, don't miss classes, and the workouts aren't too advanced, you should be able to get through them after a month (still feeling tired obviously, b/c you will push yourself, but not faint or dizzy). You very well may have to eat more during the day to help fuel your workout. While meal timing is irrelevant to weight loss, meal timining isn't necessarily irrelevant to athletic performance. If you feel you don't have any gas left in the tank, try eating more of your calories throughout the day before your session. Also, you can play around with eating the same amount of calories prior to your session, but waiting until later on in the day to consume them.

    At the end of the day you will find what works best for you through trial and error. I know for me I train at night, and typically all but 500-600 of my 3000 calories are consumed after I train. I feel this is optimal for me. My brother trains first thing in the morning, doesn't eat beforehand, but will have a large dinner - which mostly fuels his workout for the next morning.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    When I run at night, I eat around 1100-1200 before I go out--breakfast, lunch, and then part of supper. Then I eat 500-600 calories after my run.
  • MN4US
    MN4US Posts: 78 Member
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    How many times a week do you attend your classes? How rigorous or advanced are the classes? Depending on your health and fitness levels and how regularly you attend your classes, part of the issue could just be stamina. However, if you are relatively fit and healthy, train on a regular multiple day schedule, don't miss classes, and the workouts aren't too advanced, you should be able to get through them after a month (still feeling tired obviously, b/c you will push yourself, but not faint or dizzy). You very well may have to eat more during the day to help fuel your workout. While meal timing is irrelevant to weight loss, meal timining isn't necessarily irrelevant to athletic performance. If you feel you don't have any gas left in the tank, try eating more of your calories throughout the day before your session. Also, you can play around with eating the same amount of calories prior to your session, but waiting until later on in the day to consume them.

    Thank you all, I think this is spot on!

    I don't attend regularly, they're high intensity and I sure am low on stamina.

    Last night, I finally managed a full class without feeling dizzy or faint (it was actually quite empowering!!!) as I had played around with the timing of my meals as you said, while still hitting 800 calories. I'd usually eat at 1pm and then have nothing until my class at 7pm and I guess I'm just not one of those who can work out with nothing in my tummy :) But yesterday I had lunch at 1pm but then another 350 calories at around 4pm and ta da, I was able to keep up!

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