Does timing of food and exercise matter?

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sdelo7
sdelo7 Posts: 43 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started to exercise everyday. But everyday is not the same. It could be a 2-3 KM fast walk, a round of golf, playing tennis, running etc...Different intensity, different calorie burn.
I used to exercise only 2-3 per week but intense. I have at least 40 pounds to lose and I am still easing into daily higher intensity workouts so as to not put too much strain too quickly on my joints (and I have achilles tendonitis issues which I am hoping will reduce with weight loss)

If I do a very intense workout late day or early evening, I am often not very hungry that evening but will be ravenous the next day. Often though, I will be doing a lighter workout that next day.
I guess my body is getting used not only to the lower calories but more exercise as well and today I am just soooo hungry. I am at work trying to focus, drinking water. But I don't want to exceed my calorie goal and since I exercised more intensely the last 3 days, I am scheduled only for a 2-3KM fast walk tonight.

How do you plan you food intake? Should I plan higher calories before the workout same day? Do you allow more food the next day if you feel hungry? My calorie goal is based on my BMR, which was measured by my naturopath, and my TDEE.

I really want to keep this up and get fit, but being hungry is no fun.

Replies

  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    For the most part, nutritional timing matters very little. Here is a great chart showcasing the rare occasions it actually makes a significant difference.

    nutrient-timing-table_r4-01-1024x837.png
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    Bottom line it doesn't matter in terms of weight loss. If it helps you in some way, then do what seems best. Personally I tend to be hungrier the day after a high activity day - not so much the day of.
  • sdelo7
    sdelo7 Posts: 43 Member
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    So, I shouldn't overly worry about whether I have a higher calorie deficit on a high calorie burn day just because I am not that hungry afterwards and not worry about eating a little more the next day if I feel really hungry?
    I guess I shouldn't look at my calorie deficit only on a daily basis.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
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    For the most part, nutritional timing matters very little. Here is a great chart showcasing the rare occasions it actually makes a significant difference.

    nutrient-timing-table_r4-01-1024x837.png

    Just bumping because I really like this chart.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
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    So, I shouldn't overly worry about whether I have a higher calorie deficit on a high calorie burn day just because I am not that hungry afterwards and not worry about eating a little more the next day if I feel really hungry?
    I guess I shouldn't look at my calorie deficit only on a daily basis.
    a weekly average is a good way to look at it.
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    So, I shouldn't overly worry about whether I have a higher calorie deficit on a high calorie burn day just because I am not that hungry afterwards and not worry about eating a little more the next day if I feel really hungry?
    I guess I shouldn't look at my calorie deficit only on a daily basis.
    Your body does not total your calories in vs calories out at midnight each night and decide if you should lose weight or not that day. Its a much more complex, on going, series of systems. Thinking about calories on a weekly basis works much better for some people.
  • BombshellPhoenix
    BombshellPhoenix Posts: 1,693 Member
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    For the most part, nutritional timing matters very little. Here is a great chart showcasing the rare occasions it actually makes a significant difference.

    nutrient-timing-table_r4-01-1024x837.png

    Just bumping because I really like this chart.

    It's glorious
  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
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    Yes, it does matter. Don't eat while doing squats.



    This was mostly a un-clever bump for the chart vismal posted.
  • TiberiusClaudis
    TiberiusClaudis Posts: 423 Member
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    For the most part, nutritional timing matters very little. Here is a great chart showcasing the rare occasions it actually makes a significant difference.

    nutrient-timing-table_r4-01-1024x837.png

    Yup, this pretty much sums it up...Nice addition Mate!
  • EvanKeel
    EvanKeel Posts: 1,904 Member
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    I started to exercise everyday. But everyday is not the same. It could be a 2-3 KM fast walk, a round of golf, playing tennis, running etc...Different intensity, different calorie burn.
    I used to exercise only 2-3 per week but intense. I have at least 40 pounds to lose and I am still easing into daily higher intensity workouts so as to not put too much strain too quickly on my joints (and I have achilles tendonitis issues which I am hoping will reduce with weight loss)

    If I do a very intense workout late day or early evening, I am often not very hungry that evening but will be ravenous the next day. Often though, I will be doing a lighter workout that next day.
    I guess my body is getting used not only to the lower calories but more exercise as well and today I am just soooo hungry. I am at work trying to focus, drinking water. But I don't want to exceed my calorie goal and since I exercised more intensely the last 3 days, I am scheduled only for a 2-3KM fast walk tonight.

    How do you plan you food intake? Should I plan higher calories before the workout same day? Do you allow more food the next day if you feel hungry? My calorie goal is based on my BMR, which was measured by my naturopath, and my TDEE.

    I really want to keep this up and get fit, but being hungry is no fun.

    I plan my calories around two things: workout performance, and hunger. It may take some experimentation to figure things out, though.

    For example, there are days when I'll lift in the morning, have some breakfast, and then do cardio before I eat lunch. On those days, I pretty much need to have some sort of post-workout food (usually a shake) if I want to avoid being ravenously hungry when deciding what to have for lunch. It's much easier for me to stay within my daily calories if I can avoid feeling that hungry.
  • Stripeness
    Stripeness Posts: 511 Member
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    a weekly average is a good way to look at it.

    ^^THIS
    (and the chart is admittedly glorious)
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    How do you plan you food intake? Should I plan higher calories before the workout same day? Do you allow more food the next day if you feel hungry? My calorie goal is based on my BMR, which was measured by my naturopath, and my TDEE.

    If you are finding yourself more hungry on days after heavier workouts, so don't want to eat the same calories every day but can't rely on exercise calories, consider thinking of your calorie limit for the week as a whole. It doesn't matter what day you eat the calories and responding to hunger makes sense to me.

    For me using exercise calories usually works okay, but I do flex them some--like last night I did a long run late in the day and wasn't especially hungry at dinner. I had a few more calories anyway (since I did feel like ice cream) but ended up with a huge deficit and am open to eating more today as a result (when I have only a lighter workout that won't burn all that many calories).

    Depending on the type of exercise it often matters more what I ate the night before than that day (if I run in the morning I usually don't eat first), and some forms of exercise make me starving after, whereas others seem to kill my appetite for a while, especially if I was doing cardio outside in the heat.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    So many sensible people have said that they gain weight when they eat late that I have a problem discounting it. These aren't dieters, either. Just regular, healthy people who never were fat.

    Some say yes and some say no. I'm on the fence.

    I don't eat late and I don't exercise late, either.
  • Derpes
    Derpes Posts: 2,033 Member
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    I would not eat a big meal before working out, otherwise you *may* take a ride on the diarrhea train.

    Maybe not though, some people can pull it off.
  • sdelo7
    sdelo7 Posts: 43 Member
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    Yes, it does matter. Don't eat while doing squats.



    This was mostly a un-clever bump for the chart vismal posted.

    :laugh: I would be more concerned about spilling my coffee.
  • sdelo7
    sdelo7 Posts: 43 Member
    Options
    How do you plan you food intake? Should I plan higher calories before the workout same day? Do you allow more food the next day if you feel hungry? My calorie goal is based on my BMR, which was measured by my naturopath, and my TDEE.

    If you are finding yourself more hungry on days after heavier workouts, so don't want to eat the same calories every day but can't rely on exercise calories, consider thinking of your calorie limit for the week as a whole. It doesn't matter what day you eat the calories and responding to hunger makes sense to me.

    For me using exercise calories usually works okay, but I do flex them some--like last night I did a long run late in the day and wasn't especially hungry at dinner. I had a few more calories anyway (since I did feel like ice cream) but ended up with a huge deficit and am open to eating more today as a result (when I have only a lighter workout that won't burn all that many calories).

    Depending on the type of exercise it often matters more what I ate the night before than that day (if I run in the morning I usually don't eat first), and some forms of exercise make me starving after, whereas others seem to kill my appetite for a while, especially if I was doing cardio outside in the heat.

    Same. I will not eat much before an intense workout or run. A light snack a hour before if needed (some nuts, a banana). When I play golf I will bring a granola bar or Cliff bar.
  • sdelo7
    sdelo7 Posts: 43 Member
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    Thanks all with the comments! Very helpful.

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