Eating before working out

parisianskies002
parisianskies002 Posts: 88
edited September 27 in Fitness and Exercise
l am getting lots of mixed reviews about this. l heard if you don't eat before a workout then you will burn off fat, and your metabolism will be higher so that you will burn off calories quicker when you eat afterwards. l tend to eat a cereal bar (healthy living ones) beforehand just to get a bit of energy, but is it better to not eat before a workout if you want to lose fat?

Replies

  • LesliePierceRN
    LesliePierceRN Posts: 860 Member
    I don't understand how anyone can eat before a workout. If you're really going at it, your stomach and diaphragm should cramp. This is why you don't eat and go swimming. I cannot eat and run. If I run early in the morning, I have to preload the night before. The body is designed to *rest and digest*, not *eat and run*.
  • dcmat
    dcmat Posts: 1,723 Member
    It's like lots of things - for every report you read stating to eat before, you'll find one saying not to. It is whatever you feel comfortable with.
  • splashwags
    splashwags Posts: 262 Member
    I am thinking the energy from the food makes for a better workout and therefore a better burn. But am interested in what others have to say.
  • Airbear3
    Airbear3 Posts: 335 Member
    i have to eat before! My workout is crap without the energy! not sure on the right way but its what works for me! I know Dr. oz says to workout before eating because you burn the left over calories from the night before, and then breakfast to burn the new! hope it helps!
  • gloomyangel
    gloomyangel Posts: 1
    haha I'm just going to post randomly as this is a interesting topic :P

    yes, i heard that it is more beneficial especially if you are working out in the morning (running on empty and burns fat)
    besides I learnt that if you eat food before a workout you cannot perform your highest as your body is busy digesting and absorbing

    important for athletes too BUT don't take my word for this look up some academic sources for certainty.

    this may help http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition/factsheets/competition_and_training2/eating_before_exercise
  • rfcollins33
    rfcollins33 Posts: 630
    I don't understand how anyone can eat before a workout. If you're really going at it, your stomach and diaphragm should cramp. This is why you don't eat and go swimming. I cannot eat and run. If I run early in the morning, I have to preload the night before. The body is designed to *rest and digest*, not *eat and run*.

    I pretty much agree with this. If I still have food in my tummy or haven't given myself enough time to digest and I do my 30 day shred, I either will throw up or I will feel like I need to. But, I must have some kind of fuel, so usually I will eat something with protein/complex carbs, wait for it to digest, then work out. A lot of people claim that working out on a completely empty stomach helps to burn more fat.
  • murfto
    murfto Posts: 29 Member
    I tend to try to do my workouts early in the am I am trying to not eat before hand. I stop eating he nighjt before by about 8pm then eat again the next day a 12 noon. It is the fastng concept of eat stop eat. I do about 16 hour of fasting most of it when I sleep. I do have a coach who gave me this idea. He lives by it and has been VERY successful in keeping in shape. Seems when I have a window of 8 hours to eat., i dont go overboard.

    I have lost 23 lbs in 52 days. I dont stick to it all of the time. Hard the weekends.

    I have no trouble at all with the workouts. I am new to working out so I am just burning about 600-700 cal at a time. I seem to have more energy when I stick to this plan

    Good Luck!!
  • schninie82
    schninie82 Posts: 502 Member
    I asked the same question yesterday, and I found for every 'yes' answer, I got a 'no' answer too.. Apparently, if you dont eat before, the body eats into the muscle instead of the fat in our bodies.... I personally dont eat before as I dont have time to sit and wait for my body to digest, but I'm going to try have a little something and see how it goes...
  • geigers1
    geigers1 Posts: 4 Member
    I work out at night & have low blood sugar so i have to eat or i will pass out, not anything huge of course, but enough to maintain blood sugar. It just depends on how your body works.
  • TTHdred
    TTHdred Posts: 380 Member
    This is one of those things that will vary per person. As always do what feels best and is most comfortable for you. Working out in the morning tends to do what you mentioned so typically people do if before they have breakfast. However, if you work out at other times of the day, it will really just depend. It could depend on what you eat ( some people like energy bars or even a drink before they do), what type of work out you do (it may not matter as much if you just do strength training – without intervals of cardio or maybe a brisk walk after dinner), or depend on who you are (diabetics, asthmatic, low blood pressure). All reasons why you may or may not eat in advance. I really think you have gotten so many variations on this because there is no right or wrong answer on this.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Depends on how you define "eat". A snack of 150-200 calories 30-40 min before a workout (even as soon as 20) should not cause digestive problems.

    It also depends on the workout. If it is going to be a harder workout, then the extra fuel gives you something to start with. If you are doing something slow and easy, then it is probably not that important.

    In any case, whether you eat or don't eat has no practical effect on either metabolism or "fat burning". The type of fuel you expend during an exercise session has little to no overall effect on stored body fat. After 24 hours total fat oxidation is the same, regardless of what happened during the exercise session. Those who "burn more fat' during exercise burn less the rest of the day and vice versa--in the end it's all equal.

    Don't get hung up on useless trivia--do what you need to do to support the quality of your workout and enhance recovery.
  • kellyscomeback
    kellyscomeback Posts: 1,369 Member
    I've heard both sides.

    For me, I wake up & work out between 4:30-5a and I can't eat that early. Even the mornings I don't work out, I still can't eat less than an hour after waking up. Plus my breakfast is a protein shake so I'd rather save it for post-work out.
  • baldzach
    baldzach Posts: 1,841 Member
    Once again, it's funny to me how many "experts" we have around here. And I guess it's fair to lump myself into that category. I don't have certifications or anything to prove what I'm about to say, but I do have yearas of experience with some great coaches:

    If you workout in a fasted state (10-12 hours of not eating beforehand) you will not be able to go as hard or as long as if you were properly fueled. However, you will burn more stored calories (i.e. fat) because your body is in a glycogen-depleted state already and doesn't have a choice. An easy cardio session is ideal for this type of workout. 30-60 minutes at nothing more than a medium intensity. Ideally, you do this kind of workout early in the morning when you're in the fasted state, and then you pair it up with a more intense strength workout in a fueled state later in the day. Now this assumes you have time to do more than one workout in a day, which many of us do not. But that's how it works. Both fueled and underfueled workouts have their place. That's why you'll get some "yes" and some "no" answers and they'll both be right.
  • rfcollins33
    rfcollins33 Posts: 630
    Once again, it's funny to me how many "experts" we have around here. And I guess it's fair to lump myself into that category. I don't have certifications or anything to prove what I'm about to say, but I do have yearas of experience with some great coaches:

    If you workout in a fasted state (10-12 hours of not eating beforehand) you will not be able to go as hard or as long as if you were properly fueled. However, you will burn more stored calories (i.e. fat) because your body is in a glycogen-depleted state already and doesn't have a choice. An easy cardio session is ideal for this type of workout. 30-60 minutes at nothing more than a medium intensity. Ideally, you do this kind of workout early in the morning when you're in the fasted state, and then you pair it up with a more intense strength workout in a fueled state later in the day. Now this assumes you have time to do more than one workout in a day, which many of us do not. But that's how it works. Both fueled and underfueled workouts have their place. That's why you'll get some "yes" and some "no" answers and they'll both be right.

    the irony is hilarious :laugh:
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
    I take in some chicken, Sweet Potatoes and broccoli about 45 minutes before my workouts. Halfway thru my 1hr cardio section post 1 hr of weights my stomach is growling.
  • baldzach
    baldzach Posts: 1,841 Member
    Once again, it's funny to me how many "experts" we have around here. And I guess it's fair to lump myself into that category. I don't have certifications or anything to prove what I'm about to say, but I do have yearas of experience with some great coaches:

    If you workout in a fasted state (10-12 hours of not eating beforehand) you will not be able to go as hard or as long as if you were properly fueled. However, you will burn more stored calories (i.e. fat) because your body is in a glycogen-depleted state already and doesn't have a choice. An easy cardio session is ideal for this type of workout. 30-60 minutes at nothing more than a medium intensity. Ideally, you do this kind of workout early in the morning when you're in the fasted state, and then you pair it up with a more intense strength workout in a fueled state later in the day. Now this assumes you have time to do more than one workout in a day, which many of us do not. But that's how it works. Both fueled and underfueled workouts have their place. That's why you'll get some "yes" and some "no" answers and they'll both be right.

    the irony is hilarious :laugh:

    I know, eh? ;)
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