Eat before or after exercise?

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rckc1
rckc1 Posts: 28 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am wanting to follow the "eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and supper like a pauper" way of eating. I've always exercised in a fasted state. Does anyone eat a good size breakfast, then work out? Like maybe 2 hours later? Is there a reason not to eat before, other than too full stomach?

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  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    Meal/nutrient timing is irrelevant for weight loss. Eat however/whenever works best for you in terms of satiety/adherence and workout performance.


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  • Stella3838
    Stella3838 Posts: 439 Member
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    You'll find, I think, that this is solely preference. I know if I workout in the morning, I can't eat before or I feel like crap. But when I workout in the evening, I need to have a snack 30-60 minutes before. It'll come down really to what works for you. No right or wrong.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I know I wouldn't be able to work out after my biggest meal of the day, but whatever works.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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    Do what works for you. I eat after my workout because eating before seems to make me slow down and can sometimes cause stomach upset if I don't wait long enough. So I tend to work out fasted. On the weekends sometimes I'll eat breakfast and then workout in the afternoon and my workouts are always lackluster because of it. Probably insulin spike/drops. /shrug
  • not_a_runner
    not_a_runner Posts: 1,343 Member
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    I personally do the exact opposite of that whole "breakfast like a king" thing.... Is there a particular reasoning behind you wanting to do this? As mentioned above, nutrient timing is not that important in the grand scheme.
    I don't like to eat early in the morning, so I don't. I like to eat more at night, so I do. Sometimes over half my calories are consumed in the evening. If I tried to eat more in the morning and little in the evening I would end up going to bed hungry and not being very happy..
    I like to eat before and after exercise, because I get hungry otherwise. Do whatever works best for you.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
    edited March 2017
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    It doesn't really matter...nor does the king, prince, and pauper thing.

    On Saturdays I usually have breakfast and then go to the gym a couple of hour later...do my lifting and then I go for a ride...come home, and have lunch. In the summer I primarily ride in the AM to beat the heat and cycle fasted. This time of year I typically ride either at lunch or in the evening when I get home and I've been eating throughout the day. On longer rides I eat during as well.
  • KasalovaJas
    KasalovaJas Posts: 6 Member
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    Neither. I'm doing a ketogenic diet and I exercise after fasting for several hours and usually don't eat for an hour or two after exercising - it all depends on when I find time to workout. I only eat two times a day, and with keto you can exercise in a fasting state with no issues - just need lots of water.

    Gotta find what works for you personally though - don't get legalistic with it - if you feel good eating before, after, during.... whatever works best for you and gets you the results you want.
  • rckc1
    rckc1 Posts: 28 Member
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    I also eat keto. 2 meals. Usually lunch dinner but had been thinking to do breakfast/lunch instead. I follow OKL
  • rckc1
    rckc1 Posts: 28 Member
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    KasalovaJas wrote: »
    Neither. I'm doing a ketogenic diet and I exercise after fasting for several hours and usually don't eat for an hour or two after exercising - it all depends on when I find time to workout. I only eat two times a day, and with keto you can exercise in a fasting state with no issues - just need lots of water.

    Gotta find what works for you personally though - don't get legalistic with it - if you feel good eating before, after, during.... whatever works best for you and gets you the results you want.

    "during" LOL! I pictured myself on the machines snarfing down a plate of _____(whatever)
  • EauRouge1
    EauRouge1 Posts: 265 Member
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    Yeah, do whatever works. If you're doing a long stint of exercise then it's good to have something in the tank, but for a regular amount of exercise the most important thing is to make sure you're well hydrated.
  • PokernuttAR
    PokernuttAR Posts: 74 Member
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    To me, it all depends on your goal for exercising. Are you trying to lose weight, train for a sport, bodybuild, etc. Also, I agree with what many said above, you might get an upset stomach if you eat prior to your workout so you might be forced not to. My goal is to put on muscle and I find that I have more energy and power if I eat 2 hours prior to lifting.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
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    I exercise in the afternoons after a moderately sized brunch. My largest meal is dinner. Now that I'm doing longer runs I have to carry snacks in my backpack, because I'll get bad hunger pangs and feel nauseous on the last few miles. I really don't get the fasted cardio thing.

    You could try the big breakfast and see how you feel. It could give you more energy like it does me or it could just make you sick like it does for lots of people. I think it makes more sense to plan your meals around your life and exercise, than the other way around.

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