Workout food

lcmartin
lcmartin Posts: 163 Member
edited September 18 in Fitness and Exercise
Is it good to eat before or after a workout (or both)? If so, what kind of food (carbs, protein, etc)? Sometimes I'll workout right before I eat my lunch and I feel like I have no energy...so I'm thinking that maybe its better to eat first, then work out? But then who wants to workout on a full stomach? Someone told me that its good to eat afterwards because you're metabolism is up? Not sure if that's true? So maybe just a snack? Any help would be appreciated.

Replies

  • lcmartin
    lcmartin Posts: 163 Member
    Is it good to eat before or after a workout (or both)? If so, what kind of food (carbs, protein, etc)? Sometimes I'll workout right before I eat my lunch and I feel like I have no energy...so I'm thinking that maybe its better to eat first, then work out? But then who wants to workout on a full stomach? Someone told me that its good to eat afterwards because you're metabolism is up? Not sure if that's true? So maybe just a snack? Any help would be appreciated.
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
    It depends on what kind of workout you're doing.

    I do a pretty intense cardio workout (60 min) 3xs a week. About an hour before, I have a light snack. Usually this is a piece of fruit (I'm currently going through an apple phase) and a handful of walnuts. It's best to include both a good carb and a protein. I find if I don't eat this, or something similar, I don't have the same energy during the workout, so I don't get as hard a work out.

    I've just added weight training, and it's good to have a protein snack after that.

    The "upped metabolism" is mostly a myth, I think.

    Hope that helps.:flowerforyou:
  • jcummings69
    jcummings69 Posts: 183
    I've always heard not to eat before you work out, but if I don't eat, I don't work out as hard. So I eat a snack before working out.
  • lcmartin
    lcmartin Posts: 163 Member
    Well right now my exercise routine is a generic walking up and down the stairs in the building that I work at (4 floors) for 30 minutes non-stop during my lunch break...which for now totally kicks my butt!
  • zenmama
    zenmama Posts: 1,000
    I eat small and I work out everyday. It is all what works best for you my dear :wink:

    And great job on the steps those literally do kick BUTT!!!!

    dd
  • rem1979
    rem1979 Posts: 344 Member
    I like to have a small apple with 1 TB peanut butter. This seems to work the best for me. I find when I do this, 40 min on the elliptical is nothing, but when I am tired and sluggish, it feels like an eternity.
  • Nich0le
    Nich0le Posts: 2,906 Member
    A good recommendation is 100-200 calories about an hour before, something like oatmeal or something. Then, especially if you are lifting weights, you need to eat some complex carbs within an hour to help your muscles recover.

    It isn't always easy but it is important.
  • D_estiny
    D_estiny Posts: 8
    Depends on what time I work out, but I do eat which every meal, an hour before going to the gym. It has digested anough not to hurt when I work out, but not enough that I feel hungry and empty after a long work out.

    Sometimes after a work out, I also go buy a small fruit smoothie to get my sugars up and continue have energy for the rest of the day.

    It works for me. But I also go to the gym everyday for usually and hour and a half, six days a week. So I need a lot in my belly because it gets burned off super fast
  • jlohern
    jlohern Posts: 52 Member
    I think it depends on the person. I can have a Diet Coke and a full meal 30 minutes before working out and I feel great. My sister, on the other hand, cannot eat for an hour prior to working out or she feels sick. Do some experimenting. With a little trial and error you will find which snacks help to power your workout.
  • jessneill
    jessneill Posts: 380 Member
    It depends on what kind of workout you're doing.

    I do a pretty intense cardio workout (60 min) 3xs a week. About an hour before, I have a light snack. Usually this is a piece of fruit (I'm currently going through an apple phase) and a handful of walnuts. It's best to include both a good carb and a protein. I find if I don't eat this, or something similar, I don't have the same energy during the workout, so I don't get as hard a work out.

    I've just added weight training, and it's good to have a protein snack after that.

    The "upped metabolism" is mostly a myth, I think.

    Hope that helps.:flowerforyou:

    This is exactly what I've had trainers tell me. :smile:

    Particularly with weight training, even if you are going to eat lunch in an hour you should eat some protein right away. Cuts down on the sore muscles.
  • catlover
    catlover Posts: 389
    I absolutely have to eat something before working out. Last week I came upstairs to eat a little snack before cardio and I got sidetracked and forgot. So about 20 pminutes into the cardio, I was shaking and starving. I took a break and had tuna and toast. I felt better so I finished and then had lunch a little later.
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