I get hungry after a workout

Fivefeetandhalf
Fivefeetandhalf Posts: 7 Member
edited November 25 in Health and Weight Loss
So after my workout which is mainly low cardio I get hungry after a workout. I eat breakfast before I go to the gym and I drink lots of water during my workout.
I don't understand why I feel such hunger
Any advice??

Replies

  • Lesscookies1
    Lesscookies1 Posts: 250 Member
    edited February 2018
    I normally pack a protein bar and nuts as a post workout snack. I eat it after a workout, and drink some water after. It really helps me feel more refreshed and not hungry.
  • ZRunner5Lulaica
    ZRunner5Lulaica Posts: 168 Member
    I normally pack a protein bar and nuts as a post workout snack. I eat it after a workout, and drink some water after. It really helps me feel more refreshed and not hungry.

    Same. I pack nuts or jerky (or if I'm feeling fancy, trail mix). It doesn't fill me up, but it helps with the sudden workout hunger.
  • So after my workout which is mainly low cardio I get hungry after a workout. I eat breakfast before I go to the gym and I drink lots of water during my workout.
    I don't understand why I feel such hunger
    Any advice??

    It's interesting how people are different. If I do a hard cardio workout, I am not hungry for a while. Intensity can make a difference in hunger. If you ate less than normal the day before you might also be more hungry after a workout. You could be due for a meal as well.
  • catherineg3
    catherineg3 Posts: 127 Member
    I think this is a pretty typical feeling. the cardio workout depletes glycogen stores and that will cause lower blood sugar after the workout. if you decide to have a post-workout snack, include some protein.

    Also, this depends on what you are eating for breakfast. a typical breakfast can be very high carb and may include things like cereal, pastries, toast, hash browns, pancakes, waffles, muffins, oatmeal, milk, yogurt, fruit, orange juice. All of these will give you a big immediate rise in blood sugar and energy, then a couple hours later, which may be coincidentally after the workout, blood sugar drops to very low. I find that when I feel the most hunger, my blood sugar level is low. I would suggest trying a higher protein breakfast like eggs for a few days and see if that makes a difference. I find lower carbohydrate meals with higher protein and fat keep me feeling full longer, and keep my energy and blood sugar levels steady instead of the rollercoaster of ups and downs.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,029 Member
    So after my workout which is mainly low cardio I get hungry after a workout. I eat breakfast before I go to the gym and I drink lots of water during my workout.
    I don't understand why I feel such hunger
    Any advice??
    Um because you reduced your energy balance by exercise? Remember when as a kid, you'd swim for like an hour or so then come out starving?

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    I don't understand why I feel such hunger
    You've burned off some energy so it makes sense for your body to tell you to replace that energy.

    Any advice??
    Don't make your deficit too large.
    Do log and eat back your exercise calories.
    Plan to take your hunger into account- if you know you are going to be hungry plan your eating around that fact.


  • StevefromMichigan
    StevefromMichigan Posts: 462 Member
    So after my workout which is mainly low cardio I get hungry after a workout. I eat breakfast before I go to the gym and I drink lots of water during my workout.
    I don't understand why I feel such hunger
    Any advice??

    It's interesting how people are different. If I do a hard cardio workout, I am not hungry for a while. Intensity can make a difference in hunger. If you ate less than normal the day before you might also be more hungry after a workout. You could be due for a meal as well.

    For me, it's the next day that I am usually ravenous...and even more so after strength training.
  • mfpfreedomnow
    mfpfreedomnow Posts: 52 Member
    Brewing fresh ginger and drinking it with a milk helps with the hunger pangs.
  • StevefromMichigan
    StevefromMichigan Posts: 462 Member
    Brewing fresh ginger and drinking it with a milk helps with the hunger pangs.

    Ginger tea?
  • mfpfreedomnow
    mfpfreedomnow Posts: 52 Member
    Brewing fresh ginger and drinking it with a milk helps with the hunger pangs.

    Ginger tea?

    Yep! Ginger tea with a decent amount of milk.
  • Lesscookies1
    Lesscookies1 Posts: 250 Member
    I've recently started to pack some clementines it's amazing.
  • StevefromMichigan
    StevefromMichigan Posts: 462 Member
    Brewing fresh ginger and drinking it with a milk helps with the hunger pangs.

    Ginger tea?

    Yep! Ginger tea with a decent amount of milk.

    Hmm. Don't really like it, but maybe in this case that's a plus? :)
  • goatg
    goatg Posts: 1,399 Member
    Being hungry after a workout is normal. If you have a heart rate monitor, staying in zone 2 will burn more fat than glycogen, which results in you feeling less hungry afterwards. A good rule of thumb, when you're trying to lose weight, is eating back 50% of the calories you burned.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,099 Member
    edited February 2018
    After walking as well I get hungry! After a heavy hypertrophy work out, it takes several hours to get hungry again. I still wonder why? Sometimes my lifting will burn just as many calories as an hour of cardio?!?! Milk is not a bad post work out. It has protein and lactose sugar for recovery!
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Well when you exercise you burn calories so it only makes sense that you would feel hungry as a result...pretty natural really. Honestly if you are exercising you need to eat more to compensate for that anyways so I'd say most likely you should just go ahead and eat (but track calories).
  • angelsja
    angelsja Posts: 859 Member
    Organise your workout before a meal I usually work out before lunch
This discussion has been closed.