Before OR After...

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jayme03
jayme03 Posts: 64 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Eat before or after you workout? I know this is a question that is asked far too often, but I can't seem to keep the answer stuck in my head. I wake up starving, so I really feel like I need to eat something before I exercise. Otherwise I get nauseous and a headache.

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  • emmaNEEDSskinny
    emmaNEEDSskinny Posts: 317
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    i think you need to do both? :)
  • sc1572
    sc1572 Posts: 2,309 Member
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    Both! I like a banana or apple before and then a meal after. :)
  • kasrentz
    kasrentz Posts: 16 Member
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    I do both. Usually half a peanut butter sandwich (1 slice of whole wheat bread and 1 tbsp of peanut butter) before and a banana after.
  • ak_in_ak
    ak_in_ak Posts: 657 Member
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    I don;t work out in the morning, but you should try to drink some OJ or some fruit. The sugar with help to get you going.
  • austepants
    austepants Posts: 356 Member
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    I eat an apple and some carrots before then a high protein meal after.
  • misslissa555
    misslissa555 Posts: 135 Member
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    I do both! I eat a Clif bar before and a piece of fruit (if it's like 6am) and I eat a piece of fruit afterwards on the way home. :drinker:
  • channa007
    channa007 Posts: 419 Member
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    Yep I agree with everyone else... I try to break meals up and eat through out the day so I don't eat too much at any one time. That way your body is always digesting small amounts and always working to break it down. I've heard 5 small meals a day are what you should shoot for.
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
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    Eat before or after you workout? I know this is a question that is asked far too often, but I can't seem to keep the answer stuck in my head. I wake up starving, so I really feel like I need to eat something before I exercise. Otherwise I get nauseous and a headache.

    It honestly depends on what I am doing and the time of year. I have no trouble doing a "fasted" exercise session, with a duration of an hour or less in the winter. But I prefer to eat a little something in the summer and definitely before longer workouts at any time of year.

    If I exercise later in the day, and I'm not hungry, I just wait until after I am done exercising. Then I eat a planned meal instead of adding an additional snack.
  • dogwhisperette
    dogwhisperette Posts: 177 Member
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    Both! I work out early and never been a breakfast person. I eat a special K bar 9 for the carbs to get my sugars up before my work out. Its light and doesn't put too much in me before the work out. I drink water during the work out with a little fresh lemon in it.. I eat something with protien after the work out. Hope that helps, I know it works for me!
  • Kath712
    Kath712 Posts: 1,263 Member
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    When I used to do early morning workouts, I needed a small banana or granola bar before, then regular breakfast after.
  • FitCoachJen
    FitCoachJen Posts: 139 Member
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    Before: Eat something small, satiating and easily digestible. (30-60 mins for a snack/small meal, AT LEAST an hour for a large meal). Ideally something with carbs to fuel the workout, go easy on the fats and fiber (your body has to choose between sending blood to your organs to digest or your limbs to fuel the workout).

    After: If weight loss is your goal, you don't need to eat anything (the goal is to create a deficit, right?). If you lifted weights and are trying to become stronger or bigger, eat/drink some protein (quick digesting). If you did cardio, eat some more carbs to re-fuel your muscles and glycogen stores.

    A lot of runners swear by chocolate milk, it has a 2:1 carbs/protein ratio.
  • corbansmom
    corbansmom Posts: 71
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    Before: Eat something small, satiating and easily digestible. (30-60 mins for a snack/small meal, AT LEAST an hour for a large meal). Ideally something with carbs to fuel the workout, go easy on the fats and fiber (your body has to choose between sending blood to your organs to digest or your limbs to fuel the workout).

    After: If weight loss is your goal, you don't need to eat anything (the goal is to create a deficit, right?). If you lifted weights and are trying to become stronger or bigger, eat/drink some protein (quick digesting). If you did cardio, eat some more carbs to re-fuel your muscles and glycogen stores.

    A lot of runners swear by chocolate milk, it has a 2:1 carbs/protein ratio.

    I've never heard this about chocolate milk and running...something I need to look up. Thanks!
  • brittanyjeanxo
    brittanyjeanxo Posts: 1,831 Member
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    I do both :) I have a breakfast that is filling, but not heavy. Then I work out. Then I eat lunch :)
  • shamr0ck
    shamr0ck Posts: 296 Member
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    I have carbs before and protein after. :D
  • lizwilsonng
    lizwilsonng Posts: 15
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    This is what I have read:
    if your goal is weight loss, then eat after you work out while your metabolism is high, if you need to eat before like after you wake up, choose something small 100-150 calories, then eat a snack including protein when you are done
  • jayme03
    jayme03 Posts: 64 Member
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    Thanks everyone! I love the fruit idea, because I really think I need the sugar in the morning to get me going. I can't seem to NOT eat before I workout, which is around 5-6am (before work)--my blood sugar bottoms out by then. I think I'm going to try with a piece of fruit, and high protein meal thereafter. I'd love to rationalize chocolate milk for breakfast, but I'm not a runner (bum knees) and I want so badly for this 10 lbs to disappear come Christmas :)

    Thank you again!:wink:

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