Dinner/Workout or Workout/Dinner?

crazyola26 · January 2012

Hi,

Is it healthier to eat an early dinner and then work out late evening, or is it healthier to work out late afternoon/early evening with dinner later in the evening? I figure eating earlier is better, but I've also heard working out before eating helps to burn calories.

Thanks all!

Angellore · January 2012

I heard working out before eating burns more calories too, in that your metabolism is raised after working out. Personally I can't workout after eating as it makes me feel sick and gives me belly ache. I prefer to eat after a workout.

Dootzy1 · January 2012

I usually have a smaller snack before a workout. Maybe a banana, a few almonds, or yogurt. Then I work out and have my meal afterwards. However, sometimes my at-home treadmill workouts are late in the evening, 2-3 hours after dinner. Don't know what's "healthier", but I like the results, so that's good enough.

KaciWood19 · January 2012

I prefer eating after my workout but with my schedule and trying to keep my 5 year old eating at a decent time, I sometimes have to eat before. As long as I have at least 30 minutes in between, i'm usually good. I try to have a small protein boosting snack before the gym, like a granola bar, and then eat a full dinner after. I've been told by numerous people that if you work out first thing in the morning, to have a small snack to jump start your metabolism then workout before breakfast. I've also asked before in these message boards about whether eating at a certain time had any effect on your metabolism and didn't really get any real advice or answers.

emilypsb · January 2012

I usually workout in the morning and eat half my breakfast before and half after. BUT I would say eat dinner and then workout. I have noticed for me that getting in some activity after dinner REALLY helps with weight loss. Sometimes I try to go to places for dinner where I know the walk home is uphill, sometimes I just run up and down the stairs ten times and sometimes I get on the treadmill.

I feel I can kind of counteract a mildly-unhealthy dinner with this strategy. However, obviously be careful with working out after dinner if you had something to drink! I once sprained my back doing core work after only one cocktail at dinner...

That is what works for me at least! Play around with it and see what works for you.

teagin2002 · January 2012

I usually eat an hour or two before, then small snack, then workout, then dinner.
I just feel awesome when I do this

emmyvera · January 2012

I have also read that the metabolism works better with eating after a workout.

However, I do both depending on my schedule. If I'm making a heartier meal, we workout then eat.
If it's a quick light dinner, then off to a meeting, then a late workout.

Either works for me, as long as I follow two personal rules:
1. If no dinner before, then have a snack.
2. If dinner before, then keep it light, don't go overboard and keep carbs at a minimum.

courtclerkkris · January 2012

I usually try to have a early evening mean say by 6PM and then I like to go downstaris and get on the elliptal, recumbant bike around 8ish. Sometimes I go to water aerobics and that starts at 7:00PM, so I try to eat an early/lite meal on those days. I don't like eat late meals so I would rather eat early and then workout. Just what works for me.

iuew · January 2012

i switched my workout to before dinner. if i do it after, then i'm starving all night.

crazyola26 · January 2012

Thanks for all of your replies!! I heard somewhere along the way that it was bad to workout right before sleep because your heart needs time to adjust, but of course I've also heard it's bad to eat right before you sleep... so who knows! I've mostly been working out as soon as I get home from work and then eating around 7 or so, bed by 10. Today is taking down the Christmas ornaments

so I wanted to make sure it's okay to exercise late if need be.

Dinner/Workout or Workout/Dinner?

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