Eat before or after exercise?

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JoJoDoerr
JoJoDoerr Posts: 173 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am not one that normally gets exercise but since I have started at least walking this week I am confused as to when to eat. Especially in the morning. Do I drink my coffee, go for a walk, then eat when I get back? or...Do I drink my coffee and eat, then go for a walk? Same thing for at night ....Do I walk then have a snack or have a snack after?

Replies

  • JustMichelleB
    JustMichelleB Posts: 290
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    Depends. I cannot exercise if I've just eaten, makes me nauseous and lethargic. I do better on an empty stomach.
    Do what makes your body happy. It'll let you know!
  • EmCarroll1990
    EmCarroll1990 Posts: 2,849 Member
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    If/when I do exercise, I like to eat afterwards. Otherwise I feel like I'm going to throw up.
  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    Depends on the exercise, if you are doing something heavy like running or spinning etc you need to eat both.. if you dont eat before you will be drained and not have energy to finish.

    Then you need to eat afterwards to refuel your body.

    If you are doing something light like a walk, you could probably get by without eating before.
  • lunamare
    lunamare Posts: 569 Member
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    It depends what you're doing and how you feel if you should eat first. There is a theory that you should eat something 30 min before working out to give your body a bit of fuel to start with. I find that if I eat too much, I feel sick working out. I used to eat a granola bar or something before my 9am aerobics class and then eat and have my coffee afterwards.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Whatever works for you and your schedule. For weight loss total calories is all that matters, not when you consume them.
  • katkat1717
    katkat1717 Posts: 143 Member
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    personally i can't eat and then work out. i feel really sick when i do, but i also can't work out without coffee, otherwise i burn out half way through. what i do is- drink my coffee, then workout, then eat when i'm done.

    in the end i think it's all a matter of personal preference. find what works for you, then stick with it! :)
  • gertbunny
    gertbunny Posts: 4 Member
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    I hear it's always better to eat after you exercise.
  • jellymuffin
    jellymuffin Posts: 28
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    I always have a little something before exercising especially if it is first thing in a morning as it gets you metabolism going even if it is only a piece of fruit.

    x
  • RonSwanson66
    RonSwanson66 Posts: 1,150 Member
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    Personal preference is all that matters.
  • HelloRevvie
    HelloRevvie Posts: 68
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    It all depends on your body. If you feel fine exercising on an empty stomach and then eating when you get home, then do that.
    I, on the other hand, have to have some kind of food in my tummy in the morning. Typically, I'll eat a small breakfast, wait a good 10-30 minutes so my food can settle, then I go do my workout and that works fine for me.. :)
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
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    I definitely MUST have my regular breakfast when I workout in the am on weekends which is a 1/2 cup of All Bran.

    During the week I work out in the evening so I workout AFTER dinner, I wait about an hour. If I worked out before it would have been a 4+ hour gap since I last ate (which was just an apple at 3:00pm) hence I would feel nauseous with hunger and wouldn’t give it my best.

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