are you really supposed to eat before and after??

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DaysFlyBy
DaysFlyBy Posts: 243 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok so I will be the first to admit I have NO friggin idea what I'm doing. Up until finding MFP I was just making it up as I went along and have since learned I've done pretty much everything wrong, lol. Like you shouldn't work out on an empty stomach - who knew?? So what ARE you supposed to eat before a workout? What about after? I think you're supposed to have carbs within an hour after, no? Save me from myself, people. I am clueless.
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  • celticgladiator
    celticgladiator Posts: 49 Member
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    i'd eat light before a workout. it sucks working out if you are too full and feeling heavy. a little fruit or something. after i would try to eat a little protein and carbs. then rehydrate like crazy to replace your elctrolites(sp?) JMO
  • Sl1ghtly
    Sl1ghtly Posts: 855 Member
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    I'm supposed to do what ever I feel like doing as long as I don't over/under eat, and maintain my energy level.

    I think meal timing is crap.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    From what I can gather, timing is irrelevant. Eat what you'd normally eat, when you'd normally eat it. I eat breakfast before exercising because I don't want to be three miles from home in the middle of a run when I start feeling lightheated.
  • adamb83
    adamb83 Posts: 719 Member
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    Ok so I will be the first to admit I have NO friggin idea what I'm doing. Up until finding MFP I was just making it up as I went along and have since learned I've done pretty much everything wrong, lol. Like you shouldn't work out on an empty stomach - who knew?? So what ARE you supposed to eat before a workout? What about after? I think you're supposed to have carbs within an hour after, no? Save me from myself, people. I am clueless.

    Before a workout I'll have a bowl of oatmeal with some fruit... after, I usually have a piece of bread with peanut butter (carbs + protein). You definitely want to eat about 45-60 minutes before and after, for energy and recover purposes. I'll also just workout before dinner a lot, that way I don't have to worry about what post-workout snack to have, and just get what I need from the meal.
  • adamb83
    adamb83 Posts: 719 Member
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    From what I can gather, timing is irrelevant. Eat what you'd normally eat, when you'd normally eat it. I eat breakfast before exercising because I don't want to be three miles from home in the middle of a run when I start feeling lightheated.

    Yes and no... you don't want to workout on a completely empty stomach. This could result in your body breaking down lean muscle for energy. We don't want that.
  • Jennicia
    Jennicia Posts: 479 Member
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    I usually eat a bananna or some sort of granola/protein bar before my workout and then because I work out right after work, I go home and eat my dinner. Some people may also suggest a protein shake with some sort of protein powder and fruit. (good option as well).
  • tam120
    tam120 Posts: 444 Member
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    I always have some kind of snack within an hour of working out, a pbj, an apple, a smoothie or protein shake, it works for me. I find that I need the fuel to make my workouts effective, otherwise I'm just going through the motions wishing it was over. I don't like working out after an actual meal, I feel much too heavy and bloated. The only time I don't eat before is when I'm working out first thing in the am, then I just have a glass of water and a cup of coffee.

    I have heard from several fitness instructors at the gym and read articles that say one should eat within an hour of a workout. I don't always do that but I do most of the time. I don't remember the reasons, I think it has to do with better recovery.

    I think mostly you need to listen to what you feel you need to do. If you don't like eating before a workout then don't, but pay attention to how you feel during the workout either way, then adjust as needed.
  • utvol1982
    utvol1982 Posts: 9
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    What Adamb Said.. The general idea is to eat some carbs before a workout to give you the energy to get it done and to avoid your body eating up lean muscle for energy.

    The post workout meal is to refill your glycogen stores in the body that were depleted during the workout and to get your body into an anabolic state (which means begin rebuilding the muscles you broke down).


    I think if you are female (or male for that matter) and are just looking to lose weight with no worry about preserving muscle then you don't really have to eat before a workout if you don't want to but some of your weight loss could be muscle loss along with the fat.


    I am fairly new (around a year) to this stuff myself and don't pretend to be an expert but i study it a lot and am trying to learn as much as i can so that's my 2 cents as i understand it.
  • janeite1990
    janeite1990 Posts: 694 Member
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    Unless you are a hardcore fitness competitor, I don't think it matters. For most of us trying to eat better, be healthier, get thinner, I don't think the timing makes a huge difference.
  • DaysFlyBy
    DaysFlyBy Posts: 243 Member
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    Okay great thanks for giving me some direction. I'm not anything close to a competitive body builder, lol, but I don't want to just be thin. I actually do want definition and do not want to be burning off lean muscle if I can at all help it.
  • utvol1982
    utvol1982 Posts: 9
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    One more reply to this.. I have almost always worked out before i eat but the last 2 wks i have been going with the preworkout meal and then excercise about an hour and 30 minutes later(trying to get with the program like most other people).

    What i have noticed is i do not feel as good if i eat before a workout. It may be just my reaction to carbs being i have an endomorph body type but it does not seem to fit me. My workouts have been much worse and i didn't even realize this until just a couple hrs ago. I knew i wasn't as good in the gym but did not realize why until i was watching Matt Ogus on youtube.

    What he said was he does not eat before working out and he is a pretty fit dude. Then he made the remark that some people don't get in good workouts if they eat before and it hit me like a ton of bricks !!! That's why mine have been sucking i believe.

    To sum it up i think it just depends on how your body reacts. If you feel good in the gym with a preworkout meal then do it but if you feel sluggish like me then maybe it's not for you :)
  • juliekaiser1988
    juliekaiser1988 Posts: 604 Member
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    I find that the answers change with the times. New evidence. New research.

    Bill Phillips, who I admire greatly, used to say to always do cardio on an empty stomach. First thing in the morning. Water only.

    But then again, look how many times the theories have changed on whether a baby should sleep on its side. On its back. On its tummy.

    The theories are endless.
  • dancing_cat
    dancing_cat Posts: 92 Member
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    I can't eat before ... I'm not waking up 2 and a half hours before my workout just to eat! :noway: I don' think its done me any harm - I do tend to have breakfast within an hour or so of finishing my workout.

    Everyone is different - if you find eating before helps then do it but I wouldn't worry excessively about meal timings, personally I don't think it makes a huge difference unless you're working at a very high intensity for over 90 minutes or so.
  • Kagard11
    Kagard11 Posts: 396 Member
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    I'm with dancing cat. I get up at 4:45 am to get my workout in, I don't have time to get up earlier to eat and have food on board for my workout. I need my sleep!!!
  • billthekill
    billthekill Posts: 90
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    I find that the answers change with the times. New evidence. New research.

    Bill Phillips, who I admire greatly, used to say to always do cardio on an empty stomach. First thing in the morning. Water only.

    But then again, look how many times the theories have changed on whether a baby should sleep on its side. On its back. On its tummy.

    The theories are endless.

    +1

    Post Workout Meal was once consider that most important meal of the day. Turns out it's just a myth though.

    Meal timing is not an essential factor. You will NOT be breaking down muscle by not eating before or right after your workout.
    The important thing is you get hit your macro goals for the day (Protein, Carbs, Fat).

    Eating before or after a workout is pretty much a personal preference. Nothing bad will happen whatever you choose.
  • Tempe729
    Tempe729 Posts: 270 Member
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    I generally stick to having lots of water, any food with high protein.. even if it's just some toast and peanut butter.. But generally my pre-workout meals I have Whey Protein powder with milk and peanut butter with toast... post workout is usually whatever I normally have for meals/food.
  • angiechimpanzee
    angiechimpanzee Posts: 536 Member
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    There's no reason to eat before working out if you aren't hungry or feeling weak. Just listen to your body, it's not that complicated.
  • howeclectic
    howeclectic Posts: 121 Member
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    It really really depends. Your question is a bit more complicated than you might think :). How hard is your workout, are you trying to lose weight or gain for athletic performance, how long is your workout? More often than not... you dont need to eat something before working out. Futhermore... i wouldn't recommend eating RIGHT before you workout (when you workout, energy is drawn away from digestion to exercise. If you have food in your stomach it can cause discomfort). if you are going to do a workout that involves burning more than 1000 calories... i would make sure i had something small to eat an hour before the workout. Right after a workout.. you'll probably get a lot of debate about WHAT you should eat... but you really should eat something to help boost your recovery. Again... the need for this is really dependent on your workout intensity. Runners historically have been big on chocolate milk as a recovery drink because of its protein and carbohydrates. Keep in mind.... if you eat too much and only exercise 400 calories worth... and consume 600 calories before and after your workout you will be doing yourself no favors. I would also say... to determine how many calories you burned... take MFP's estimate and multiply it by about 0.66. The calorie burn estimates on this site are WILDLY off.
  • DaysFlyBy
    DaysFlyBy Posts: 243 Member
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    ... to determine how many calories you burned... take MFP's estimate and multiply it by about 0.66. The calorie burn estimates on this site are WILDLY off.

    So the MFP estimates are lower than actual burn? I'm okay with that, I try to overestimate what I consume and under estimate what I burn anyway, that way the worst that can happen is I lose more than I planned on.
  • v2embee
    v2embee Posts: 23 Member
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    Pre-workout food choices depend on whether you plan on doing strength training or cardio.

    Strength training -- to build lean muscle, your body needs a readily available supply of protein for tissue repair. The more intense your workout is, the more protein you need. You'll want roughly 25% protein vs 75% carb from your pre-workout meal/snack, and it's generally best to consume this 30-60 minutes prior to workout.
    Good examples:
    - egg white omelette with toast and soy milk
    - protein powder smoothie with fruit (eg. mango) and flax seed
    - greek yoghurt with banana, walnuts, honey

    Cardo training -- carbs are metabolised into glucose (aka. energy!!) very quickly, and will help you power through these workouts. Like strength training, it should be consumed 30-60 minutes prior. While you'll want your snack to constitute 75%-100%, I'd recommend a bit of protein and fiber so your supply of energy is delivered a little more steadily.
    Good examples:
    - skim milk oatmeal with raisins, walnuts and honey
    - greek yoghurt parfait with muesli and banana
    - banana, honey, soy milk smoothie

    However, I think the BOTTOM LINE is to figure out what works for you. Personally, I find eating just a banana ~30 minutes before I gym enables me to work out at a higher and longer intensity but I know others who prefer exercising on an empty stomach.

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