Do you eat after the gym?

lh12xx
lh12xx Posts: 111 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Looking for a bit of help guys, I know you're supposed to eat after the gym to replenish etc, but I don't tend to eat after my dinner and it's posing a bit of a problem.

I usually have dinner about 5.30pm-6pm, then go to the gym at about 7.30pm. But when I arrive home at about 9-9.30pm I feel its too late to eat! I don't want to stall my weight loss, although I find I'm hungry when I get in!

Help :(
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Replies

  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Absolutely. At the very least, a protein shake. Sometimes some peanut butter on whole wheat. Recovery food is a good idea.

    Don't worry about 'too late to eat.'
  • escloflowneCHANGED
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
    I used to do it that way and still lost weight, I did switch it up to Gym at 5:30 and dinner at 7:30 and then eat again before bed at 9:30-10pm, I find that better for me. It's all about what works for you!
  • lh12xx
    lh12xx Posts: 111 Member
    what do you reccommend for post-gym eating/snacks then?
    ive heard protein shakes will put on weight though? I really dont know a lot about it if im honest! educate me lol!!!
    remember, my main goal is weight loss.
  • alesnie
    alesnie Posts: 90 Member
    Yes eat something! A greek yogurt maybe or something with protein. I personally wouldn't want to sit down to a full meal at that time but a 100-200+ calorie snack with protein in it is what I would do.
  • lh12xx
    lh12xx Posts: 111 Member
    see i considered protein shakes but i was told these represent a meal? and i wouldnt eat a meal after the gym!
  • UpAgainstTheBackBurner
    UpAgainstTheBackBurner Posts: 16 Member
    I usually have some green tea and some raspberries :)
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    I always eat something, but my schedule is different. I lift around 430, and then eat dinner around 7. That being said I always have a shake or snack after the gym.

    With you lifting later, you should at least down a protein shake before bed. A 200 calorie shake should fit into your day easily, and gives your body something overnight.
  • rachmaree
    rachmaree Posts: 782 Member
    Why is it too late to eat? So long as you are in a calorie deficit you'll lose weight, doesn't matter what time of day you consume said calories. You say you wouldn't eat a meal after the gym, why not? I often eat the bulk of my cals in the evening after a workout...
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Protein doesn't make you heavy. Excess calories makes you heavy.
  • WhittRak
    WhittRak Posts: 567 Member
    Protein drink after, always.
  • Sl1ghtly
    Sl1ghtly Posts: 855 Member
    I eat before and after. I'll only have a protein shake if its been a more liberating day.
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,810 Member
    I grab a protein shake (usually Muscle Milk Light or EAS Carb Advantage) after EVERY workout. Like immediately after, even before I shower or anything. Then once I'm showered and changed and what not is when I'll eat dinner or whatever meal is around that time. Your body NEEDS to replenish and needs protein after a workout!!!

    Also, why wouldn't you eat a meal after the gym? Just curious...

    My goal is weight loss as well, I've successfully lost 16 lbs (2 before MFP) and 2 pants sizes, and consistently losing :)
  • tbellamy1
    tbellamy1 Posts: 353
    bump
  • lh12xx
    lh12xx Posts: 111 Member
    sooo protein shake after the gym ... like this?

    http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=100&MCatID=5&prodid=563&cid=47&sid=0

    and, im going to sound stupid here, but is it alright made with water? and if so, therefore one shake has about 100 calories?
  • beezerphd
    beezerphd Posts: 136 Member
    It depends really what your net calories are after you've added the exercise. Usually I would have maybe a Peanut butter sandwich.

    Protein shakes are definitely a good one to have after a workout. Cottage cheese, tuna, turkey slices are also good for just before bed after your workout as it will stop your body from eating the muscle in order to provide energy to perform natural body processes.

    Some can taste pretty bad with water, some taste good. It depends really. I mix mine with skimmed milk if I can to make it slightly creamier. It's all personal preference really, but usually if I mix with just water I need to down it pretty quick.
  • sarafyna
    sarafyna Posts: 15 Member
    A glass of milk or maybe half a shake is what I normally do. The thing is that it doesn't really do all that much as far as your weight loss is concerned HOWEVER you damage your muscles when you work out. That's how they become stronger. Your body then has to recover those muscles and knit them back together. It needs protein to do this. Anything you have eaten before you workout was used as energy throughout the day. So don't worry about it being considered a full meal, look for something low in sugar and high on the protein end. Most protein shakes are under 200 cals...
  • coop220
    coop220 Posts: 7
    I usually eat an apple and some cottage cheese. The apple brings my sugars back up from a tough workout and the cottage cheese has the protein to rebuild muscle tissue :o)
  • lh12xx
    lh12xx Posts: 111 Member
    ps thanks for all the help guys :flowerforyou:
  • TitanGM
    TitanGM Posts: 1,161 Member
    After every intense workout, there is a window of 30 to 45 min where body goes into an increase of anabolic state. Eating during this time is the best thing, since body will absorb all the nutrition much faster and recover.

    After every workout, just as I finish, I drink a protein shake then I eat my regular meal a bit later. Use that window of opportunity and never loose it.
  • philco41
    philco41 Posts: 68 Member
    Your schedule for gym is similar to mine. I always have a snack after workout and before bed. I worried initially about the hour, but I'm diabetic and I have found that it has no effect on my AM fasting blood glucose.
  • LoveLiveLift
    LoveLiveLift Posts: 459 Member
    I have a protein shake after the gym. I use the chocolate protein powder and it only has 140 cals and 27 grams of protein in one scoop. I don't consider that a meal replacement.

    If I have lots of extra calories to spare I will make myself a protein smoothie with cottage cheese, protein powder, and peanut butter. Just add a little water and ice and blend until it's smooth. You don't taste the cottage cheese at all.
  • escloflowneCHANGED
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
    If your going to have a protein powder shake right after a work out, I would recommend having it with water. Having it with milk will cause the protein powder to absorb slower due to the fat in the milk.
  • 4nakiaharmon
    4nakiaharmon Posts: 15 Member
    I always eat after my workout. I find that I can't eat too heavy before...it makes me feel sluggish during. Try protein and some vegies. It hasn't stopped me from losing
  • Twiinkless
    Twiinkless Posts: 27 Member
    Protein shakes aren't the equivalent of a meal in terms of calories or nutrients, I think you may be getting them confused with meal replacement shakes, which is an easy thing to do since usually when you buy them from supermarkets they're stocked together and it can be hard to tell.
    Eating after you exercise is not only good for recovery, but your body also metabolises it faster in the 45 minutes or thereabouts after exercise, from what I've read.
    Plus, if you've got the calories left (which I'm guessing you would after exercising), don't worry about when you eat in terms of weight gain because your body doesn't treat a calorie any differently if you eat it at 3pm or 11pm.
  • JeceCanDoIt
    JeceCanDoIt Posts: 26 Member
    Protein shake for recovery or rice cake with natural peanut butter. Yum!!
  • Phrak
    Phrak Posts: 353 Member
    After every intense workout, there is a window of 30 to 45 min where body goes into an increase of anabolic state. Eating during this time is the best thing, since body will absorb all the nutrition much faster and recover.

    After every workout, just as I finish, I drink a protein shake then I eat my regular meal a bit later. Use that window of opportunity and never loose it.

    Actually this "anabolic" window has been debunked. It lasts much longer, up to 24hr's.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21289204
  • sammys1girly
    sammys1girly Posts: 1,045 Member
    I often mix protein powder with water and drink it on the way home. Not too many calories that way.
  • RoxyLDN
    RoxyLDN Posts: 96 Member
    I'd eat a banana just before or after doing sport.
    But I guess it also depends on the sort of exercise you are doing in the gym. Having extra protein is more necessary if you are doing strength training, otherwise, as long as you are eating the normal amounts it's ok.
  • JennC831
    JennC831 Posts: 628 Member
    Yes protein shakes could be considered as meals but it's not like you'd be eating some steak and potatoes.. It's basically all liquid... If you're hungry after you workout then you need to eat.. You're body is telling you that it needs fuel... You could have Greek yogurt, some type of protein (like of tuna, eggs or chicken), a salad, etc.. There's plenty of stuff you could eat that isn’t too heavy so that you don't feel stuffed afterwards but you're still able to give your body something to replenish itself after working out...

    Listen to your body, it's trying to tell you something....
  • iambatman41
    iambatman41 Posts: 37
    I eat half of a protein bar before working out and the other half afterwards. About 200 calories and I always have plenty of energy for the workout.

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