Eat before or after...

[leagunner]

your workout? I've heard it's good to eat before, so you have energy and something to burn, but then I've also heard that it's good to eat after, as your body is still burning calories. Anyone follow one of these or know when the best time to eat is in terms of exercise?

[MareMare]

your workout? I've heard it's good to eat before, so you have energy and something to burn, but then I've also heard that it's good to eat after, as your body is still burning calories. Anyone follow one of these or know when the best time to eat is in terms of exercise?
I usually eat before I exercise because if I don't eat I feel really week and I get really dizzy and all out of energy real quick if I don't eat. That's just me though!

[debbie]

wait 2 hours to work out. if you wait to eat after they say wait 3 hours. it's the way the asymptomatic system works. but drink plenty of fluid before and after. :)

[MareMare]

wait 2 hours to work out. if you wait to eat after they say wait 3 hours. it's the way the asymptomatic system works. but drink plenty of fluid before and after. :)
Humm.... I can't eat 2 hours before I work out. I feel sick if I haven't had at least a little something before I go out to run. But I'll keep it in mind!

[debbie]

if you are the type that needs more fuel you probably already have a fast metabolism, eat a bit of complex carbs with protein. like a crackers and peanut butter. i eat like 3 of those before i work out and i feel good enough to go more. then i wait like 3 hours after i work out.
the digestive system shuts down when you work out so thats' why they say it.

[Lara]

The rule of thumb for eating is this: If you are looking for an edge on fat burning, work out on an empty stomach if you are doing so close to waking up in the morning . If you need to eat and are doing some heavy training, wait to work out for one hour after you eat (if it's a regular sized meal). Eating after training is really a matter of preference. There are those experts out there that say to eat right away to replenish your glycogen stores so that you don't become catabolic (lose muscle) and those that say to wait for one hour to encourage further fat burning. Regardless of your choice, your body will still continue to burn energy at an increased rate for a few hours after you train versus not training at all.

The reason it's best to train on an empty stomach for fat burning is that your body is forced to use its stored energy (fat) to get through the workout after it has used its immediate energy stores (glycogen)--this happens after about 20 minutes of continuous training. If you have eaten anything, especially carbohydrates, your body will use that fuel before using your fat stores. So, if you are looking to burn fat, do your cardio or workout within an hour of waking on an empty stomach. If you simply can't work out on an empty stomach, but still want to burn more fat, have a tablespoon of peanut butter or a small protein shake with low carbs (waiting an hour won't be necessary). This will still help with the energy, but since so few carbs are involved, your body will still be forced to draw from its own energy stores versus what you have eaten. The reason for this is that carbohydrates are converted to stored energy in the body the quickest. It takes longer for fat and protein to be converted. :)

[MareMare]

The rule of thumb for eating is this: If you are looking for an edge on fat burning, work out on an empty stomach if you are doing so close to waking up in the morning . If you need to eat and are doing some heavy training, wait to work out for one hour after you eat (if it's a regular sized meal). Eating after training is really a matter of preference. There are those experts out there that say to eat right away to replenish your glycogen stores so that you don't become catabolic (lose muscle) and those that say to wait for one hour to encourage further fat burning. Regardless of your choice, your body will still continue to burn energy at an increased rate for a few hours after you train versus not training at all.

The reason it's best to train on an empty stomach for fat burning is that your body is forced to use its stored energy (fat) to get through the workout after it has used its immediate energy stores (glycogen)--this happens after about 20 minutes of continuous training. If you have eaten anything, especially carbohydrates, your body will use that fuel before using your fat stores. So, if you are looking to burn fat, do your cardio or workout within an hour of waking on an empty stomach. If you simply can't work out on an empty stomach, but still want to burn more fat, have a tablespoon of peanut butter or a small protein shake with low carbs (waiting an hour won't be necessary). This will still help with the energy, but since so few carbs are involved, your body will still be forced to draw from its own energy stores versus what you have eaten. The reason for this is that carbohydrates are converted to stored energy in the body the quickest. It takes longer for fat and protein to be converted. :)
Thanks lara that was really helpful!!! I'll definately try to keep that in mind. But even if I ate like half an hour before I do my cardio I still get a bit lightheaded?

[leagunner]

That helps and makes sense!

[Lara]

Thanks lara that was really helpful!!! I'll definately try to keep that in mind. But even if I ate like half an hour before I do my cardio I still get a bit lightheaded?
This might be a question that Summer can answer. The lightheadedness may have nothing to do with your eating prior to your workout, but other factors. i.e., blood pressure, the way you are breathing (holding your breath or breathing too fast), etc. One common thing that happens to people when they first start training is they feel lightheaded because they aren't used to the blood flow going to the other parts of the body (more blood flows to the body part being trained at the time of training). This can cause light headedness and even nausea.

[MareMare]

This might be a question that Summer can answer. The lightheadedness may have nothing to do with your eating prior to your workout, but other factors. i.e., blood pressure, the way you are breathing (holding your breath or breathing too fast), etc. One common thing that happens to people when they first start training is they feel lightheaded because they aren't used to the blood flow going to the other parts of the body (more blood flows to the body part being trained at the time of training). This can cause light headedness and even nausea.
I haven't mentioned this before but I am anemic, maybe that has something to do with it? I don't take iron pills regularily anymore, I didn't think I had to. What do you gals recommend I do? I don't like taking pills everyday at all...

[leagunner]

I haven't mentioned this before but I am anemic, maybe that has something to do with it? I don't take iron pills regularily anymore, I didn't think I had to. What do you gals recommend I do? I don't like taking pills everyday at all...


I'm the same way. I tend to forget to take them all the time, but I find that even taking iron pills a couple times a week helps. It's better than nothing! I also let myself "splurge" and get a hamburger once in a while to get some "real" iron in my system, but I normally tend to stay away from red meat (hence the low iron!).

[MareMare]

lol I guess I should be taking those iron pills then. you just take 1 pill 2-3 times a week?

[Penny]

The rule of thumb for eating is this: If you are looking for an edge on fat burning, work out on an empty stomach if you are doing so close to waking up in the morning . If you need to eat and are doing some heavy training, wait to work out for one hour after you eat (if it's a regular sized meal). Eating after training is really a matter of preference. There are those experts out there that say to eat right away to replenish your glycogen stores so that you don't become catabolic (lose muscle) and those that say to wait for one hour to encourage further fat burning. Regardless of your choice, your body will still continue to burn energy at an increased rate for a few hours after you train versus not training at all.

The reason it's best to train on an empty stomach for fat burning is that your body is forced to use its stored energy (fat) to get through the workout after it has used its immediate energy stores (glycogen)--this happens after about 20 minutes of continuous training. If you have eaten anything, especially carbohydrates, your body will use that fuel before using your fat stores. So, if you are looking to burn fat, do your cardio or workout within an hour of waking on an empty stomach. If you simply can't work out on an empty stomach, but still want to burn more fat, have a tablespoon of peanut butter or a small protein shake with low carbs (waiting an hour won't be necessary). This will still help with the energy, but since so few carbs are involved, your body will still be forced to draw from its own energy stores versus what you have eaten. The reason for this is that carbohydrates are converted to stored energy in the body the quickest. It takes longer for fat and protein to be converted. :)

i have a question about this. i work out in the evening, around 5 at the earliest, 8 at the latest. obviously ive had something to eat by this time, so im wondering, if ive eaten that day, but have waited long enough to have an empty stomach before working out, will it have the same effect for fat burning? also, how long should i wait after i work out before i eat again, as i usually dont have time to eat dinner until after? thanks! :) Penny

[leagunner]

lol I guess I should be taking those iron pills then. you just take 1 pill 2-3 times a week?


Basically I take them whenever I remember to take them! lol Some weeks I might take them every day, other weeks not at all. What I really should do, now that I think about it, is to leave them at work. If they're sitting on my desk staring at me, I can remember easily and take them. My problem is that my medicine cabinet is chock-full of vitamins, but half of them I don't take all the time (Vitamin C if I'm starting to feel sick, etc), so I don't remember the iron pills either.

[Lara]

i have a question about this. i work out in the evening, around 5 at the earliest, 8 at the latest. obviously ive had something to eat by this time, so im wondering, if ive eaten that day, but have waited long enough to have an empty stomach before working out, will it have the same effect for fat burning? also, how long should i wait after i work out before i eat again, as i usually dont have time to eat dinner until after? thanks! :) Penny

Penny, you will still have the benefit of fat burning, but not as much as upon waking (the fasting has been much longer this way).

As far as how long to wait after training to eat, this is what I posted in a previous post: Eating after training is really a matter of preference. There are those experts out there that say to eat right away to replenish your glycogen stores so that you don't become catabolic (lose muscle) and those that say to wait for one hour to encourage further fat burning. Regardless of your choice, your body will still continue to burn energy at an increased rate for a few hours after you train versus not training at all.

I personally eat as soon as I can because I'm so hungry. LOL. I haven't noticed a difference in my fat burning either way. I hope this helps. :)