Food Before Or After Exercise?
Hi everyone,
I've heard from a couple of sources that it's best to eat post-Exercise, but I'm wondering if eating before a workout is considered a no-no? I eat six small meals a day, and battle with hunger (i.e., I'm hungry all the time, but discipline myself), but sometimes my blood sugar drops so low, I can't fathom a 30-minute run without having a salad or PowerBar beforehand!
Am I right in assuming that post-workout, your metabolism is working better therefore it's able burn calories? But wouldn't the workout itself burn the calories you just consumed (granted, you give yourself enough time to digest beforehand)?
Obviously, this is a complex topic, but I'm confused with this issues, and would appreciate any thoughts on the subject!
Thanks!
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Caitlin Losey on -
You really have to listen to your body. To get the most out of your workout, your body needs to be properly fueled. In general it's best to fuel up with carbs (good carbs, whole wheat/grain, etc.) pre-workout and rebuild with protein post work-out.
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Permalink Reply by Elizabeth McGorty on -
Thanks so much! This makes a lot of sense -- carbs provide the energy for the workout I guess. :) I will also continue to do research on my own.
Cheers m'dears.
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Permalink Reply by Whole Living on -
I used to work with a nutritionist who wrote a book on this topic, Elizabeth, so if you're very interested I'd suggest checking this out -- or here's a blog she wrote with an abbreviated answer to your question:
http://eating.health.com/2009/04/09/americas-other-energy-crisis/
I face these challenges too ... it's been hard for me to figure out what my body needs (and definitely does NOT need) before a workout. When I wake up in the morning, I know that I can't run on an empty stomach, but anything with too much fiber or substance messes me up once I get going. Now I have no more than half a banana and a glass of orange juice before running, and then I have a proper breakfast afterward.
Same with eating before post-work runs or swims ... I try to have a piece of fruit at around 4:30 (and drink water throughout the day) so that I have energy for my 7:00 practices. Then it's important to eat some protein within an hour after your workout so that your body recovers properly and your muscles have fuel to heal the strain you've just put on them.
But be careful -- after a hard workout, it's very easy to overcompensate and eat way more than you need in terms of calories. So if that's a concern, it's important to have a rough idea of how many calories you're burning and how many calories you're taking in after a workout.
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Permalink Reply by Elizabeth McGorty on
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I remember reading this article when a question was posted to Ellen Barrett (?) during The Plan, but like yourself, I'm still in that phase of trying to figure things out. Reading only leads to more questions it seems. I've also adopted the 4:30 snack idea (either a Power Bar, celery sticks and almond butter, or a banana).
Your comments on calorie counting lead me to another question: how do you know how much to eat (in total during the day)? I believe Weight Watcher's Point System equated about 1200 calories per day, which I've stuck with (though I frequently slip up). Now I normally consume between 1200 - 1400 (though there are days that count is much smaller, so does it end up evening out in the end?).
I know you're training right now, and I'm not, but how many calories are you consuming per day, on average? I work out 4-5 times per week with both intense cardio and strength training. Should I be eating more? Is the reason why I haven't lost any weight (besides, like, a million other things) because I'm not eating enough and my metabolism is slow?
Ah, so many questions! Sorry, don't mean to overload here. I guess I need to speak to a nutritionist! I suppose I'm curious about your calorie intake more than anything.
Our bodies are just so complex! I should be impressed by that fact, but it's really rather frustrating, don't you think?
Thanks for your message!
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Permalink Reply by Whole Living on
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Hi Liz! Sorry it's taken me so long to respond. The truth is, I really don't keep track of how many calories I'm consuming on average a day -- the few times I've written it all down and calculated it, I'm usually between 1,800 and 2,000 ... I've never really attempted to lose much weight and I always seem to stay the same weight within two or three pounds, so I haven't paid much attention.
Have you tried this tool to calculate how much you should be eating? It's not perfect, but it may be a start: http://www.wholeliving.com/wellness-tools-nutritional-needs. Sounds like your activity level is between intermediate and high-intensity.
Everyone's metabolism is different, but I hope this helps! I'll ask around to some of my nutritionist friends to see if they want to weigh in, as well.
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Permalink Reply by Laura Mann on -
do you have suggestion or a good sources on how to boost your metabolism. I have Hypo-glueciam. one of the side effect of this is my metabolism very slow. I've tried alot of things but getting the weight to come off is very hard. I have to eat to maintain my sugar and not crash. Thank you
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