Eat before or after workout?

[Jenn1214 120]

I've just started to work out somewhat consistently, but I'm not sure if I should eat Breakfast before I exercise or wait until after. I always drink Water beforehand but I'm not sure about food.< /p>

[reverie 49]

Doesn't matter really; meal timing is irrelevant, do what works best for you, there is no right way. I eat an hour before I workout and then within 30 minutes once I am done. Don't eat then exercise right away; give your food/stomach time to settle.

[AlienBandit 10]

I always eat after my work out. I used to eat before my workout but found i would be hungry again after and would eat a little. If I wait until after I would still eat the same amount so to me it makes sense only to eat after.

[asteenho 0]

I started doing zumba and my instructor said to eat after because your metabolism is still working full gear. I will usually drink a little Protein Shake (muscle milk) before i exercise because it helps me keep my energy.

[Jachut 487]

I dont think it matters - i can eat before I run with no real problem, my general workout time is early evening, at which time i havent eaten for hours, and i eat dinner about an hour after my run, or mid morning, when I've had breakfast an hour or two beforehand and have lunch several hours after.

That precise, pre/post workout nutrition schedule is for elite athletes, people get very carried away that they've done a spin class so they need some post workout sports nutrition product. Truth is for the average woman, and man too, your regular diet is plenty and the whole point of exercise for those losign weight is to create a calorie deficit so its a bit stupid to go and gulp down a 200 calorie Protein shake immediately after lifting a few weights and then wonder why you dont lose weight! Its really only if you're trying to gain serious muscle weight or you're fuelling gruelling workouts for reasons other than weight loss that you really need to worry about this stuff. Yeah, your metabolism is raised after exercise so if its lunchtime, its a good plan to eat then but if its not even meal time, then why put calories in just for the sake of it? Enjoy the raised metabolism and burn more fat!

Otherwise, eat when its convenient and when it feels best for you. The only thing I've noticed, and as you can probably tell, I've always been a sceptic of all this kinda stuff, but now, with an ileostomy, my workout is better if I do drink gatorade or Powerade rather than Water. I truly need the electrolytes. But even with stuff like this, I think for most people plain Water is the best bet.

[babyk 1]

I found that I am able to push myself more on an empty stomach. I ate dinner last night and worked out about an hour after and the whole time I was on the elliptical I was concentrating more on keeping my food down. I think it's a personal decision though