I have heard mixed things about this. I was hoping someone could clear this up for me. I have heard that it is better to eat before you workout, and I have heard it is better to eat after you work out.

I'm guessing the people who say it is better to eat before say that because you are more likely to over eat if you wait until after you workout(?).
It doesn't seem like it would be beneficial to deprive your body of nutrients after a workout... in fact it seems like it would be better to wait until after you workout to eat so your recovering muscles get those nutrients.

Can someone clarify for me? Thanks in advance.


Oh yeah, and I did my first day of the couch to 5k thing today! I was exhausted before I did it, now I just want to fall over and take a nap. Ugh, I wish I didn't have mid-terms coming up I need sleep! Anyway, I feel good about this... it's a little harder than I thought it would be, but as everything else I have been doing has taught me it will get easier and I will be a better me for it.

I've heard body builders talk about a 30/40 minute window to get carbs into their system after a workout, but that's another story. Some people say that exercising first thing in the morning is very beneficial so that's eating afterwards. At the moment I work out twice a day...once before Breaky and once before dinner. I tend to think that my body gets more out of the food once it's been through a workout. 30 minutes afterwards works well for my body, and then I'll do some moderate activity to help with digestion. I thought at first doing it this way would stop me from progression from losing weight, but if anything, I am feeling stronger and the weight is still slowly dropping. Oh yea...I keep my hydration up with each meal as well.
Timing seems to be the key...before seems to fuel the body, with after replenishing it. In the early stages, my bet goes with working out before & as you become more ambitious, then you may find fuelling before beneficial as well...variables will be intensity/rest & recovery/and type of food consumed. That's my 2 cents worth...good luck with it either way.

When you use up energy in exercising you need extra energy for your workout, it really depends on the duration and intensity of your exercise. The whole idea of people thinking that you might get sick or it might produce cramps due to eating before exercise is not thought through correctly. But you have to realize it would happen if you eat then go straight to exercising, but you should know about that already .

The concept of exercising in the morning before eating is also the same as energy fuels your muscle activity in your body,

more fuel = more energy

So if you think about it when you wake up you don't really feel energetic since you burn calories in your sleep. So to work out you would have to re-fuel and go so with more energy in your body more energy (calories) will be used during your exercise. If you skipped breakfast then by using your energy (which is not to a great amount) you would deplete your body, then later on your body will desire more energy.

It's more important to get some protein into your body AFTER you workout than it is to eat before, although a snack with a mix of protein and carbs eaten about 30-60 mins prior to working out can help with energy levels if you're having a hard time during your workouts.

After your workout, your muscles are recovering and that's when they're most receptive to processing the protein that you provide for them. Post workout is the perfect time to have a snack with some protein powder added, to facilitate that muscle development.

Sumo wrestlers eat no breakfast and Exercise on an empty stomach. If their bodies have
no food, their metabolic thermostats are turned down even lower to conserve fuel.

I would hardly use Sumo wrestlers as a guide to good health and good eating.

If you eat a large, protein, fiber and fat filled meal, wait about four hours to exercise.If you eat a light meal, you only have to wait about two hours to work out. Your body prefers to use carbohydrates as fuel, so your pre-workout meal should include plenty of carbohydrates from bread, pasta, fruits and vegetables and energy bars. You can even choose low-fat yogurt or some granola or cereal if you have at least 3 hours before your session. You don't need to avoid protein and fat, however they are not recommended if you will be exercising in an hour or two. If your timing is off and you feel hungry when it is time to exercise, pick a small snack like a piece of fruit, a sports beverage or some natural fruit juice. I prefer to drink a glass of V8 fruit or tomato juice an hour before I'm ready to go to the gym. Meats, doughnuts, fries, potato chips, cookies and candy bars should definitely be avoided in a pre-exercise meal. Also avoid high-fiber foods like beans and lentils, bran cereals and fruit, as they can cause gas or cramping.

If you prefer morning workouts, it's best to get up early enough to eat your pre-exercise meal. If not, you should try to eat or drink something easily digestible about 20 to 30 minutes before the event, or opt for a liquid meal as its much easier to digest. If you work out in the evenings, choose a time before dinner, so you have at least 2-3 hours after the workout to eat your dinner. If possible, keep your dinners light and choose a heavier lunch.

After you workout it's important to get nutrition within 30 minutes. Try Whey protien powder (it aborbs fast .2 grams per lb of body weight), Dextrose (.3 grams per lb of body weight), L-Glutamine (5 grams) and Creatine (5 grams). In a shaker cup put in the whey protein powder, dextrose, 5 grams of L-Glutamine and 5 grams of Creatine add water shake 10-15 seconds and enjoy.