Is it better to eat before or after you exercise?

Question

I don't know if it's better to eat before a workout or after. I am trying to lose these last ten pounds of baby weight but it's so hard. The things I've done to lose the 35 pounds I've lost already are not working anymore. I've done different types of pilates, walking, running, situps, crunches, and lifting 10 lb dumbells.

Answer 1

Something small prior to exercising will help to get your metabolism pumping. If you eat nothing and then have a hard workout, you will probably be starving not long after you are done exercising. If that happens, when you do eat, your body will not want to burn the calories because you have forced your body into a mini-starvation mode. Therofore, your body won't burn the calories because it doesnt know when it will get more fuel.

Answer 2

First let me congratulate you on the first 35 lbs. Depending on your pre-pregnancy weight sounds like you have done well. To continue losing more you have to concentrate on aerobic exercise activities (brisk walking, running, aerobics class, step class etc.) to ensure your body is burning fat stores in the body. Weights/pilates/situps/crunches are great for toning/defining muscle but do not actually burn much fat as energy. Eat well balanced diets and exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes at least 3 times a week. It could be your body has reached a training plateau and it needs time to adjust before going to the next level - be patient!
As for when to eat: depending on how long before you exercise you could be ok eating before (never eat large meals within 1-1/12 hours prior to a workout). If you eat too large a meal then your body diverts its energy to digestion and will starve your muscles of energy. A light snack - fruit, granola bar is fine but not a major meal. As for after, eat away all you want but remember to drink lots of water to replenish lost fluids from the workout.

Hope this helps and keep up the great job!

Answer 3

Eat AFTER exercise. You don't have to worry about stitch and you'll probably feel as if you've worked for your food and deserve it after your workout. I often find that when I eat before I run I feel sluggish. It's as if I'm dragging myself around. Except today....I've just got back from the gym and I ate quite a bit of sugar before I went so I think that's what gave me an energy high! If you go in the morning too, you don't have to think about it for the rest of the day and you can eat what you like.

Answer 4

Before is definitely better. It gives you energy for your workout for starters. Also, you will probably be less hungry before your workout than you would be after, and less likely to overeat (in fact, you might semi-diet for that meal so you don't have all that on your stomach while you work out). I think there is a metabolism advantage too, but I'm not positive--kicking your body into high gear on an empty stomach might cause your body to conserve energy, while exercising with plenty of energy will probably cause your body to use all the energy it wants.

Be sure to have lots of water with your meal though, digestion takes a lot of water, as does working out, and you don't want to get cramps.

Answer 5

It is best to not work out right after you eat, because your blood is needed in your stomach, to digest the food. So if you eat, wait 2 hours to work out, or you can work out before you eat in the morning, then eat when you get home.

I lost 105 pounds in 6 months. Here is how I did it.
1. Every morning get up and walk for 45 minutes. You can start with less time, but you want to get up to 45 minutes, and it must be fast walk. You want your heart rate to go up. It must be in the morning, it kick starts your metabolism.
2. I cut out Red Meat, and fatty foods. Boneless skinnless chicken breast, baked, or grilled, rice and vegetables (steamed).
3. Eat half. Just eat half of what you normally eat. Put 1/2 on your plate, and put the rest away. Cook less. When you go to fast food, get salads only. Or grilled chicken. No fries, only diet soda. Or water.

It will work, once you get into a routine, you will get hooked on the results, and you will keep the routine. It has been over a year for me.

A sight with some really cool diet calculators and interesting calorie counting calculators is here. Check it out.
http://www.caloriesperhour.com/

Check out my before and after pic at my yahoo 360 page
http://profiles.yahoo.com/gorillamyke

Stay motivated, and get up and walk every day. I seriously lost all my weight starting off my day on my walk.

Good LUCK!

Answer 6

There really is no right or wrong scenario for what you have asked. It really is all about personal preference.
You are right that if you eat before working out your body will be able to use the food energy as it is absorbed into your bloodstream, but some people feel sick if they do this, so obviously it would not be a good idea for them to do this.
You have to do what makes your body feel the best.

Answer 7

I would say after.

Eating before a workout sounds good...like you should burn off what you just ate, but it doesn't work like that. Besides, if you eat before a workout, you're liable to feel too full to workout (any excuse will do to get out of exercise)and if you do workout you're liable to end up with indigestion.

Keep doing what you've been doing. Remember that muscle weighs more that fat. You've probably built up your muscles with exercise and your body will eventually start losing again.

Good luck!

Answer 8

the problem of eating with working out is that the blood is going directly to your stomach when you eat so it will help in digestion and if you workout then your blood will go to your limbes so this is the problem ,well before: at least 2 Hrs before workout so you will sure nothing lift in your stomach orelse you will throw up and it should be some concentrated sugar so they will provide your body with energy and fade during the exercis quicly and after you have to spare at least an hour so your blood after it moves to your limbs could getback to your stomach

Answer 9

eat something like a banana before you exercise as this is a good.
But leave it at least an hour before you eat something like a proper meal as it could give you indigestion
I would eat after. If you are too full, you won't be able to put your all into working out.

Answer 10

eat something like a banana before you exercise as this is a good source of energy and then have some lucozade after exercise....but leave it at least an hour before you eat something like a proper meal as it could give you indigestion