I think it's personal preference whether you eat, what, and how soon before you work out. But it's very important to eat afterwards in order to replenish your energy stores and speed muscle healing. Many nutritionists say that the post-workout meal is best time to eat starchy carbs because your muscles can quickly utilize the carbs. So it's best to shoot for a protein and carb meal within an hour or so of finishing your workout.
I personally don't eat before I work out because I hit the gym at 5:30 am and would throw up if I had food in my stomach then. My reward for a good workout is breakfast!
It all depends on you and your needs. I do it both before and after depending on the time of the day of my work out. It didn't make a difference either way.
I usually work out after my work day (it gives me something to look forward too after sitting on my butt at a desk all day)... so I eat dinner after I'm done exercising but if I'm really hungry before my workout I'll eat a piece of fruit or some sort of small snack.
If I'm hungry I'll have a small high protein snack before, drink water during, then eat after. I don't like my stomach to be too full but I have no energy if I'm too hungry.
I have always eaten a little something after a workout...because of all the water and toxins that were cleansed while working out it really helps me to replenish right afterwards.
I have found that I eat breakfast and then wait about an hour or a bit more, then exercise. I am NOT a morning person, so I can not just pop out of bed and hit the treadmill. I sloooowly wake up, drink my tea, have b-fast, read email, then get my workout clothes on and hit the treadmill.
I also have problems with exercise induced urticaria (hives with intense itching), it is recommended to not eat within an hour of exercising to reduce this. Since I have been making sure to wait an hour, I have very little issue with this now. If I start to get itchy, I just keep going and within about 5 minutes it passes.
Usually afterwards I drink V-8 and if I feel hungry, I have a snack of fruit or a SBD cereal bar.
I go running before sunrise (currently at about 5:45 AM) and I always eat breakfast before I go. I don't eat a lot, but I have hypoglycemia and can't accomplish anything at all in the morning if I haven't eaten something.
I usually always have a cup of tea and a bowl of Kashi with soy milk before I workout. However, last night I was cruising Google trying to find tips for losing belly fat fast. I'm starting a job that requires me to tuck in my shirt!! I found an article that suggest working out in the morning before eating because the body is in fasting mode after sleeping all night and the workout will burn the fat stores. It was suggested that I eat, especially protein, soon after finishing my workout. I have no idea if this is a good idea or not, but I'm going to give it a try.
I do wonder how the belly's look in the group that doesn't eat first.