I ate pizza tonight (that was not on my plan) so I went to Curves right afterwards for a workout to try and burn some of that sin off. LOL

Does anyone know if its better to work out before or after you've eaten?
And does it do any good at all to work out after an eating blunder?

It's much better to eat AFTER you workout.

I wake up and sometimes walk a mile or so before eating breakfast and possibly pop in some workout videos during the day, but at night a few hours after dinner (I don't eat after 8... so I usually start working out at about 10:30 --- that's when the TV is free ) I work out for at least 2.5 hours (WATP, 'The Bean', and Shapely Secrets). The bad thing is that when you workout at night, it keeps you up for awhile, lol.

I have to wait at least an hour after eating anything substantial before I work out. Digestion shuts down while you are exercising and I can just feel the food sitting in my stomach. Also, I've read that your metabolism is more efficient just after you exercise.

I personally don't think you can completely make up for an eating blunder with exercise. It certainly doesn't hurt and you might be able to burn a few extra calories, but, unless it was a very small blunder, I don't think you can completely nullify the effects.

For a while I was doubling the amount of my cardio exercise in the hopes that I could eat even just a couple hundred more calories per day. It absolutely didn't work. I was just hungry all the time and my weight loss slowed to a stop. I went back to my regular amount of exercise and a lower calorie intake and I started losing again. I know it's all supposed to just be calories in vs. calories out, but my experience is that you reach a point of diminishing returns on exercise.

Calories vs. Calories though....a work out is a work out. As far as the eating before or after deal goes, I've read findings that support either side, better to eat an hour or two before or right before you work out plus a quick healthy snack after.

I can tell you about my case...I would have worked out. Even if you can't work off all those extra calories, it's better than not getting on the treadmill at all.

I have a bit of a protein drink that's low carb about an hour before I go to the gym and then I have protein (eggs) with carb (ww toast) after.

I guess the idea with the post w/o meal is to have the carbs move the protein into the cell to help repair muscle.

If I'm doing High-intensity, I have to eat or I'll pass out. If it's a low-intensity, I've read that you'll burn fat on an empty stomach.

I hope that helps somewhat!

I like to run before dinner - I don't know the 'science' of it at all, but I almost always eat less after I have worked out!

I can't workout immediately after eating anything substantial, I feel awful and don't get a good workout either. My favourite time to workout is first thing in the morning, with breakfast after, but if that doesn't happen (as it frequently doesn't, life gets in the way) then I exercise a couple of hours or more after breakfast and then have a snack or lunch.

I do know when I was part of a running group the evening runs were tough for me. I had to delay supper and then couldn't get to bed for a while either. Gently sitting on the exercise bike (and pedalling! ) watching a movie is OK for me after supper, but not weights or running. But then I'm a morning person...

Jax

I usually eat before I workout because it makes me focus mentally for some reason.

I agree, it's better than doing nothing. Pizza has a LOT of calories, specially restaurant style, so nullifying pizza would take a very long workout and it wouldn't nullify the pizza you just ate but burn calories from what is already in your system, I would think, I don't know the science of it either but this is my way of thinking...

I can eat something light before a workout, but it also depends, and I always eat after a workout to replenish and hydrate body and my muscles.... I say it depends because if I get up, have a coffee and go running I have no problem but if I am up for a while, 1.5 hrs lets say, I need to eat something, just a 1/4c oatmeal will hold me till I come back... Then I have more oatmeal and some eggwhites...

I just read a section about this in my book called The Active Woman's Health and Fitness Handbook by Nadya Swedan and it actually said to eat afterward. You should eat 200-300 calorie snack after working out. It said that your liver and muscles are "more receptive to replenishing glycogen stores. This occurs in the first hour after exercising and to a lesser extent the hours after that."

Thanks for the info! I will start eating after my workouts to get those benefits.

Thank you everyone for your advice :-)