Exercise - an appetite suppressant or appetite stimulant?

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  • Suppressant for an hour or two, then stimulant. The part that really trips me up about exercise, though, is that it tires me out. Everyone talks about how exercise gives them energy, but I've never ever experienced that. On the days that I exercise (in the morning), I invariably need an afternoon nap.

    F.
  • So fascinating how it varies from person to person.

    I asked my husband about it last night as I was making presumptions on his part and he says it depends on the exercise. A nice walk (not over exerting) is an appetite suppressant. Running or heavy aerobic is initially a suppressant for a couple hours and then it's a stimulant. Swimming and weight training are appetite stimulants.
  • For me it depends on the exercise/intensity/time too Hiking 1-2:30 hours its a suppressant. Hiking 3-6 hours its a stimulant. For backpacking its a suppressant while on the trail but as soon as I'm back into civilization I can eat everything in sight and pretty much do for a couple days haha Swimming laps I lose my appetite, swimming in the ocean or other ocean activities(paddle boarding, kayaking) make me really hungry. Something about the cold ocean water really stimulates my appetite. For walking I don't notice any difference.
  • Immediately after I exercise I'm not hungry. But a few house later I'm ravenous. Still trying to find the right balance between eating and working out.
  • Hm. I woke up this morning and had a big (for me) brekkie: 2 eggs, spinach, couple of potato slices, and sausage patty.

    I've been doing yard work ever since, some of it while wearing my 10-month-old baby.

    And now, at noon, I feel famished.

    Normally I fast until noon with no problem, so I guess exercise is a stimulant for me.
  • Just discovered that lawn mowing is NOT an appetite suppressant - at least not on mild spring days (but with SUPER tall grass). I just had to eat a cheese stick to tide me over until dinner.
  • Ever heard the phrase "working up an appetite"? Burned energy, in a healthy system, is reconsumed or accounted for by suppressing additional burning (you may want to rest or sit more after exercise than you would if you didn't intentionally work out). I find a bit of appetite suppression immediately following a workout, but I'm hungrier several hours after the fact. Eating less and moving more is a recipe for hunger, for me.