Okay, so I work out at night. Which means I eat dinner before I work out.
But, I feel sick if I work out right away, so I usually wait an hour or two before I work out. Which is making me lose my motivation now, because all I ever do all way is work and work out.
So, I pretty much just wanna cut back on time in between, so I have more time at night. Pluss, I got a new job, so later on Im going to be working at night, then I'll have to work out in the morning.
My question is (finally getting to the point): What do you eat before working out? I need some suggestions. I need to have enough energy to work out, but I want something smaller and lighter, so that I can work out right away, and then just eat my dinner a little later. Which should cut back some time, and then I'll have more time at night to do stuff.
Oh, and I work out for about an hour everyday. So I need something that will help me and keep me going for that long.
I also can't eat a meal right before I exercise or I'll feel sick. But since I exercise in the morning, I also can't work out on a seriously empty stomach or I'll also start feeling lightheaded halfway through.
I balance it by having a small piece of fruit and sometimes a bit of protein 10 minutes before working out. Like a hardboiled egg and 1/2 apple, or a piece of cheese and a few grapes, or 1/2 banana with a tsp of peanut butter. I still feel light, and this type of snack will keep me going strong for an hour.
I can't eat a large meal either. If I work out in the evenings around dinner time, I eat a snack about an hour before working out. Usually a couple stalks of celery with peanut butter (watch the portion size on the peanut butter ) or a kashi granola bar and some yoghurt. Something protein to fill me up, and to give me that boost, workout then eat my dinner.
I actually eat my largest meal before I work out. Dinner is always up in the air so it's never quite consistent as to what I consume, but I always try to load up on the protein.
I don't eat RIGHT BEFORE I work out, but about an hour and a half to two hours before.
If I haven't eaten for several hours I find I need something before I work out or it isn't all the effective. For example, when I go running in the afternoons I always have a smoothie JUST BEFORE I run or I just don't have the strength. If I work out in the morning I need to have breakfast beforehand.
I work out when I get home from work. I eat a few prunes or figs, I am trying to up my fiber and some tea. Then I do my work out and eat dinner. You don't have to eat much before your work out. This works for me
On nights that I run, I have very little day light left by the time I get home from work so I have to run as soon as I get home or use the treadmill (which I hate) so dinner has to wait until I run, walk the dog and shower, pushing it off until often 7 or 8. On those nights, I have a slightly larger lunch then eat a serving of almonds about half an hour before I leave work. This usually holds me over until I get to dinner. I am usually hungry by the time my dinner is ready to eat, but not starving and the almonds before give me enough a boost to help my run without weighing me down.
I might join a gym, and start working out there right after work, since its in the building right next to my work. Thats a part of the reason why Im asking. Because Im usually starving by the time I get off of work. So if Im going to work out, I need something to make me feel full for another hour and a half.
Yeah depending on the workout, and how much you eat it will make you want to ralph like crazy! I know that the lifting workouts don't bother me, but if I am doing plyometrics or Kenpo on P90x...ooh then everything shakes up in your stomach like a can of pop....blah! Try eating a small 100-250 calorie snack when you get home, let it digest at least 30 mins, and see how it goes. Then eat supper after your workout.
Working out without eating takes a bit of adjustment but your body has plenty of fuel on board in the form of fat and muscle glycogen to complete a good hard workout.
Please remember I said there was an adjustment period. Initially you'll feel a little less energy but over the course of a couple weeks your body will adjust. I played a full court basketball game for over an hour Tuesday night and had not eaten for 6 hours. I've been exercising in a fasted state for over a year.
Working out without eating takes a bit of adjustment but your body has plenty of fuel on board in the form of fat and muscle glycogen to complete a good hard workout.
Please remember I said there was an adjustment period. Initially you'll feel a little less energy but over the course of a couple weeks your body will adjust. I played a full court basketball game for over an hour Tuesday night and had not eaten for 6 hours. I've been exercising in a fasted state for over a year.
Thanks John. Some say its very important. Im not sure if I feel like working out when I am starving tho. But I'll definitely keep this in mind.
If I happen to eat a big meal before I workout, I'll lose all motivation, so I don't do that anymore. I'll drink a protein shake or have fiber one cereal before I go, but I workout in the morning. So if you're working out in the evening and don't want to eat your 'meal' beforehand, maybe try a snack bar. I like to eat those fiber one 90 cal bars. how about a powerbar or lunas? good luck
I actually don't eat before I work out. I feel like i'm being weighted down even after waiting an hour or two, so I usually go in the morning before I eat anything. I feel alot better during my workout and I usually eat something afterwards. When I have gone in the evenings tho, i've nibbled on things like dates and figs, a piece of cheese, or a hard boiled egg for fuel. But usually a bit beforehand.
I've read that your body burns more calories skipping eating before exercise because it taps into your fat storage's or something. Not sure if its accurate or not though.
I can exercise on an empty stomach if I'm just doing some cardio. When I lift weights, however, I definitely need the fuel in order to be able to work my hardest. Often I'll have a string cheese and/or a greek yogurt. Nuts are good too.
Food and working out?
) or a kashi granola bar and some yoghurt. Something protein to fill me up, and to give me that boost, workout then eat my dinner.
