What to eat before and after your workout?

[DavideFitbit]

Hi everyone! 

I'm mainly focused on muscle gain, but would love to hear advise from people with different goals regarding what they eat before and after a workout, whether it's for muscle again, weight loss or just for maintaining your weight.  

We know the body needs to recover after a workout session, so what we eat right after we exercise is very important, but it's also important to perform well at the gym or during out training, and many people achieve this by eating the right meal/snack before the workout. 

Feel free to share any recommendations on what you eat before and after you exercise! Let us know what your goals is and what you're eating to achieve this! 🍎🥗

[t.parker]

It depends really on the type of workout. If it's short session up to 1 hour then usual food rich in carbs (nothing really special) will do. Sometimes there is no need to fuel my workout at all. However, most of my sessions last from 3-7 hours and then fueling before the session is important, otherwise I will run out of juice in the middle. If I have not too much time then I use Huel (powdered meal) + milk + banana, blend it all together, drink and I'm ready to go. In fact, this is my plan for Today as I'm gonna be back home after 7pm and will start short session at 8pm until 11pm. With more time, I will make something rich in complex carbs like wholemeal pasta + whatever else I can add. Before workout, I don't really have time to be too picky so I don't have any special pre-workout recipes. Whatever I can find in my fridge that is suitable to fuel me - that's fine.

Another thing I need to consider is that not only my body has to be functioning during workout but also brain (problem solving skills, quiet eye, being in the zone). What I do requires proper mindset, sometimes taking some risks, controllng fear if there is any (and sometimes indeed is). I noticed, when my body feels weak due to underfueling, my mind does as well (no wonder, carbs are brain's fuel). Then, nothing works, there's utter lack of focus, bad hand-eye coordination, and I may forget about 'quiet eye' ability. It's straight path to get injured. Sometimes, single mid-workout banana does miracles.

In my case, fueling during the workout is same important. Usually, after 2 hours I take a 30min break during which I need to consume some more carbs to endure more training. Sometimes quick energy bar will do, other times a sandwich. The important is to eat something that won't block me from further training (no fatty things, carefully control amount of mid-workout food). Shortly - carbs, not too much but enough to fuel brain and body and consumed early enough.

[cathm]

If I workout first thing in the morning, I don't eat before and have a protein shake and piece of fruit after. If I workout later in the day, I don't eat anything before (except a pre-workout supp) and have a protein shake after.

[DavideFitbit]

Excellent @t.parker @cathm, thank you for sharing your routines and all these useful details about what you eat before, during and after your workouts! 

This really something that I didn't consider important a few years ago, but I certainly do now. We really do need to fuel out bodies to have that energy level required to perform well at the gym. 😀 

It takes a little while to truly understand how this works, but once you do, you'll have a great advantage! 

[emili]

I have noticed that if I don't eat before running, over time by body fat percentage will go up- which makes sense since the "fuel" has to come from somewhere. So now, I eat breakfast, wait an hour or two and go running. When I am done, it coincides with lunch time. It is the same in the evening if I work out or walk.. I go and when I get back in coincides with dinner. I practice good nutrition all day so I get all the macros and micros I need to sustain. 

[Corney]

DavideFitbit:  Years ago when I still was a runner I attended a forum given by a World Class Master runner, these forums were sponsored by organizations that held community 10K runs.  Forums were used to answer question from runners in the community.  One interesting question from the audience was what he eats before a run.  The answer was " It must meet 2 criteria, it has taste good going down and look good on the pavement when it comes up.  After competing in numerous 10K runs and 2 marathons, I never ate anything prior to a run.  Even today prior to spending 45 minutes on an elliptical, lifting weights for 15 minutes then rowing for 45 minutes, I never eat anything before I exercise.  I once read an article in Runners World that implied that consuming caffeine prior to running helps the body utilize fat as an energy source once the glycogen built up in our muscles has been consumed.  So I drink 1 cup of coffee before I exercise.  So far nothing has ever come up during or after a run or exercise.

[Corney]

emili:  This is an interesting phenomenon that is borne out in individuals that go on a diet without exercising.  As an exercise consultant for a surgical bariatric program, individuals that didn't combine the prescribed exercise program with the severe calorie restriction due to the surgery lost weight but their percentage of fat increased.  Allow me to explain.  An individual who weighs 200 pounds need 15 calories per pound to maintain that weight or 3000 calories.  They go on a 2000 calorie diet, but their body still feels it needs 3000 calories.  Exercise, within their training zone helps mobilize the fat out of the fat cells, so it can be used as an energy source.  Without exercise the body burns all the calories ingested but their body needs more, the only other source available is protein from their muscles. When muscle mass is lost the percent body fat increases even though they may lose weight.  I have often preached that individuals who go on a diet want to lose fat not weight.  Also when muscle mass is lost the body burn fewer calories since muscle activity burns calories 24 hour a day.

[vumadici]

I choose porn instead of eating before workout
helps to be in good shape

https://freeworn.com/en/

[Rebecca_M]

As someone who's workouts consist of some pretty heavy lifting (squatting, dead lifting, etc.), I need some quick carbs to give me fuel for my workout and keep me going. One of my go-to snack on workout days is Cliff energy bars. They are a really great source of protein and carbs, and don't have all crazy ingredients. 

I workout at after work, so after the gym I'm coming home and eating dinner. For after a work out, its obviously super important to get protein into your system so I usually opt for about 8 ounces of fish (i go for white fish-usually haddock) and 8 ounces of sweet potato. 90% of the time I also grab a spoonful of peanut butter and eat that while I'm cooking lol.

Something that I think is super important that i feel a lot of people forget is to also eat enough throughout the day. You can eat a fantastic snack with all the right fuel for your workout, but if you have not been fueling your body the way that it needs to be throughout the day it will have a big impact on your body. I eat 3 full meals and 4-5 snacks a day. The instant I started doing that my workouts become much more effective. Gotta fuel your body right!

[BusterMcgee]

Portion control works for me. I also will do 18 hours no eat / 6 hours will eat. 

[Marius23]

That's impressive. When you do eat, what type of meals do you make? I would love to try this, but not sure I could since I don't eat meat. I assume I would need to have a good amount of protein...

[Rebecca_M]

Hi Marius

My protein sources come mostly from chicken and fish, although as of recently I have been dabbling in meat-substitutes such as the Beyond burger (which has 20g of protein) and it has been pretty good. Fun fact-you don't actually have to eat meat to get protein. Most vegetables have enough protein to sustain you, you just have to enough of the right ones. I also eat about every 2 hours so that I keep my body sustained throughout the day. In doing this my workouts have gotten so much better AND I've lost 25 pounds.

Breakfast for me is usually 1 of 3 meals: 1) scrambled eggs, 1/2 English muffin with butter, and an apple with peanut butter 2) 2 oz of granola with 1/2 cup 2% milk and an apple with peanut butter, or 3) 1 slice wheat toast with butter, 4 slices turkey bacon, and an apple with peanut butter.

As for lunches, I have been trying to add in more vegetables (I'm not the biggest veggie fan to be honest) so as of recent I have been doing a few different meals. 1) 5 oz of chicken on a salad (consisting of spinach, carrots, radishes, and corn), 2) 8 oz of chicken with 4-6 oz of vegetables (I tend to stick with carrots or Corn since the reheat the best), or 3) 1 beyond burger with 4-6 oz of vegetables.

For dinners, I typically have 8 oz of either chicken or fish, and then 5-7 oz of sweet potatoes(they are my absolute favorite-I don't think I'll ever get tired of eating them lol)

Snack wise, in the morning I usually have a yogurt (preferably Greek yogurt) and 5 oz strawberries around. In the afternoon I'll have 5 oz of grapes,and either a Kind bar or a Cliff energy bar (kind bar on the days I'm not exercising, cliff bar on the days that I am)

Something that is also SUPER important is your water intake. I have a 24 oz water bottle and I drink at least 4 of those per day.

Sorry if that was a lot, but hopefully it helps!

[trainermike]

Great Question!

I'm TRAINERMIKE (mjfit13@gmail.com) and I've been a NASM trainer and Nutrition consultant for 31yrs and Rutgers educated in Physio and Nutrition.  Being in lockdown with my peeps, I find myself plenty of time to share, and I'd love to give Y'all some Nutrition advice which works for all people from your Average Jane and Joe to Pro Athletes.  SO First off... Eat for what you're gonna do. If your doing cardio and you want to burn fat, then don't have any carbs pre workout. You just have to burn them off before you get to the fat, and yes you'll be more tired. Your body will resist it at first but you'll find with some smart pre workout and intra workout choices, you'll get some great Cardio sessions. First, you want to have some protein... A protein shake 30 minutes before or an easily digestible protein, like fish or chicken (unfortunately there aren't many), will have to be eaten more like an hour out of training so you can digest some of the food. Now if you're weight training, that's a whole other story. It really depends on what you're training for. If you're trying to grow and get the most out of you're training you can go with some oats or white rice which is a little quicker. Fruits are fine, but fructose isn't as efficient for pre workout, so it's a preference thing. It's not gonna hurt but wont be as sustainable for an intense training session as potatoes, oats or a pre workout drink. Now, if you're training to get on a low carb diet and you still want some energy, you go with some EFA like Kerrygold Butter, Almonds, Hemp Hearts or an MCT supp. Then comes the post workout. Then Post Workout, it's more of the same. PROTEIN PROTEIN PROTEIN! If you're weight training for muscle growth you need have some carbs too and for the weight loss group, you stick with the vessies and such WITH your protein.

The last little trick that is in my experience THE MOST EFFECTIVE training Supplement  is a Combo of 5gms of the BCAA's (leucine, isoleucine, valine in a 2:1:1 mix) and 5 grams Glutamine, works AWESOME! There's a bunch of these INTRA-WORKOUT supplements on the market, but unflavored works great in some Gatorade if you can't do an artificial sweetener like sucralose. The sipping on this MIX AND PLAIN WATER while you train will provide you with a direct source of ESSENTIAL AMINOS while you train OR do Cardio. It' prevents the breakdown of muscle and allows you to burn fat more efficiently. This isn't new science either, we've been using this program successfully for decades now, so it's work researching and give it a try. I hope this was helpful and ANY questions Training or Nutrition... Hit me up Fitbit or Email!

Stay Strong Y'ALL! YOU'RE NEVER OUT of the FIGHT!  💪🌴😎

[trainermike]

Yo Yo T! You should try an intra workout mix with BCAAs and GLUT. I do similar crazy long sessom and it keeps you energized because you're not burning muscle for fuel. In any workout session you're gonna burn ALL MACROs ... fat, carbs, and protein. If you drink this durring your sesson, you'll spare muscle, burn fat and see an immediate energy response.  💪🌴😎

[trainermike]

WIthout going into crazy detail... A BCAA mix with Glutamine work awesome for use DURING Training. It will allow you body to burn fat as a primary fuel more efficiently in the absence of carbs and glycogen stores which can be expended quickly especially if you're on a low carb diet. Plus, if you eat something solid during training, you're gonna have to digest it, which can be less efficient because if the blood is in your stomach digesting, then it can.t be utilized elsewhere. Add this to any pre or post workout meal program during your workout and you'll have additional success. One of the coolest thing is that you feel it immediately,  it works on day 1. 💪🌴😎

[yolandabrownlee]

Hi Rebecca

I am new to this lifestyle change as I call it not diet.  I have just started working out on I have noticed that it seems to take a lot to lose the weight.  I no longer eat a lot of carbs and I work out each morning for at lease 30 minutes I eat three times a day and drink plenty of water not sure why the weight is  not coming off at a good rate.  I have been told that when you start to work out muscle weigh more than fat do you think this is the problem or am I not eating enough.

[Rebecca_M]

Hi Yolanda!

Let me preface this by saying I am in NO WAY a nutritionist, but I have a lot of experience with nutrition and fitness through the personal training that I participate in.

Honestly, there is this big misconception that you need to significantly reduce your calorie intake if you want to loose weight. But it is actually the opposite! If you are starting to work out on a consistent basis, and you are significantly reducing your calorie intake, you are going to send your body into starvation mode. This means that your body will not burn off the calories you are consuming due to lack of nutrition, therefore you will not lose any weight. This happened to me for the first 4 months that I was working out!

Also, don't be afraid of carbs! About 40-50% of my calorie intake comes from carbs. Our body uses carbohydrates as an energy source, so it is actually important to consume them. Obviously this does not mean that you should be eating huge quantities of bread, pasta, and chips on a daily basis, but you can still eat them! I eat bread and pasta all the time-its just about moderation. I personally consume about 1,800-2,000 calories per day and that has served me well. Not only has it helped with my fitness journey, but I feel less tired and have more energy than when I was restricting my calorie intake. And keep drinking all that water! The standard is that you should take you your weight, divide that in half, and that number is the amount of ounces of water you should drink on a daily basis. (ex-if I weight 200 lbs,dived in half is 100 lbs, meaning I should drink 100 oz of water per day). Its a lot of water, but it makes all the difference!

In reality, slow weight loss is the best way to go about it. It took me almost a year to lose 25 pounds. It is true that muscle will weight more than fat, but it will also take up less space on your body than fat does.

Hope this helps!

Rebecca 🙂 

[yolandabrownlee]

Thanks so much for the advice I appreciate it. Have a great weekend

Sent from my iPhone

[DavideFitbit]

Excellent! It so good to read so many different points of view about this, it only highlights how important this topic is to get good results. 

Sometimes we go on and on reading articles online, but it's great to hear from other people's actual experiences. 

Feel free to share your suggestions (portions, healthy snacks, full meals). 😃

[DanOstin]

before the training, I just drink coffee without sugar. After 2 hours after training, I eat vegetables and meat