When to Eat

[TheOneWizard]

I'm specifically asking about when to eat when you're planning on working out. I've been told many times that it's best to workout right in the morning before your breakfast, especially if you're doing cardio. The advantage is since there's nothing in your body you'll burn more fat. Recently two friends of mine said that's horrible advice and you should always eat something before. Does it also make sense to wait an hour after the workout to eat? which I've also been told helps burn fat.

How does it change if you're going to do weight training?

[lostinthesaus]

I lost weight very quickly when going to the gym first thing in the morning before eating. Problem was, I also lost a lot of muscle and I couldn't push myself at all. I also read that fasting after working out to a degree can help you burn more calories. Never actually tried it though. Why don't you just try both and see what works best for your body type?

[Ikaika]

Originally Posted by lostinthesaus

Why don't you just try both and see what works best for your body type?

Because they're both awful ideas.

When you get up in the morning, your cortisol levels are very high. This is a very catabolic state for any sort of exercise; breakfast is tremendously important because it gives your body something to use for fuel aside from burning muscle. Doing fasted cardio in the morning is a great way to lose tons of muscle unless you have the rest of your diet completely dialed in.

Get up, eat some oatmeal and a couple eggs, and do your cardio. You'll have better endurance and a much better workout overall.

If you're going to be lifting, same story. You need fuel for your muscles, so why try to go lift on an empty tank? Having not eaten does NOT mean you'll burn fat. Muscle is the most metabolically expensive tissue and is the first tissue to be broken down for energy.

Also, you need to eat immediately after you finish exercising. Get some protein and carbohydrates so that your body can start repairing all the microtears you've created in your muscles. Remember, this rebuilding process is what causes the muscles to grow! I keep taking for granted how much people know; I'll write up a good post-workout nutrition sticky for everyone to peruse.

[TheOneWizard]

Originally Posted by Ikaika

Also, you need to eat immediately after you finish exercising. Get some protein and carbohydrates so that your body can start repairing all the microtears you've created in your muscles. Remember, this rebuilding process is what causes the muscles to grow! I keep taking for granted how much people know; I'll write up a good post-workout nutrition sticky for everyone to peruse.

Should you eat immediately after for both cardio and resistance training or just resistance? I've always eaten right after when I lifted weights.

[Ikaika]

Originally Posted by TheOneWizard

Should you eat immediately after for both cardio and resistance training or just resistance? I've always eaten right after when I lifted weights.

Definitely eat after both. A good postworkout meal should include 30-50 grams of fast-digesting protein, 50 grams of carbohydrates, and no fat.

You can use whey protein powder, skim milk, etc for your protein. I prefer protein powder but to each his own. As for your carbs, milk provides plenty in the form of lactose(not the perfect carb source but not awful either). You can also use Gatorade powder(don't use the premixed kind since it contains a different blend of carbs than the powder).

Something that I've been using for a while now is called waxy maize starch. Very similar to regular corn starch, it is a great post-workout carb source. It is a tasteless white powder, and you can mix it directly into your protein shake. It's a little bit chalky but not all that bad if you have good protein powder.

[lostinthesaus]

Originally Posted by Ikaika

Definitely eat after both. A good postworkout meal should include 30-50 grams of fast-digesting protein, 50 grams of carbohydrates, and no fat.

You can use whey protein powder, skim milk, etc for your protein. I prefer protein powder but to each his own. As for your carbs, milk provides plenty in the form of lactose(not the perfect carb source but not awful either). You can also use Gatorade powder(don't use the premixed kind since it contains a different blend of carbs than the powder).

Something that I've been using for a while now is called waxy maize starch. Very similar to regular corn starch, it is a great post-workout carb source. It is a tasteless white powder, and you can mix it directly into your protein shake. It's a little bit chalky but not all that bad if you have good protein powder.

I can come up with 5 different articles in different nutritional publications that contradict eachother, some agreeing with you, some completely disagreeing. I still say try different methods and see which one works best for you. Everyone is a "knows best", but its your body and your results so try it for yourself.

[Ikaika]

Originally Posted by lostinthesaus

I can come up with 5 different articles in different nutritional publications that contradict eachother, some agreeing with you, some completely disagreeing. I still say try different methods and see which one works best for you. Everyone is a "knows best", but its your body and your results so try it for yourself.

Everyone argues until they're blue in the face about how many grams of carbs/protein to consume. 50g protein and 50g carbs is a good baseline, and you're not going to know the difference between that and 100g carbs and 25g protein unless you're very in tune with your body.

The fact still stands that EVERYONE advocates eating immediately postworkout. That is not up for debate so suggesting that he "see what works for his body" will result in nothing more than useless workouts and wasted time.

There is definitely debate regarding fasted vs. fed state cardio, with most professional bodybuilders preferring fasted state while natural bodybuilders typically have more success with fed state. The reason? Pro bodybuilders are heavy abusers of AAS/HGH/insulin and by doing so have created an environment in their bodies that is so highly anabolic that doing an hour of fasted cardio every morning doesn't lead to much muscle loss. Without the steroids, growth hormone, etc. fasted state cardio becomes a totally different beast and for natural athletes it winds up burning a tremendous amount of muscle, which is why most prefer to eat beforehand.

[garbageman18]

I play college baseball and our trainers tell us we have to eat or have at least a protein shake within a half hour of working out because our muscles are still burning and adding a protein filled meal after will aid muscles in growth and repair. if you wait too long your muscles shut down and the food you put in will not aid towards muscle growth. I also have a meal plan tht our trainers put us on to shre fat and get lean muscle. Note that this type of program will not result in massive amounts of weight loss but massive amounts of body fat so i would reccomend getting your body fat tested before and every two weeks during this diet. So if anyone is interested you can pm me or just leave a post in here. be good.

[garbageman18]

and regards to cardio it is best to do in the am so you can put some carbs in your system for energy and you will burn it off during cardio and lifting. Should always have at least a little something before cardio

[Ikaika]

Originally Posted by garbageman18

and regards to cardio it is best to do in the am so you can put some carbs in your system for energy and you will burn it off during cardio and lifting. Should always have at least a little something before cardio

Agreed 100%.