...Nourishing Our Body for Exercise

Updated on April 08, 2011
L.L. asks from Topeka, KS
10 answers

What do you eat before your work out from extensive - light work out such a brisk walk a mile or two do you eat a snack afterwards if so what do you eat to not undo the exercise.I need to begin losing weight,but I don't like the feeling that i'm starving afterwards & want to eat.Looking for foods that fill me up with energy,that fill my stomach & healthy
I don't eat a ton of food a day I eat lots of variety fruits & veggies,yogurt, don't care for meat but have a sweet tooth so getting that under control will be another step to getting my weight under control once again,I have 3 kids & never put on a pound with them I always lost 20 lbs each pregnancy.My weight comes from lack of exercise I chase 3 kids around but that isn't enough.

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So What Happened?

I read all your responses Thanks...I should of mentioned that my primary Dr has told me to reduce my calorie intake by logging it in a journal & that I should expect to loose 10 lbs in 2 weeks I see him in May & have yet began to write them in but have noticed that i'm not eating much other than fruit or raw veggies cutting the soda out & I love cold sweet iced tea so that is my go to for caffeine,I do drink water daily,trying to stick to no snacks just my meals that are mainly fruit & veggies a side salad some protein.
I just want to take the edge off of feeling hungry after a brisk walk or heavy exercise so there is a few things i'll go to eat before & hopefully the full glass of iced water will curb the appetite till it is time to eat....

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S.J.

answers from St. Louis on

Right before I run in the morning, I have a piece of toast or something light, and some coffee. Has always been my routine and it works well for me. I drink water throughout my entire run. I usually run about 2-5 miles, depending on the day. I average 3.5 miles per run.

After my run, I eat ANYTHING I can get my hands on! Honestly, I am usually so hungry I scarf down an apple and then go home and cook a huge lunch - a lot of carbs and some protein.

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A.P.

answers from Gainesville on

Ok a light work out a mile or 2? Nothing! That mile or 2 will help keep your heart healthy but in all honesty won't burn much in the way of calories! if you "must" eat after the workout then have an apple or something.But don't add an extra snack b/c u went for a walk.

All the posts here so far, about what to eat after a hard workout, not a light workout! Like running 3 miles - it is not the same as walking a mile or 2.. Sure that is a great way to start exercising but if you are just walking you need to buil up to longer walks and do a brisk pace in order for your body to really "need" anything but water after that workout.
Consider also doing a little weight training that will build muscle and muscle burns more calories! and make you look better! Good luck!

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M.R.

answers from Chicago on

You should absolutely eat right after you exercise. Something that has a combination of carbs, fats, and protein would be ideal. Combining the three keep your body and brain feeling fuller longer and keeps blood sugar nice and consistent, thus avoiding the "oh my gosh I want to eat again!" 30 minutes later. Good examples are:

peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole wheat bread
greek yogurt
glass of milk
almonds or walnuts and string cheese, small apple
protein powder shake
protein bars (they are okay if they are not just glorified candy bars)
soft taco (ground turkey, lettuce, a little cheese, tomatoes in a whole wheat wrap)
endive lettuce scoops or red peppers with hummus

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A.S.

answers from Boca Raton on

The biggest thing that helps me is to measure (or weigh) every bite of food and write it down. Doing so makes me much more aware of how much I am actually eating.

I try to avoid processed foods, fast foods, and franken-food (food filled with non-food).

When I'm doing heavy resistance training (I'm in P90X) I eat more fiber and "energy" food. When I'm on a cardio track I eat less. That "hungry" feeling (within reason - I'm not talking starvation) is actually good - it means your body is burning its own fat.

I have lost 12 pounds (155 to 143) which is amazing for me. I have had a very difficult time losing any weight over the last couple of years.

Good luck.

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B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

This is why exercise so often does not help people lose weight.
You spend an hour working out or on a treadmill burning up roughly 300 calories, then eat a 'health' muffin which completely replaces the calories you just worked off.
There's no question exercise is good for your muscle tone, circulation, heart and other systems, but calorie intake control is what really helps you lose the weight.
Count your calories, and don't take in over what ever your set amount is.

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G.R.

answers from Dallas on

protein bar...i eat a protein bar after work out because i still have 3 more hours until dinner

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A.B.

answers from Louisville on

When I first started working out, I was fine with keeping up at first (but always starving afterward), and then about a month later, I just started running out of steam in the middle of my workouts. I read several articles and they all pretty well agreed that protein before and after a workout makes a huge difference. Now before working out every morning, I eat a light breakfast (2 eggs and a small whole wheat bagel). It makes a huge difference in my endurance, especially if I'm lifting weights a lot that day. I also make sure to drink at least one glass of water before the workout and one during, which seems to help. If I'm hungry afterward, I eat a bowl of yogurt with some fruit. I don't have many days now where I am feeling like I need to eat constantly. I hope this helps!

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

I eat foods high in fat before a heavy workout (so my liver/gallbladder "dumps"), which nixes side cramps. Also proteins/carbs, but it's the fats that create the "dump" of those organs... which creates more space for blood to flow through. My standby is hashbrowns and sausage and chocolate milk before a 2-4 hour heavy workout.

Then I eat clean proteins (fish, crustaceans, etc.) and something light (salad, rice noodles, etc.) afterward. My go tos are things like Thai red curry & coconut braised fish over rice noodles, chopped salad, seared shrimp over spinach w/ egg.

For an all day/ medium level workout (like hiking 20-30mi, or snowboarding for 10 hours, or sailing in 'on your toes' seas for 10 hours) I eat a lot of sandwiches. Typically 1 sandwich every 2 hours in addition to breakfast, lunch, dinner.

What I'm working on, however, is weightloss + endurance. If a person is trying to bulk up (muscle wise) one needs an entirely different kind of diet (HUGE on the protein to repair ripped muscles).

For the (healthy) weightloss... all I personally need to do is walk 5+ miles a day and eat "normally" (aka 5 times a day, so my body doesn't think a famine has hit). I lost over 100lbs that way. The endurance, however, for the sports I like to play (and because I have chronic pain from joints that are too loose, I have to keep my muscles strong in order to not be in blinding pain, my muscles hold my joints together instead of my tendons and ligaments) are why I work out.

((Unhealthy weightloss is a different matter. I can lose up 12lbs a day unhealthily, and drop 100 in 2 months, but that not only kills your metabolism, it damages your heart and other organs, including your bones. Taking 2 YEARS to drop over 100lbs actually had me in tears quite frequently, but it was the healthy way to go about it. I got pregnant 6mo after height of my anorexia 400 cal per day-week, and had to eat for the baby. I'd already gained back all my eating disorder weight (60 lbs). At 1800 calories per day -diet worked out with nutritionist, and strictly followed- I gained just over 180lbs. 2 years later I'd dropped slightly over 100 -not including what I carried in my uterus. Now I'm working on the last 50-70 a few years later.))

What you're trying to achieve REALLY impacts how one should eat to achieve that goal.

When I was competing (sports again), and when I was in the military in the field each I'd eat between 4000 & 6000 calories per MEAL.

If you don't replace what you use, your body thinks it's starving and starts hoarding every extra calorie as fat ("dieting" is how med professionals get anorexics to GAIN weight). I actually AM anorexic. When I was in a bad spot I was eating 400 calories per day TOPS while hiking 10mi a day and dancing 4-8 hours a day and was still gaining weight. My metabolism had ground to a halt. Versus when I was competing or in the military easily consuming over 10,000 calories per day and had trouble keeping weight ON.

"Dieting" + exercise to lose weight are about the absolute worst thing you can do for long term weight loss. Instead, eat a LOT (healthily) and exercise.

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K.P.

answers from New York on

It's actually best metabolically to eat something within an hour AFTER working out when your body is "moving". I don't really eat before I work-out b/c I don't like feeling "full", but I will make sure that I have plenty of water before going for a run. If you want something, I would suggest a granola bar or cereal bar for a quick "fill" before tying-on the sneakers.

Remember that this is all about making sustainable lifestyle changes... reduce your caloric intake and increase your calorie burn and you WILL drop the weight. If you generally eat well, then adding consistent exercise into your day will result in weight-loss and muscle toning!

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S.N.

answers from Minneapolis on

You need to eat protein after a work out.... it helps re-build the muscles you've just worked out. If you don't want/ have the time to eat actual food Muscle Milk Light is really delicious, lower calories and high in protien.

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