Should I Eat Before or After Workouts?
This is a super common question I get and unfortunately, there isn’t a “right” or “wrong” answer. However there is a somewhat right answer.. Here’s what I tell my clients.
Everybody is different. Some people feel nauseous during their workout if they don’t eat beforehand while others feel nauseous if they do. It’s going to be a trial and error thing for you. As for me, I know when I eat a big meal before a workout I feel super lethargic and out of it. I personally like to fast before workouts and just stay super hydrated.
This may not work for you. You may be the type of person who needs a meal before your workout in order to feel ready to go. If you are this person that’s totally fine. Eat!
However this is when there’s a gray area. If you are going to eat, you don’t want to indulge in a greasy double cheeseburger from mcdonalds. You’re going to want to eat some type of carbohydrate to help give you energy and maybe mix in some fruit as a healthy sugar.
Eating before also depends on what your workout looks like that day. If you’re going to lift heavy, it may not be such a bad idea to load up on carbs to get some extra energy. If I do eat, it’s usually something like a quick PB and J or a small plate of pasta. However if its more of a HIIT workout, maybe just eat a protein bar and drink a lot of water. So take note of what you’re performing that day as well.
As far as after your workout goes, since you burnt all those calories and extracted energy, you’re naturally going to be more hungry. So pretty much everyone is going to want to eat after a workout. It sometimes takes a little bit to kick in so I start with a protein shake then within the hour I’m ready to have my next protein heavy meal of the day (usually something with grilled chicken).
Listen to your body and find what’s best for you!
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