Should I eat “before” or “after” exercising? Which is healthier? Proper nutrition is essential when exercising, so you may be wondering whether you should eat before or after a workout. Generally, when you should eat can depend on your personal fitness goals, the workout you’re planning, and any health concerns you may have. Furthermore, the two factors affect each other. Proper nutrition can fuel your workout and help your body recover and adapt.
However, one common question is whether you should eat before or after a workout. This can be especially important if you’re exercising first thing in the morning. Here’s everything you need to know about eating before or after a workout.
Should I eat “before” or “after” exercising?
Exercising on an empty stomach increases your body’s ability to use fat for fuel.
The body’s main sources of energy are body fat and carbohydrates. Fat is stored in the form of triglycerides in adipose tissue, while carbohydrates are stored in the muscles and liver in the form of a molecule called glycogen. Carbohydrates are also present in the form of blood sugar.
Studies show that blood sugar levels rise before and during exercise when you eat a pre-workout meal, which makes sense because most pre-workout meals in these studies provided carbohydrates, which your body uses for energy during exercise.
When exercising on an empty stomach, most of the body’s energy needs come from breaking down body fat.
A study in 273 participants found that fat burning was higher during fasted exercise, while glucose and insulin levels were higher during non-fasted exercise.
This exchange between carbohydrate and fat metabolism is part of the body’s natural ability to function with or without the สมัคร UFABET วันนี้ รับเครดิตฟรีสำหรับสมาชิกใหม่ food you just ate.
Exercising on an empty stomach may not lead to greater body fat loss
Since your body burns more fat for energy when fasting, it’s tempting to think that this will lead to more fat loss over time.
One study showed different reactions in people who exercised in a fasted state compared to those who ate before exercising. Specifically, the muscles’ ability to burn fat during exercise and the body’s ability to maintain stable blood sugar levels were improved by exercising on an empty stomach, but not by exercising after eating.
For this reason, some scientists believe that the body’s response to exercising on an empty stomach is more beneficial than exercising after eating.
However, despite some evidence suggesting the potential benefits of exercising on an empty stomach, there is no clear evidence that exercising on an empty stomach leads to more weight loss or fat gain.
Skipping food shortly before exercise may not affect performance
Many people who want to perform to their full potential wonder if exercising on an empty stomach will have a negative effect on their performance.
Some research has attempted to answer this question. One analysis examined 23 studies on whether eating before exercise improved performance.
Most research shows no difference in performance between people who eat less than an hour before aerobic exercise and those who do not.
Other studies examining high-intensity interval training (HIIT) have found no difference in performance between exercising on an empty stomach and after eating.
Although there is limited data on weight training, some research shows that exercising on an empty stomach or after eating may produce similar results.
One reason why no clear benefit of eating short-term pre-workout foods has been seen in these studies may be because of the body’s own energy reserves.
Your body stores about 2,000 calories in glycogen and many more in body fat.
All that stored energy allows you to work out even if you haven’t eaten for hours.
That said, some studies have shown improvements when eating a carbohydrate-containing meal or supplement before exercise.
Eating a short-term pre-workout meal can improve performance in some people, and the best choice can vary from person to person.
Eating before long-term exercise may improve performance
A large analysis of exercise lasting longer than an hour found that 54% of the studies reported improved performance when eating food before exercise.
Most studies showing the benefits of eating before exercise have focused primarily on carbohydrates.
Consuming slower-digesting carbohydrates, or eating a meal several hours before exercise, may benefit long-term performance.
For endurance athletes, other research has shown the benefits of eating a high-carbohydrate meal three to four hours before exercise.
Additionally, it may be beneficial to consume carbohydrates one hour before exercise for long-term activities.
Overall, there is stronger evidence supporting the benefits of eating before long-term exercise compared to short-term exercise.
However, some studies show no benefit from pre-workout meals.
If you didn’t eat before your workout, you should eat after.
Although the importance of eating before exercise can vary depending on the situation. Most scientists agree that eating after exercise is beneficial.
Research shows that certain nutrients, particularly protein and carbohydrates, can help your body recover and adapt after exercise.
Eating after exercise is especially important if you exercise on an empty stomach.
If you eat in the hours before a workout. The nutrients you eat may remain concentrated in your bloodstream during and after a workout. In this case, these nutrients can help your body recover. For example, amino acids can be used to build protein, while carbohydrates can replenish your body’s glycogen stores.
However, if you choose to exercise on an empty stomach. Your body will use its own energy reserves to fuel your workout. Moreover, there are limited nutrients for recovery. In this case, eating relatively soon after your workout is extremely important.
One study examined whether eating a meal containing protein and carbohydrates. After exercise on an empty stomach led to a greater increase in your body’s production of protein, compared to when no nutrients were consumed. Although there was no difference in the amount of new protein your body makes, eating after exercise does reduce the amount of protein broken down.