What to eat before going to the gym.?
Hi everyone, just had a fairly easy one for ya. I just started with a gym directly across the street from my office and basically my daily schedule is... -Up at 7:30, work by 8:30 - no breakfast -Lunch at 12:00 - 1:00 - usually a 12" hoagie/sub (no mayo, try to avoid cheese) occasionally a salad w/ fat free ranch -Out of the office at 5:00 - at the gym and working out by 5:05. I'm not hungry usually when I get to the gym, or even during or immediately after my work out, but by maybe 7:00 when I head home I can't help buy want to stop at taco bell or something. What should I do? Start having breakfast and push back lunch? I'd rather not get up earlier if I don't have to. Is there a good snack that will get my through my workout that is healthy and I won't be hungry at 7:00? Any advice is appreciated, thanks! -Jason
To eat or not to eat before going to the gym?
My husband and I have this debate. He goes to the gym in the mornings around 7am, I go around 9am, a little later. I wake up though around 6am on these days. I HAVE to eat something as soon as I wake up. Whether a banana, yogurt, or a small bowl of cereal. While I think it's not a good thing to go work out on a very full stomach, having not eaten anything for over 12 hours, I think trying to work out would surely make me dizzy, and not to mention after the gym come home and pig out from being really hungry. My husband says because I eat breakfast before going to the gym (mind you it's not a Denny's grand slam by any means, just something small and light) that I will not loose weight that way.
What would be good to eat before going to the gym?
Don't eat a large meal before you exercsie - well at least not sooner than 2 hours before anyway. After you eat your body likes to concentrate upon digestion therefore it cannot give you enough blood to support your requirements and you tire sooner. The time to eat is during the 2 hours after exercise whilst the body is still on a high. Then the calories in your food get converted into muscle rather than fat. You should eat carbohydrate foods like baked potatoes with grilled fish or chicken and veg. If you need to eat before you exercise then try an energy bar or a banana to give you that sugar rush before you start.
What should I eat in the evening before going to gym?
Hey Jo, Thank you for the question.Working out requires energy. And harder the workout, more you need to be prepared!For example I lift really heavy weights. And my meal preparation starts the day before!Say I plan to workout on Monday evening, I make sure at least 3 of my meals (Sunday night dinner, Monday-breakfast and lunch, are high in carbs. This replenishes my glycogen stores.Since I go low carb on my other days (I weight train only 2-3 times a week), eating high carb meals starting from the night before becomes important for me.If you plan to do a regular workout in the evening, having a GOOD lunch few hours before workout is the key!5 menu options for a pre-workout lunch 2.5 to 3 hours before your workout:Oatmeal with banana and crushed almonds with some unprocessed honeyBrown rice with Rajma ( Red beans ) and Big Bowl of Green Salad2-3 Chappatis with Dal and a Subzi and SaladWhole wheat pasta with Tuna ( or cottage cheese )Asian Mushroom Omelette with 3 Slices of Whole wheat BreadJust make sure that you consume enough Complex carbs: Oatmeal, Brown rice, Potatoes, Whole wheat Pasta, Chapatis etc. This will give you sustained energy during your workout. Healthy fats are important as they will slow down the digestion. And moderate proteins to avoid any breakdown of muscle tissues during your workouts.5 things you can have 30min to 45 min before your workouts:Note: If you had a heavy lunch and are already stuffed, the following pre-workout meal should not be taken. This may cause some discomfort and may cause pain in your stomach!1) A piece of fruit. Banana is the best2) A scoop of whey protein3) A boiled egg4) Whole wheat bread with peanut butter5) Oatmeal ( small bowl )I personally have an expresso right before my workout and since my workouts are long and intense I squeeze 2 large lemons in approx. 2 litres of water and add 1 tbs of unprocessed honey. This replaces any lost electrolytes and keeps me going.And lastly, a 10-15 minutes Power nap can do wonders when taken right before your workout. If a person has to directly to the gym from office and cannot nap, I highly recommend a meditation session for 5 min before they start their workout.Let me know if you have any further doubts:)If you like this answer you will love my blog.I have authored a book, which takes about the exact weekly diet which enabled me to gain lot of muscle, shed body fat and optimise my health. You can read more about it here.
What can I eat before gym in the morning?
There is not a specific answer to your questionWhat you eat before working out entirely depends on your goals. That is whether you want to lose fat or gain muscle mass, commonly referred to as cutting and gaining respectively.You have two options:If you are GAINING:If you are just a beginner who is starting out then you need to have a meal rich in all macro nutrients that is your carbohydrates,protein, healthy fats atleast 1 hour before you workout.If you are a busy person then two medium size bananas 30 minutes before workout will suffice, though I recommend you take the full meal for killing your workout session.If you are at an intermediate level that is if you have been working out for a while then you can buy some kind of pre-workout supplement eg: C4 Extreme for a much more satisfying workout and for lasting longer in the gym as the supplement will provide you with immense energy and strength in a short time.If you do buy a pre-workout supplement after reading this, be sure to buy one with BCAA's (Branched Chain Amino Acids) already in it.If you are CUTTING:You can workout empty stomach if your goal is fat loss but if you feel the urge to atleast take something then you can drink a cup of black coffee 15 minutes before working out, note that it should be “black”, don't take it with milk if your goal is to lose fat. You can also take 5g of BCAA supplement that will act as glue for your muscles and prevent their breakdown even as you do your cardiovascular training. Coffee on the other hand will increase your focus and provide increased blood flow and will kick-start your brain allowing you to develop a deeper mind-muscle connection.Hopefully you found this helpful.
Should i eat before or after the gym??
You should eat after you go to the gym. That way you will burn stored calories and not only the ones you just ate. I forget the exact numbers but you burn like 200% more calories if you work out on an empty stomache. I think it is actually even more.