Eat before or after workout?

[jesslcochran]

On most workout forums it's suggested that you eat after you workout and to especially eat a lot of protein. The idea being that your muscles will burn more lactic acid or something. I'm 100% raw so for the protein I eat granola with fruit. I made the granola and it has a lot of different nuts and seeds in it. I also make sure to eat a lot of leafy greens as I heard that they help your body to produce protein.

My question is...is this true as far as you guys know?

I've been mainly doing Budokon (20 min yoga followed by 20 min martial arts followed by meditation). I plan to eventually do weights either before or after the Budokon as well but I need to work up to that (I'm a bit out of shape). I do it in the morning after the kids to go school.

My problem is that by the time I am ready to work out (about 9 am) I'm sooo hungry! I've started eating fruit before I workout for the energy and so I'm not distracted by hunger pains while exercising.

I was wondering what your opinions are on this.

*hugs*
Jess

[didi_dancer]

Hey I am a dancer. Pretty much I allways work out in the morning, be it going to dance, a yoga class or for a swim. I found that to do my best eating a piece of fruit like an apple if I need energy, and if I am feeling nervous a banana as it is more grounding. A handful of soak almonds of walnuts occasionally added in. But I allways eat an hour before hand that way It can have some time to be assemulated in my body. Then afterwards. Allways a green smoothie with spinach, banana, and living hemp protien powder and brewers yeast. And some raisins or dried figs or dried turkish appricots.

i found i have the best energy this way. If I eat more in the morning I feel bloated, and if I told drink my green smoothie afterwards I feel exshasted the rest of the day. I usally have a afternoon snack like 1/2 an avacado a couple cherry tomatos, drizzled with lemon juice, flax seed oil, and sea salt, plus a few herbs. (flax seed oil is very important to muscle recouperation so you can have energy for next days work out)
Then I have some other type of excercise for about an hour.
Dinner usally some dark greens or zucchini allways some sprouts carrots etc.. with a vinagrette dressing.
Dessert some sort of blended fruit pudding be it with bananas or frozen strawberries toped with chopped dates and coconut flakes yummy!
I find that I have lots of energy and I am not incubered by feeling hungry or full when I excercice.
Hope this helps
oh and i have tea through out the day with agave sweetner too.
So you know I excercice 1 hr to somedays 4hrs. Plus I have a part time job.

[rawbabymama]

I know I am really craving protein after I work out, so it made sense to me when I heard the recommendations. I like to work out on an empty or nearly empty stomach. You want to make sure to get some brazil nuts or sesame seeds, if you can, in your diet, to balance out the amino acids in greens or other veggies*. Sunflower seeds and cashews have a great protein all on their own.

Green leaves contain iron and so many other minerals and vitamins, they help your body do everything. Green leaves are love!

*Most of the protein we get from veggies and fruits are lacking in certain amino acids, especially methionine & cysteine. These amino acids are present, just in very low quantities; brazil nuts & sesame seeds are very high in these particular amino acids, so they balance out the diet nicely. Cashews and sunflower seeds are already very balanced on their own. (This is all information I remember from reading Diet For a Small Planet and looking at amino acid charts for various fruits and veggies. You don't need to combine the greens & brazils/sesame seeds at one meal, however. As long as you get a variety throughout the day, you're good).

Love ya Jess

Michele

[gs4life]

unless i go running first thing in the morning (6am) i'll usually eat a piece of fruit before...then i'll have bfast after my workout.

[Jenifae]

Always fruit in the morning. According to "Fit for Life" - The first Raw/Vegan Book that I'm aware of suggest only Fruit in the morning. And that does seem to work best for me. I have excerised my entire life........being a gymnast, dancer, and just a work out nut! Hehehe! I like to work out in the mornings. This is the best time for me and best way for me to start my day. If I eat fruit before a workout at least a 1/2 hour before I usually feel best and have energy. If I eat nothing I can feel weak and fatique more quickly.

As far as what I have learned with the Raw Diet is that "Greens" are the Building Blocks of Protein since, protein comes from amino acids in the Greens! So, viola..........eat GREENS! Nuts and Seeds are protein but, also full of fat and hard for the body to digest.

[rawbabymama]

As far as what I have learned with the Raw Diet is that "Greens" are the Building Blocks of Protein since, protein comes from amino acids in the Greens! So, viola..........eat GREENS! Nuts and Seeds are protein but, also full of fat and hard for the body to digest.

Greens should definitely be the basis of the diet, but a handful of nuts or seeds is needed for the balance in amino acids...

We all have our own opinions on what is best, and we know what works for us. I am basing what I said on recommendations for amino acid requirements - not protein requirements...it is all about balance. I was raw for over two years, including a raw, very healthy pregnancy, and balance is what worked for me...I am getting there again now. I wish for everyone to find balance.

Best wishes,

Michele

[jesslcochran]

Thanks guys. I'm learning about how to juice and I've been thinking of either juicing before or after my workout. Something tells me to do it after and see how that goes. Maybe some fruit for energy before hand.

*hugs*
Jess

[Jenifae]

Greens should definitely be the basis of the diet, but a handful of nuts or seeds is needed for the balance in amino acids...

We all have our own opinions on what is best, and we know what works for us. I am basing what I said on recommendations for amino acid requirements - not protein requirements...it is all about balance. I was raw for over two years, including a raw, very healthy pregnancy, and balance is what worked for me...I am getting there again now. I wish for everyone to find balance.

Best wishes,

Michele

HI Michele,

I agree with you - Balance is Key! I also think it's important to listen to our bodies and know what's best for our individual bodies.

Love and Light
Jen

[RawSar]

What I have figured out that works for me:

I usually work out right after I wake up. I don't eat anything, I hardly even have water. Just enough water to swallow some amino pills. Even a cup of water I will be able to feel in my stomach while working out and I can't stand the feeling of anything in my stomach while working out.

Right after working out I have my big breakfast drink which is lemon juice, water, chlorella with all my vit. and min.

I've heard that its best to not eat right before working out or to wait an hour or so (depending on what you ate) because if you do eat then you'll burn off what you just ate instead of stored fat ... there's a million reasons as to why its not good to eat RIGHT before working out.
Everyone is different though...

[KtotheB]

it totally depends on the time for me! Usually I get up around 5:30 and go work out and eat afterwards, but if for some reason I sleep in, I usually have to eat beforehand or I feel weak. Let your body guide you :)

[Jenifae]

I've heard that its best to not eat right before working out or to wait an hour or so (depending on what you ate) because if you do eat then you'll burn off what you just ate instead of stored fat ... there's a million reasons as to why its not good to eat RIGHT before working out.
Everyone is different though...


That's actually not completey true. What does happen when you work out on a full stomach is that most if not all your energy is busy working on digesting your meal so, your body won't have the energy or stamina you might normally have for a exercise and therefore, your body is uable to utilize the working out effectively or where you are wanting to dispense the energy. The calories you put in are what you put in. I have found working out on an empty stomach after an entire night long fast is also over taxing the body and can be hard on the body as well so, a glass of juice or a small piece of fruit a half hour before a work out gives you the best results by not taxing the body or the stomach. :)


Not that I'm an expert but, have been in the Fitness world all my life being a gymnast and dancer! Just my life's experience!

Best advice - Listen to your body! :)

[Aleesha Sattva]

Thanks guys. I'm learning about how to juice and I've been thinking of either juicing before or after my workout. Something tells me to do it after and see how that goes. Maybe some fruit for energy before hand.

*hugs*
Jess

you can totally juice before if you want... listen to your body, if it's asking to be fed before... then feed it! it knows waaaaaaaaaay better than anyone else what it needs after all! (((hugs)))

[Percy]

I would get a wheatgrass shot first and after, a orange, apple, carrot juice.

[green jeanie]

i think it is really important to consider the type, intensity and duration

for what you are doing, 40 minutes of varying intensity....I would definitely not eat closer than an hour before and then I agree....simple carbs that you can use quickly will be best

the whole protein after a work out rule is absolutely true but most important to consider if you are working at high intensity for a minimum of 45 minutes

if you are working that hard doing cardio type stuff such as cycling carbs and protein are important

if you are doing something that is weight bearing to your muscle you NEED protein to repair that tissue

I use sunwarrior protein powder...spirulina/ hemp are also great but you need at least 15-30 gms however you choose to get it

the exercise i am doing now is blowing all of these theories to dust though

i am doing long distance, endurance, mountaineering. and i am finding out that i need to eat before, during and after!!

i am still experimenting but for anything over an hour or two of full strength work breakfast counts!

[eatyourbroccoli]

honestly, i'd just eat when you're hungry and fast when you're not. :cool:

i snowboard about 15-20 hrs/wk and do the occasional yoga and this seems to work for me ::shrug::

[green jeanie]

true that!

[Cheremoya]

Yea like some said I like:) light juice, nothing heavy. Protein post whatever yer workout is.

[Jehote]

i have been totally jazzed this past week at the gym and the park i run in by drinking a green smoothie about 2 hours before i work out. banana, apple, blueberries, green super food, what ever else i had.
and then a banana RIGHT after im done working out or running. then i eat later when i get hungry. so far, no Bonk! during workouts.
Jehote