is it better to eat before or after running? (muscle, lifting, gym)

[AngelaRed]

When I eat i want which ever one that will make the Matabolism (sp?) to speed up faster.

[nicolepsy]

just eat a tiny something before you run (like a banana)

[Timothylogan3]

i eat after, it really isnt nice running on a full tummy. rather have something light if you are on empty.

[ncisgreat]

BOTH!! Any trainer will tell you this. You absolutely need to have energy before (eat a carb and protein snack 30 minutes prior like apple with peanut butter or an energy bar) and afterward you need protein. I like a protein shake immediately after followed by a meal of lean meat, one small complex carb and veggies. The protein after is necessary to help repair muscle and maintain your energy.

[Charlottean]

Yep, both. Just like he said.

[Six Foot Three]

Well i get up (stagger) at 3.30 A.M. and i take 2 scoops (50 gms) of Whey protein and drink several glasses of Hot Green Tea and that gives me great energy when i get to the gym by 4.30 A.M.

I really luv working out first thing in the morning as it revs me up for the rest of the day and also it's out of the way so i can chill at eve....

[drjones96]

I usually just have some oatmeal or something a while before I go in the morning.

And if I go in the evening I usually don't eat anything until after. Maybe a snack like a granola bar but that's about it.

And after a workout I usually try to eat something substantial within an hour or so. Usually something high in protein.

[arguy1973]

idk..but the military makes you run just as soon as you gulp it down, so I guess it doesnt hurt anything.

[PatriotFan]

Much of what you will use to fuel a run will come from carbohydrates you might have eaten the night before. Running after eating will just make for an uncomfortable run. Depending what you eat, you could get gas, or it could just feel like lead in your system.

Before I run, I eat a banana, sometimes two, and I drink a couple cups of coffee. The banana is for the potassium and the coffee is for the kick. Because my runs are about five miles, most of the fuel comes from available carbohydrate stores.

You won't get into burning much fat on short runs like 5 miles. You will have to eat far less to get rid of the fat, or you will have to adopt exercises that burn fat...extra long runs would tend to do that as would weight lifting (that gets into other realms than what I am familiar).

After running I eat fresh fruit, and I drink some coffee or a flavored carbonated water drink. I save any "meal" eating for much later in the day.

It works for me, but I try to consume fewer than 2000 calories daily.

[kuan]

Your body, if you have eaten enough, has enough glycogen stores to go 26.2 miles. Your body best replenishes these stores after exercise... some research says up to six hours after. Think of fuel as topping up the tank rather than filling the tank before you have to exercise. Forget the whole metabolism crap. You cannot "alter" your metabolism. The laws of the universe are pretty much fixed in that regard. You can metabolize properly about 150-200 calories from carbs per hour. Any excess goes to fat. Fat becomes fat. It's broked down into lipids and reconstituted in the liver and deposited in random parts of the body.

So drink a glass of chocolate milk (or Endurox for those who wanna spend the cash) and try to eat smaller meals more often.