Joann Bally CSCS
How long should you wait to work out after eating? This is a common question, but does not require a complex answer. Eat what and when works best for you. Don’t fool around trying to time your calories to lose an extra ounce or two. Your goals should be to have enough energy to fuel a good workout, and to not get sick to your stomach or have other gastrointestinal distress.
We do have individual differences here. I remember hearing a talk by a sports nutritionist who said some of her athletes could eat a ham sandwich on the starting line while others couldn’t look at food the day of an event without getting sick. Many times, as a personal trainer, I had clients who would start to fade before the end of a morning workout because they hadn’t had breakfast.
You can do a half-hour run first thing in the morning, but for a longer workout, it’s usually better to at least have a snack before going out. For endurance workouts or events, you may need to eat during the event. (We’ll look at hydration another time.) For now, let’s just look at time after eating. Of course, running or other impact sports are harder on your gut than, say, cycling, so you may be able to get back on your bike before you could be comfortably pounding the pavement. The following are guidelines for athletes adapted from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. They work for most non-competitive exercisers too.
After a large meal, wait 3 or 4 hours before starting activity.
Wait for 1 or 2 hours after a small meal, like cereal or a sandwich.
Wait for 1 or 2 hours before activity after shakes or smoothies.
Most people can start their workout less than one hour after eating a granola or cereal bar.
Don’t try new foods or eating patterns the day of an athletic event, or an all-day hike. Experiment to see what works for you. And, yes, any snacks count into your calories for the day.
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