Hungry after Exercise
03-01-2010, 06:08 PM
#1
FitDay Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 45
Hungry after Exercise
Hello,
I was wondering if anyone else feels famished after exercise and if so, do you give in and have something, and if so, what would be good to have, or do you ignore it? I'm actually pretty new at this.
I was wondering if anyone else feels famished after exercise and if so, do you give in and have something, and if so, what would be good to have, or do you ignore it? I'm actually pretty new at this.
03-02-2010, 02:47 AM
#2
FitDay Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Largo, Fl Otavalo, Ecuador & Anguilla NA
Posts: 26
Me too!
I am absolutely starving after working out! Even after walking. Some things that have helped me :
stay hydrated - i make sure i take at least a liter with me, and keep sipping during my activity. Lots of times I think the signal is I am hungry, when I am really just thirsty.
Have something healthy on hand - carrot chips, celery sticks, some almonds.
Plan your exercise before a meal. If you're going to be hungry after working out, then it won't be a problem if it is time to eat anyways. I usually have a half glass of juice before my morning walk, then eat breakfast when I get back and am starving.
Go log your activity, see how many calories you burned. Then see how many calories are in what you want to eat - this makes it real easy for me to choose. The workout is fresh in my mind, and I don't want to negate my effort with bad food.
Good Luck!!
Carla
stay hydrated - i make sure i take at least a liter with me, and keep sipping during my activity. Lots of times I think the signal is I am hungry, when I am really just thirsty.
Have something healthy on hand - carrot chips, celery sticks, some almonds.
Plan your exercise before a meal. If you're going to be hungry after working out, then it won't be a problem if it is time to eat anyways. I usually have a half glass of juice before my morning walk, then eat breakfast when I get back and am starving.
Go log your activity, see how many calories you burned. Then see how many calories are in what you want to eat - this makes it real easy for me to choose. The workout is fresh in my mind, and I don't want to negate my effort with bad food.
Good Luck!!
Carla
03-02-2010, 07:29 AM
#4
FitDay Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 3
It would be a bad idea to ignore it. If your body is telling you that it needs food or drink, you need the 'right' food to keep your body energized. When I exercise, I prefer to drink gatorade but its a personal thing, there are benefits to an energy drink over water.
Depending on your exercise intensity, having some food/ snack would be helpful. Personally, I like Tuna as it is packed full of protein and is low in calories. I find it fills me up for longer than having carbs.
For me the goal of losing weight has been to reduce my calorific intake (food) over the amount of output (exercise) I do. As long as my food intake is less than my exercise, I am happy and content.
Hope this helps
Depending on your exercise intensity, having some food/ snack would be helpful. Personally, I like Tuna as it is packed full of protein and is low in calories. I find it fills me up for longer than having carbs.
For me the goal of losing weight has been to reduce my calorific intake (food) over the amount of output (exercise) I do. As long as my food intake is less than my exercise, I am happy and content.
Hope this helps
03-02-2010, 12:25 PM
#5
FitDay Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 5
It's completely normal to be hungry after eating. The reason you're hungry is because your body is burning up it's fuel during exercise. It's important to replenish with protein/carbs within 45-60 minutes of exercise completion. A fruit smoothie w/ some vanilla protein powder is an easy way to do it, but no matter what, don't starve yourself.
It's also very important to eat something light before working out as well. Working out on an empty stomach is a terrible idea, but you also don't want to have the grand slam breakfast. Choose a complex carb/protein such as a piece of whole wheat bread with peanut butter and a sliced banana on top. Do this and drink a glass of water an hour ahead of your workout.
Doing both of these things will insure that your body is getting what it needs to keep healthy.
Hope this helps!
It's also very important to eat something light before working out as well. Working out on an empty stomach is a terrible idea, but you also don't want to have the grand slam breakfast. Choose a complex carb/protein such as a piece of whole wheat bread with peanut butter and a sliced banana on top. Do this and drink a glass of water an hour ahead of your workout.
Doing both of these things will insure that your body is getting what it needs to keep healthy.
Hope this helps!
03-02-2010, 05:34 PM
#6
FitDay Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 45
Thanks for all the input! I am happy to hear that being hungry is normal. After my Aquacize class tonight I had a low fat yogurt drink and some toast, now just waiting for my tea to steep.
It is difficult for me to have snacks or drink with me when I exercise because I do so in the pool. However, should I choose another activity I certainly will have water with me. I also like to have baby carrots on hand. The crunch is satisfying and they are relatively sweet.
I have tried protein shakes before and had to gag it down and pray it stayed there!
As for working out on an empty stomach, I actually debated whether or not to have dinner tonight before I went to the pool, as I knew I was going to be hungry afterward, but in the end I was talked into having some salmon.
Amazon2Andes, that trick with the bar graph showing calories in vs calories out is WICKED! I have weighed how much exercise is required to negate whatever is tempting me, and it does work! I think that in the past, that was the main motivator for me!
Thanks again!
It is difficult for me to have snacks or drink with me when I exercise because I do so in the pool. However, should I choose another activity I certainly will have water with me. I also like to have baby carrots on hand. The crunch is satisfying and they are relatively sweet.
I have tried protein shakes before and had to gag it down and pray it stayed there!
As for working out on an empty stomach, I actually debated whether or not to have dinner tonight before I went to the pool, as I knew I was going to be hungry afterward, but in the end I was talked into having some salmon.
Amazon2Andes, that trick with the bar graph showing calories in vs calories out is WICKED! I have weighed how much exercise is required to negate whatever is tempting me, and it does work! I think that in the past, that was the main motivator for me!
Thanks again!
03-03-2010, 12:04 PM
#7
FitDay Premium Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Riverside, CA
Posts: 2,042
Hi Sveva,
I read somewhere that swimming is the most hunger-producing aerobic exercize among the more common aerobic exercizes like running, biking, or dance/step. I think there were some physiological reasons for it including having to maintain body temperture in the high 90's while you body is emmersed in 70 (or so) degree water. As several folks have noted, it is usually a good idea to plan a high protein snack after any serious workout to help build and rebuild the muscle you exhausted during your exercize. So if you can arrange your diet to include about 150 cals post exercize you will be stronger AND well fed.
That being said, I have never been hungerier in my life than when I was training for a marathon - not that I really needed the calories, like many I maintained weight, there was just something out of wack in my diet/running plan.
I read somewhere that swimming is the most hunger-producing aerobic exercize among the more common aerobic exercizes like running, biking, or dance/step. I think there were some physiological reasons for it including having to maintain body temperture in the high 90's while you body is emmersed in 70 (or so) degree water. As several folks have noted, it is usually a good idea to plan a high protein snack after any serious workout to help build and rebuild the muscle you exhausted during your exercize. So if you can arrange your diet to include about 150 cals post exercize you will be stronger AND well fed.
That being said, I have never been hungerier in my life than when I was training for a marathon - not that I really needed the calories, like many I maintained weight, there was just something out of wack in my diet/running plan.
