Which Is Better: Eat Before Sports or After Exercise?

Medical Video: Breakfast for Athletes

If you are on a diet to lose weight, then exercise is something you should not miss to do. However, maybe often you are confused, when is the ideal time to eat, whether to eat before doing sports or after exercise?

Eating before exercise can increase weight?

A study conducted in Belgium, examined how changes in body weight of people who eat before exercise and people who eat after exercise. A total of 27 young men were given foods that were high in calories and high in fat for six consecutive weeks. Then they were divided into three groups, namely the group that did not exercise at all, the group who ate high-carbohydrate foods before exercising, and the group that ate foods high in carbohydrates but consumed after exercise.

It is not unusual if the highest increase in body weight occurs in groups that do not exercise at all. However, other results showed that the group who ate after exercise had the lowest increase in body weight, not even increased weight at all. Although not many other studies have found the same results as the research mentioned earlier, this shows that what you eat before exercise has a profound effect on changes in body weight. Eating too much food before exercise can also interfere with digestion and cause stomach pain when exercising, this is due to improper meal times.

However, eating before exercise can maximize calorie burning

Many assume that exercise on an empty stomach can maximize the burning of calories and fat in the body, but this is not entirely true. If you exercise on an empty stomach, the body experiences a lack of energy, then you will not be able to exercise properly and cannot burn calories to the fullest.

In principle, the body needs time to digest food and process it into energy that you can use for activities and sports. The time it takes for the body to digest food depends on the amount and type of food consumed. Foods that are high in fat, protein, and fiber, require a longer digestion time, as well as a large amount of food. Therefore, it is better to eat foods that are low in fat and calories, about 3 to 4 hours before exercise, such as whole wheat bread with eggs or cereal with milk. But if you do exercise in the morning and are not used to eating heavy foods, then you can eat snacks 1 to 2 hours before exercise, such as fruit with low-fat yogurt, fruit juice, or cereal.

Recommended foods after exercise

Eating 15 to 30 minutes after exercise is an ideal time to replace energy in the body. It's best to eat foods that contain carbohydrates to replace glycogen in the body and protein to help the body build muscle mass. A research conducted at The Colorado State University Extension, foods that are well consumed after exercise are foods that consist of carbohirate and protein and contain little fat. Meanwhile, according to The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a glass of low-fat chocolate can be the right interlude for those of you who want snacking after doing sports.

Therefore, the most important thing is the time and number of servings, as well as the type of food you eat before and after exercise. All nutrients are needed to maintain bodily functions, but consumption according to needs is a matter that greatly affects the increase, decrease, or maintain weight. Paying attention to the overall nutrients eaten before and after exercise can help you maximize the burning of calories and fat in the body.

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