Weight loss is hard, I get it. When I first started my fitness journey, I wanted to see results right away. The option that could help me get to my end goal the fastest was what I wanted.
I searched far and wide online to find every secret I could to lose weight. I searched for the best foods to eat … the best workouts to do … the amount of sleep I needed … and way, way more.
One of the questions I really wanted to know was this: What should I eat before or after a workout to lose weight? I wondered, is there a benefit to eating before my workout? Is there a benefit to eating after my workout? What should I eat at these times, and will they help me lose weight?
Well, eventually I did find these answers.
When it comes to whether you should eat before or after your workout for weight loss, the answer is both. At the same time, you don’t necessarily need to do either. But, they can both certainly help if you get the right nutrients.
I know that may sound a little confusing, so let’s really break this question down. That way, you'll know exactly what to do.
Should I Eat Before or After a Workout For Weight Loss?
I’m sure you know that weight loss, and fat loss, start with your nutrition and exercise. What matters more than anything else is how many calories you eat vs how many calories you burn every day.
What I mean by that is you need to eat fewer calories than you burn throughout the day to see the weight on the scale go down over time. This is known as a calorie deficit.
On top of that, eating adequate amounts of protein can be super beneficial for losing body fat too (5). If you do those two things together, then you will lose weight.
But what about eating before or after your workout? These things are still both important, no doubt. However, not for weight loss or fat loss. These goals all come down to your nutrition as a whole.
First, let’s talk about what you should be eating before your workouts and the benefits they can offer for weight loss.
What Should I Eat Before a Workout For Weight Loss?
There has always been a lot of discussion about what you should eat before a workout for weight loss. The most popular discussion has always been about fasted workouts vs non-fasted workouts.
Some people thought that by eating nothing before a workout, you would lose more body fat. Others thought that this wasn’t relevant. To this day, I still like doing my morning cycling class without eating beforehand!
The truth is, the second group is right. Body composition changes are similar regardless of whether you eat or don’t eat before a workout (1).
This is because what you eat before a workout is not nearly as important as what you eat throughout the entire day. Remember, weight loss is all about calories in vs calories out.
However, there are benefits for your workout from eating specific foods beforehand. Carbohydrates can be a great fuel source to help with your performance (2).
It’s recommended that you have some protein and carbohydrates to fuel your body before a workout. Your body breaks these carbs down into glucose for your muscles to use as fuel during training. This is especially true during resistance training or shorter and more intense sessions.
You’re probably also wondering when to eat before a workout to lose weight. That depends on what you’re eating. If you’re going to eat 2-3 hours before your workout, choose a protein source and slower digesting carbohydrate. Along with a lean protein source, some good examples of carbs could be:
• Whole wheat bread/toast
• Oats
• Beans/legumes
• Apples
• Brown rice
• Sweet potatoes
If you’re going to eat within an hour of your workout, you may consider carbs that your body can break down and use for energy more quickly. Some good examples in this case would be:
• Honey
• Bananas
• Berries
• Bagels
• Granola Bars
Even though what you eat before a workout may not have a big impact on weight loss ... improving your workout performance can! That's why what you choose to eat before could actually make a difference.
What Should I Eat After A Workout For Weight Loss?
As you can probably imagine, what you eat after a workout is not as important as what you’re eating throughout the entire day. This is true whether you want to lose weight or even gain weight.
However, after your workout, you have a big opportunity to jump-start the recovery process. This is where a rapid-digesting protein and carbohydrate source can be beneficial.
If you’re training hard, your body breaks down muscle, uses up energy, and loses essential vitamins and minerals through sweat. It’s no wonder you feel so depleted after a hard workout!
Your body immediately looks for a way to replenish its glycogen stores and essential nutrients. This is why a post-workout carbohydrate is phenomenal. On top of that, your body needs protein for muscle repair and recovery (3, 4).
Now, because your body is stressed after a workout, eating doesn’t feel like a huge priority. Some hunger cues may be suppressed as your body tries to sort out what just happened.
Plus, most of the blood in your body has relocated to your brain, your heart, and your lungs. This sounds like a good thing, right? Right! You want the blood that’s full of nutrients and oxygen to be in those vital organs to push you through your exercise.
One of the places blood leaves, however, is your stomach and digestive tract (5). So, slamming your body with a lot of food, or heavy food, may make you feel nauseous and not want to eat. It can also be harder for your body to digest the food for this reason. So what is the best post-workout meal for weight loss?
I personally recommend a post-workout recovery shake. A combination, like Phormula-1 and Ignition, is designed to digest easily and rapidly to jump-start recovery. Phormula-1 is a rapid-digesting whey protein isolate, whereas Ignition is a simple carbohydrate.
The idea behind a recovery shake like this is to replenish your body's energy stores (glycogen) and give your muscle tissue the protein it needs to begin the repairing process.
This can help support your goals whether you’re looking to gain or lose weight!
When to Eat After a Workout to Lose Weight
You are probably also wondering when you should eat after a workout. Your body needs to refuel, but should you eat immediately or wait?
When it comes to your post-workout shake, I recommend immediately afterward. While again, your nutrition as a whole will matter most for your results ... This combination can be a good way to increase your protein intake and jump-start recovery.
After that, It would be best to get in a well-rounded, protein-dense whole-food meal an hour or so later. That way, you can supply your body with the energy and protein to help support recovery.
Fuel Your Body
At the end of the day, your nutrition as a whole is what matters the most for weight loss. I’m not saying that what you eat before and after your workout isn’t important, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. Your nutrition, exercise, sleep, and everything else make up the entire puzzle.
That’s why I recommend you get your ducks in a row when it comes to these things. If you’re not sure where to get started, that’s what we’re here for!
Heck, even if you are hitting a plateau, or could use more resources to earn the results you want, we can help. That’s a huge reason why we created the 1st Phorm App.
The 1st Phorm App simplifies the process of earning results so you can focus on what matters most: putting in the work to reach your goals! Inside the app, you'll get access to every tool and resource you need to be successful...
• Nutrition tracking - Log your food & water to stay on track. The 1st Phorm App is connected to a massive food database to make it easy.
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• Educational live streams 5x a week that cover a wide variety of topics from nutrition to training and supplementation. Equip yourself with the knowledge to earn and maintain your results long-term!
• Progress & body metric tools to help you measure your progress over time.
...and so much more!
With the premium version of the 1st Phorm App, you'll even get your own advisor! This is a Certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach you can message 24/7. They'll help you make adjustments, answer your questions, and even hold you accountable when you need it most!
Hundreds of thousands of people have already transformed their lives with the 1st Phorm App. You can too! No matter where you're starting from or how crazy your schedule and lifestyle are ... the 1st Phorm App can help you achieve the results you've always wanted.
If you have any questions or need any help in the meantime, don't hesitate to reach out!
We have a full team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers and Nutrition Coaches right here in St. Louis, Missouri. Just give us a call at 1-800-409-9732 or send us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com any day from 6 AM to 10 PM Central. We'll be more than happy to help in any way we can!
References:
(1) Schoenfeld, Brad J., et al. "Body Composition Changes Associated with Fasted Versus Non-Fasted Aerobic Exercise." Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, vol. 11, no. 1, 18 Nov. 2014, p. 54.
(2) Ormsbee, Michael J., et al. "Pre-Exercise Nutrition: The Role of Macronutrients, Modified Starches and Supplements on Metabolism and Endurance Performance." Nutrients, vol. 6, no. 5, 29 Apr. 2014, pp. 1782-1808.
(3) Burke, Louise M. "Nutrition for Post-Exercise Recovery." Australian Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, vol. 29, no. 1, Mar. 1997, pp. 3-10.
(4) Vliet, Stephan V., et al. "Achieving Optimal Post-Exercise Muscle Protein Remodeling in Physically Active Adults through Whole Food Consumption." Nutrients, vol. 10, no. 2, 16 Feb. 2018, p. 224.
(5) Leidy, Heather J., et al. "The Role of Protein in Weight Loss and Maintenance." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 101, no. 6, Jun. 2015, pp. 1320S-1329S.
(6) Musch, Timothy I., et al. "Training Effects on Regional Blood Flow Response to Maximal Exercise in Foxhounds." Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 62, no. 4, Apr. 1987, pp. 1724-1732.
