When should you eat if you're going to exercise?

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As I have started to get my business off of the ground here in Safety Harbor, a lot of people I meet, as well as new clients, want to know when they should or shouldn't eat around their workouts. So I wanted to take a moment and address the issue on a broader scale.  

This can be a complicated question to answer, as everyone has different reactions to eating before exercise and people have different goals. For myself, I can eat something light immediately before or even during a workout. Other people may experience discomfort if they did the same thing. Usually, I will tell people not to eat 1 hour prior to their workouts. This gives the food a chance to digest some.  

If someone is trying to lose fat, I will usually tell them to time their workouts so that they finish 3 hours after their last meal. That way, they are ready for their next meal right after they're done. This maximizes fat burning. If performance or muscle building is more important, then you want to eat about 30 minutes to 1 hour before your workout, depending on how your body responds.  

Regardless of your goal, numerous studies have shown that eating a balanced meal or drinking a protein shake ASAP after a workout will improve your results. It helps to repair muscle cells and, due to having just worked out, won't result in a large amount of insulin being produced. This helps to maximize fat burning, recovery, and muscle building.

Jared Carter is the owner of Move Forward Fitness, a Personal Fitness Training studio at 500 Main St. If you have any questions about any aspect of health and fitness, you can reach him at 727-515-5318 or his email: jared@moveforwardfitness.com.