How Long After Exercise Should You Eat?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Most dietitians recommend eating something

within 30 minutes

after a workout. Your body, after using up its available energy, needs to be refueled, specifically with carbs and protein, for energy and to repair the microdamage that exercise does to your muscles.

How long should we wait to eat after workout?

Protein is necessary to rebuild muscles, while carbs will re-stock glycogen, or energy stores, in your muscles. Eating within

15 to 30 minutes

post-workout is ideal, but if this isn’t possible, aim for within 60 minutes.

How long should I wait to eat after workout to lose weight?

Depriving your body of fuel after a workout also deprives you of the muscle and metabolic gains and the weight-loss benefits that come with them. With all that being said, “ultimately, it’s recommended that you try to eat

within 50 minutes

after a workout,” Michele told POPSUGAR. “The max is probably two hours.

What happens if you dont eat after workout?

“If you don’t eat and drink after working out,

you may start to feel fatigued or even hangry

,” says Patton. “It’s an important part of your recovery.” That quick bite should be followed a few hours later by a nutritious meal chock-full of carbs and protein.

What should I do after workout to lose weight?

  1. Get hydrated. Rehydration is essential, especially if you’ve exercised intensely or broken a sweat. …
  2. Eat a healthy snack. Plan to eat a healthy snack or meal within 45 minutes of completing your workout. …
  3. Do light exercise on rest days. …
  4. Don’t forget to cool down.

Does eating after exercise increase weight?

A long endurance session or tough weight-training workout requires post-workout fueling to help replenish your energy stores and repair your muscles. That snack or meal

won’t cause you to gain weight, unless it pushes you above the number of calories you need to maintain your weight.

Can I workout after 1 hour of eating?

When to exercise after eating

While it’s usually unnecessary to wait until food is fully digested before exercising, it’s best to give it some time to settle in your stomach. For most people,

1–2 hours is sufficient after a moderate-sized meal

, while waiting at least 30 minutes after a snack is fine.

Will I lose muscle if I don’t eat after workout?

According to Rebecca Gahan, owner and founder of

[email protected]

Fitness over email with Bustle,

if you don’t eat within an hour of working out, you could get muscle atrophy, which is muscle breakdown, and this can worsen with time

. If you’re waiting too long to eat after working out, you could be putting your health at risk.

How long after workout should I shower?

So a quick, cold shower sounds rather tempting but you need to hold your horses right there. It is considered absolutely essential to wait for

at least 20 minutes

after your workout before you hit the shower.

What is the best way to lose belly fat?

  1. Eat plenty of soluble fiber. …
  2. Avoid foods that contain trans fats. …
  3. Don’t drink too much alcohol. …
  4. Eat a high protein diet. …
  5. Reduce your stress levels. …
  6. Don’t eat a lot of sugary foods. …
  7. Do aerobic exercise (cardio) …
  8. Cut back on carbs — especially refined carbs.

What should I eat after working out to lose belly fat?

  • grilled chicken with roasted vegetables and rice.
  • egg omelet with avocado spread on whole grain toast.
  • salmon with sweet potato.
  • tuna salad sandwich on whole grain bread.
  • tuna and crackers.
  • oatmeal, whey protein, banana and almonds.

Does waiting to eat after workout burn more fat?

Cyclists who had pedaled on an empty stomach incinerated about twice as much fat as those who had consumed a shake first.

Do I have to eat after a workout if I’m not hungry?

How do you refuel if you’re not hungry? Even if you’re not in the mood to eat,

it’s important to refuel after a workout

to help your body recover and prepare for the next training session.

What is the best thing to eat after a workout?

  • crackers.
  • fruit (berries, apple, bananas, etc.)
  • oatmeal.
  • quinoa.
  • rice cakes.
  • sweet potatoes.
  • whole grain bread.
  • whole grain cereal.

Should I eat after evening workout?


You should eat a meal or snack with carbs and protein within the two-hour period after your evening workout.

Is working out 30 minutes a day enough to lose weight?

Aug. 24, 2012 —

Thirty minutes of exercise a day may be the magic number to lose weight

. A new study shows 30 minutes of exercise a day works just as well as an hour in helping overweight adults lose weight.

What not to do after exercising?

  1. Forget to hydrate. …
  2. You don’t eat after your workout. …
  3. YOU EAT TOO MUCH AFTER A WORKOUT. …
  4. Forget to stretch. …
  5. Not clean your space or rerack your weights. …
  6. Think that fitting in a workout means you can be lazy the rest of the day. …
  7. FORGET TO WASH YOUR SPORTS CLOTHES.

How much weight can you lose exercising 1 hour a day?

Walking 1 hour each day can help you burn calories and, in turn, lose weight. In one study, 11 moderate-weight women lost an average of

17 pounds (7.7 kg), or 10% of their initial body weight, after 6 months of brisk daily walking

( 3 ).

Why do I lose weight immediately after exercise?



As your muscles become more accustomed to the exercise and more efficient, however, they begin to need less glycogen to maintain the same level of energy output

,” Dr. Calabrese says. “Thus, your water retention becomes less, so your weight will start to go down.”

Does exercising on empty stomach burn fat?

When exercising on an empty stomach, more of your body’s energy needs are met by the breakdown of body fat. A study in 273 participants found that

fat burning was higher during fasted exercise

, while glucose and insulin levels were higher during non-fasted exercise ( 3 ).

Which fat gets burned first?

Mostly, losing weight is an internal process. You will first lose

hard fat that surrounds your organs like liver, kidneys and then you will start to lose soft fat like waistline and thigh fat

. The fat loss from around the organs makes you leaner and stronger.

Is it okay to exercise at night?

A. Traditionally, experts have recommended not exercising at night as part of good sleep hygiene. Now a new study, published Oct. 29, 2018, in Sports Medicine, suggests that

you can exercise in the evening as long as you avoid vigorous activity for at least one hour before bedtime

.

Should I workout on an empty stomach?


Working out on an empty stomach won’t hurt you

—and it may actually help, depending on your goal. But first, the downsides. Exercising before eating comes with the risk of “bonking”—the actual sports term for feeling lethargic or light-headed due to low blood sugar.

Can I workout after 2 hours of lunch?

As a general rule of thumb, you should wait to exercise until three to four hours after eating a meal, and

one to two hours after eating a snack

, advises Ansari. Doing some light exercise after eating—like walking—is fine, but for a more intense workout your body needs time to digest.

Do I have to eat protein right after a workout?


You’ll want to consume high-quality protein afterward as well to build and repair muscle tissue that was broken down during your workout and stimulate muscle protein synthesis

, which is essential for muscle recovery and adaptation to exercise.

James Park
Author
James Park
Dr. James Park is a medical doctor and health expert with a focus on disease prevention and wellness. He has written several publications on nutrition and fitness, and has been featured in various health magazines. Dr. Park's evidence-based approach to health will help you make informed decisions about your well-being.