Which is better: eating before exercise or after exercise? & bull; hello healthy

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

Can you eat before exercise to gain weight?

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

It is not uncommon for the highest weight gain to occur in the group that did not exercise at all. However, other results show that the group that ate after exercise had the lowest weight gain, even if it didn't gain weight at all. Although there are not many other studies that have found the same results as the studies that have been mentioned earlier, this shows that what you eat before exercise has a big effect on changes in body weight. Eating too much food before exercise can also interfere with digestion and cause stomach pain when doing sports, this is due to improper mealtime.

However, eating before exercise can maximize calorie burn

Many think that exercising 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, your body has a lack of energy, then you won't be able to do the exercise properly and you won't be able to burn calories optimally.

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, take longer to digest, as do large amounts 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. However, if you do exercise in the morning and are not used to eating heavy meals, then you can eat snacks 1 to 2 hours before exercise, such as fruit with low-fat yogurt, fruit juices, or cereal.

Foods that are recommended after exercise

Eating 15 to 30 minutes after doing exercise is the 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 good for consumption after exercise are foods consisting of carbohydrates 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 distraction for those of you who want it snacking after doing sports.

Therefore, the most important thing is the timing 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 in accordance with the needs is one thing that greatly affects the increase, decrease, or maintenance of body weight. By paying attention to the overall nutrients eaten before and after exercise, can help you maximize the burning of calories and fat in the body.