Workout/craving Question

Ok I have a question for all of you...On my way home from the gym tonight (and Saturday) I found myself with a dilema. Why is it that after a GREAT cardio workout at the gym am I craving carbs so badly? I seriously drive home thinking about carbs and how good a sandwich would taste. Part of me wonders if it is because my head is still not 100% in sync with my pouch or if it is some other crazy reason. Any insight or similar experiences would be great to hear........I feel like a freak LOL Thanks for your Jennifer

I am totally with you - I am working to teach my body all it is getting after or before a good work out is a high quality protien shake. I get hungryer on days I work out harder. it makes sence even while it anoys beyond belief. I work out hard to lose wieght but my body is like - ok a few extra calories here please and NOW!!! so I try really hard to give it extra protien and let it pull fats from my extra (I have just a tiny bit you know LOL) when my wieght is good and my body fat is below 25% than my body can have some extra food for working out hard till then it gets protien and that is it! danni 372/286/170 ENJOYING THE JOURNEY

Jennifer Your body is looking for fuel, carbs are a quick fuel. Most people that work out crave after a good work out, which is why most of those fitness hounds drink a protein shake within an hour after working out to feed the muscles just worked. hope this helps

When you excersise, your body NEEDS carb's... so thats why your craving. Eating a banana after working out is a good thing...if you look at atheletes, they have to eat a very very high carb diet, because of all the excersise they are doing. "Two decades of research have shown that consuming carbs after a hard workout rebuilds worn muscles and primes the body for the next training. Failure to eat the right food after exercise -- or worse -- skipping the post-exercise meal altogether can harm your body....Carbs -- the main source of energy during physical activity -- are stored as glycogen in muscle cells. During exercise, the glycogen reserves deplete and an intake of carbs is needed to replenish the body. Neglecting or avoiding the post-workout meal could result in muscle breakdown and leave your body feeling fatigued during the next workout." Your body is just telling you what you need. Here are a few articles to read: http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/83/97707.htm?pagenumber=1 http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FKA/is_n1_v59/ai_18992522 http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2004-04-18-carbs-study_x.htm

If you are craving carbs itscuz you need some ! Choose good ones like a baked potato orwhole grain bread or veges high in carbs the good carbs act like they are suppose in your body to. so keep it simple and eat real healthy carbs. You wont feel good good if you dont eat some also good carbs help your brain! so eat!!!

I always crave carbs after a long work out. I work out in the evenings so I usually have dinner after working out. I always make sure I have some carbs with that meal. After a hard work out I will bend the "protein first" rule and have a few bites of carbs first (NOT a whole meal) if I'm really craving them. Carbs give us instant energy. Our body simply can't convert fat into instant energy. If I burn 500 or more calories during a workout and I've only consumed 600-700 calories so far for the day, my body is telling me that it needs energy NOW. It doesn't want to wait for it. My nut suggests 100-130 grams of carbs per day. I still can't get close to this number because I'm focusing on protein and fluids, but I will someday. So many people can't get away from the thinking that all carbs are evil and should be avoided. When we chose the right kind of carbs we're not sabatoging ourselves. With all that said, I find that if I eat some carbs when my body is craving them, my cravings go away immediately afterwards. If the craving is gone I don't make bad food choices later in the evening. Elizabeth

I was about to say man it sounds like we have the same nutritionist.... And then I was like... oh DUH!!! We do... hahahahaha Darlene

You're too funny Darlene! E--