Need help from exercisers

Hi I am over two years out and down 140lbs. I will be honest in that I never really exercised But now that I am farther out, I am needing to exercise. My whole family needs it really, but I want to do it now! I am just having a hard time with timing. Should you eat before you exercise?? I know that sounds stupid.....but I am all about trying to plan my day, and meals. Normally I wake up and drink my coffee.....I normally don't eat for a couple hours later.....like after getting the kids to school and stuff. I would like to exercise right after dropping the kids off, then I can shower and get about with my day. Only kicker is, I don't eat before than.......so I was wondering if I should start eating earlier, or if it really doesn't matter......I wanna do this right Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks & Take Care Jesi

I have always been told you don't want to eat and immediately exercise. But you do need to have eaten something before exercising as your body needs the fuel for the movement. I know when I have exercised without eating I don't hold out as well or I will get a low blood sugar and get sick. I have been exercising really hard for the last two years. I find that if I eat a banana before I walk out the door going to the gym that works pretty well. Melissa Rny 1/15/04 277/133

I drink a protein shake first thing in the morning with my vitamins then go work out for about an hour.... once I am showered and at work... I eat my oatmeal and cheese stick...... Oh, I also get 24 oz of water down as I am exercising..... this pattern works well for me.... Good luck..... You'll find a pattern that works for you..... kind of like NIKE... just do it..... Laurie - minus 176 lbs!!

I eat something light before I exercise, It varies depending on the timing. If I am going out to exercise at 5 am I eat a protein bar. If I am up and around but not exercising til my 10 am yoga class I eat my normal breakfast ( an egg, with a turkey sausage, and toast, a bowl of oat meal, Kashhi cereal with a banana, yogurt with kashi cereal etc.)when I get up which is around 630. If I am exercising after work around 4-5 pm, I have lunch at 1130 and eat a protein bar or a piece of fruit on the way to the health club. So , yes I eat before I exercise, but not a real heavy meal with in a couple hours. I always have a snack with in 1/2 hour to 45 minutes after I exercise. According to what I have read that having a snack with protein and complex carbs will help your body build muscle better. I generally work out 4-6 times a week for at least 1 hour and sometimes 2- 2 1/2 hours, depending on my time available. I have become a workout addict.

Jesi, My walks have slowly evolved into running. I walk the first mile, then run 2, then walk one. When I was just walking, I could do it Before or after eating and not tell any difference. But since the little ¼ mile jog in the middle of my walk Has grown to be 2 full miles running, I will feel nauseous if I do it right after eating. I typically will try to time my walk about an hour after eating Or if it's been 3 hours or more I'll have a protein drink or some Low-Carb Slim-Fast (20gms protein) in a de-caf coffee Before heading out to walk/run. Start slow and build it slowly. That's made it easier to fit into my busy schedule. Best Wishes- Dx

I'm not a morning eater either - wake up and start the day with a few cups of coffee, get the kids out the door, do a few chores & get my exercise in right off the bat. I will usually add some vanilla protein powder & cinnamon to my coffee, then have a protein something on the way home from the gym for recovery. The rest of the day I just eat balanced and so far, so good. Of course, LOTS of water and my supplements worked in throughout the day too. Good luck with getting started on the exercise...you'll be amazed at the difference in a month or so! Sly

I used to be a coffee only morning person, then eat a few hours later. Now though I work out pretty much every morning around 9 or 10, so I have either a yogurt or a protein shake with yogurt mixed in depending on what type of exercise I am planning. I need something that's portable because my kids need to be carted around to various places in the morning! I worked with a personal trainer in the fall and he could tell after 15 minutes of working out if I had eaten a "good enough" breakfast and would get really mad at me if I didn't!!! He said you need to fuel your body before you come to make the workout effective, and to make sure I eat no closer than 30 minutes before I work out. Good luck!! I started exercising when I was 11 months out and wish I had started MUCH earlier!!! Kristin

I don't eat before I exercise...50 minutes on treadmill, interval training program (slow/fast/up/down). I do, however drink about 24 oz. of water before I get on and continue to drink while I am on. I eat shortly after my workout. Karen

I have been exercising since about a month before my surgery and have experimented several ways. I started out walking 10 minutes at 1.5mph. Now I walk 10 minutes at 4mph, run 30 mins at 6.5mph, then walk another 30 mins at 3.5mph (70mins 4-5miles 3 days a week, and 10 mins cardio and 50 mins weights/lunges/pushup&downs/squats on the 3 opposite days, sundays off) Like DX since I have been running the past few months I can not eat solid food the hour before I run or I will cramp up. I have taken to an AchievOne protein drink which has caffeine in it for a boost on my way from work to the gym. On days where I do not run, but do the elliptical and weight train I do a protein drink w/ in an hour afterwards as well to help build the muscles I just tore up like Willow said. You need something with in a 2 hour window before and after. I work nights so my last meal is usually around 5am, then a protein drink at 8 on the way to work, if you sleep then get up and just have coffee, theres nothing for your body to work off of. Best time to eat fruits is in the morning, that plus the exercise will keep you regular too! If nothing else have atleast an 8oz glass of milk or some yogurt. Even if you do not exercise in the morning, protein with in an hour of waking up replenishes what your body used while you slept to rejuvinate your body from the day before use. That's a big part of the whole "eat breakfast" thing they have been preaching for years. Good Luck, take your time, and gradually build up your routine. If you start out too fast and hate it you won't stick with it. Before you know it, what seems hard won't make you sweat and you will be increasing the intensity. I can not tell you I like exercising. I like the benefits from it, sleep better, breath better, potty better , move better, muscle definition, and if I have a headache or tummy ache exercising anyways usually makes it go away with in 10 minutes. Monday at 6am I will be at the hospital letting my PS draw lines around my body....no exercise for me for several weeks. Can't wait to be able to run with out my stomach skin jiggling and having that sweat patch in the center of my shirt from the top roll! Mic

Mic -- good luck on the plastics! Karyn