How soon after eating can you work out?

[juliahenry]

I know it's different for everyone. If I eat sensibly (light, balanced, nothing too difficult to digest), I usually wait an hour before going for a run. I suspect I would be fine after 45 minutes.


how about you? How soon after decent food can you go exercise? And is it different for weights vs cardio?


(...she asks while waiting for her breakfast sandwich to digest enough for a run... )

[jamalynn]

I usually keep it pretty light before runs. In the morning, I don't eat anything. On days when I don't workout first thing, I usually have an orange 15-20 min before I run.

[mainewifey]

A light lunch, or breakfast maybe 15 minutes. I always have a snack like fruit or a granola bar or something before I work out. I actually need something in my stomach or I get nauseaus.

After eating something heavy, an hour usually.

I do mostly HIIT and weights, some swimming. Very little running.

[wambam]

Two hours. I eat a snack around 3:30 and workout at 5:30. Sometimes, I end up eating my afternoon snack around 4:00 and it just feels weird.

[enfuego23]

I usually wait about an hour after I eat to go and run. I can eat a small piece of fruit and be ok to run in about 20 minutes.

[ebeth]

during the week (i.e. after work), less than 30 min or so. I usually will have a handful of pretzels or something when I get home and then get dressed and leave.

weekends it's probably more like 45-60 min.

[Deleted]

It really depends on the food. If I have pb & toast or banana or a snack bar (larabar, etc.) than I will go out right after. A heavier meal, I will typically wait an hour or so.

[Susie]

It totally varies for me.  I can ride my bike much quicker after eating than running, and I can do a weekday maintenance run much quicker than a long run.

[demandypants]

it depends what I have eaten and what the weather is like. Hot and humid I really have to keep eating before hand light. Hot yoga, I like to have about 2 hours without food. I can pretty much run right after I eat a banana or bowl of cereal though. I will wait about an hour for anything heavier than that.

[Wines Not Whines]

I prefer to wait at least 2 hours after a meal, but I have a sensitive stomach. If I just eat a light snack like a piece of fruit or pretzels, I don't need to wait long.

[skwcm80]

About an hour after heavy meals, but I don't usually eat anything if I run first thing in the morning.

[shauni27]

For a lighter afternoon run (less than 6 miles) I will eat a pear on my way to my route, so I am finished about 10-15 mnutes before I start running?

For longer runs and races I try to eat about an hour before, and that is more substantial food (bagel with egg, toast with PB, etc).

[shorty20]

If it's something small like a banana or something, I can run after 15 minutes and be fine.

For a whole meal I try to wait 45 minutes to an hour.

[mollyrunner]

Something small like toast or a banana and I can run/spin/jump after about 15 minutes.

Lunch or dinner? I need more like 2 hours to digest fully. And I have to brush my teeth.

[Brit]

On the way to meet my running group on Saturdays, I eat a bagel with PB in the car, so like 5-10 minutes? Earlier this week I ate a Mason jar salad about 10 minutes before running and felt pretty awful for the rest of the day. So, it depends on what the food is.

[emilyj]

My true preference is to not eat before I workout. I hate it. However, that's not always the smart option. If I'm going to swim practice, I've figured out I can tolerate oatmeal about an hour and a half before. On my bike? If it's an hour-ish ride, I won't eat beforehand, especially if it's hot outside. If it's more than an hour? I try to get a banana in me about half an hour before I go.

[taratru]

After a meal, at least 2 hours. If it's a morning race or run, I usually grab toast about 30 minutes before.

[aurora]

I can ride my bike very soon after, though I rarely eat a big meal before working out anyway.

I am very sensitive to milk products when I run and have to wait at least 3-4 hours to run after having a glass of milk or I get bad side cramps.

[sadlebred]

For cycling in the morning, I try to leave 90 minutes between breakfast and my ride. For an after work ride, I eat lunch about 12:15, a snack about 4:00, and a Granola bar right before I ride.

[spunkypenguin]

I usually head out about 20-30min after I eat for short runs - I just have an english muffin w/ PB.  For long runs/races, I eat a bagel w/ PB and give myself a little more time to digest - around 45 min.

I don't really need as much time to digest before less intense activities.  I still keep it light before working out.  I eat something more substantial on my way to work or once I get to work.