help a beginner with eating? plz?

[thebamker]

I'm in a class at 6:30pm.

Should I eat dinner?  save dinner for after and just eat a snack?  what time should I eat it, and what would you recommend?

I don't need to lose weight, I'm trying to increase strength.

The workouts will be really hard... I'd like to maximize my energy so I can hopefully get through it without completely shutting down.

then what do you eat after?  do you eat right away?

Yes - I realize these questions are probably pathetically elementary... I'm trying this for the first time in my life, so I'm basically a kindergartener.  sorry

[demandypants]

what kind of class is it? I don;t like to have a heavy meal before my yoga clases, or runs for that matter. For yoga I try not to eat 2 hours prior but will have a snack after. If I need to eat before a run I will have something like a banana or a cup of dry cereal for energy (and a protein snack later)

[shorty20]

I honestly think you'll just have to experiment.

We eat dinner around 5pm, so I would be totally fine by a 6:30 class. However, I don't have a queazy stomach usually, I can eat something 15 mins before I workout be fine. I think as a general rule of thumb you should be done eating about an hour before your workout, especially if you'll be doing a lot of jumping around, but again, it really just depends on the person.

If I ate dinner before, I would have a glass of chocolate milk or a greek yogurt after, something with protein and a little carbs and sugar. *Ideally* you're supposed to eat something within a half hour of working out, but eat whenever you feel like it.

[ebeth]

I work out around that time. If I know I'm doing an especially hard/long workout I'll have a fairly substantial afternoon snack. Like a PB sandwich. if the workout isn't especially long or hard I will just have a regular carby snack. like pretzels or fruit or something. then I eat a normal dinner when I get home. however, we usually eat dinner at 8PM which works for us because we are DINKs if you have kids that might not work for you. as I understand it kids eat dinner at like 5PM.

[gt7301b]

Tonight I have a skating lesson from 7-8 so I'll eat a lite meal around 5 or 5:30 and drink a chocolate milk post workout to recover.

I don't usually wait that late to run, but I would probably just eat yogurt and then have dinner post workout. I try and have leftovers or crock pot meals for those nights.

[clseale]

Jun 6, 2013 11:57:41 GMT -5 ebeth said:

I work out around that time. If I know I'm doing an especially hard/long workout I'll have a fairly substantial afternoon snack. Like a PB sandwich. if the workout isn't especially long or hard I will just have a regular carby snack. like pretzels or fruit or something. then I eat a normal dinner when I get home. however, we usually eat dinner at 8PM which works for us because we are DINKs if you have kids that might not work for you. as I understand it kids eat dinner at like 5PM.

All of this. I'm mainly just a runner, so typically, I'll have a decent afternoon snack around 3:30 or 4:00. I leave work at 5:00 (usually running by 5:30 or 6:00) and will do anywhere from a 5-8 mile run, and then I'll eat dinner when I get home. I think a meal before the workout would be too much for me, but you'll have to play around with it and see what makes you feel best. 

[thebamker]

Jun 6, 2013 11:17:00 GMT -5 demandypants said:

what kind of class is it? I don;t like to have a heavy meal before my yoga clases, or runs for that matter. For yoga I try not to eat 2 hours prior but will have a snack after. If I need to eat before a run I will have something like a banana or a cup of dry cereal for energy (and a protein snack later)

boxing.

how about apple and peanut butter at 5? does that sound good?

I'm going to die in there.

[wambam]

I really think you're just going to have to try out different things and see what works.

What works for me (working out at 5:30): I eat a snack (veggies or fruit) around 3:30. I workout at 5:30 and get home around 7:00. I eat immediately and it's my biggest meal of the day - LOTS of protein and veggies.

[demandypants]

I think that sounds like a good place to start, and then you can adjust later food decisions based on how it goes. It will probably kick your butt regardless. That is why we go to through with these classes. But do what you can, and then impress yourself later with progress!

[Deleted]

I am running 2 miles and then doing an hour of cardio tennis at 6 tonight and am having toast and peanut butter and a cheese stick at 5 PM.

[So_Fetch]

Boxing sounds fun! When I have time I'll do the apples and pb about an hour to 45 minutes before a class. Or a bag of almonds (the 100 calorie packs). I'll bring some sort of energy food (mini cliff bar or shot blocks) in case I get shaky because I never know how much fuel I'm going to need. It's been experimental for me too.

[Deleted]

Jun 6, 2013 12:46:07 GMT -5 clseale said:

Jun 6, 2013 11:57:41 GMT -5 ebeth said:

I work out around that time. If I know I'm doing an especially hard/long workout I'll have a fairly substantial afternoon snack. Like a PB sandwich. if the workout isn't especially long or hard I will just have a regular carby snack. like pretzels or fruit or something. then I eat a normal dinner when I get home. however, we usually eat dinner at 8PM which works for us because we are DINKs if you have kids that might not work for you. as I understand it kids eat dinner at like 5PM.

All of this. I'm mainly just a runner, so typically, I'll have a decent afternoon snack around 3:30 or 4:00. I leave work at 5:00 (usually running by 5:30 or 6:00) and will do anywhere from a 5-8 mile run, and then I'll eat dinner when I get home. I think a meal before the workout would be too much for me, but you'll have to play around with it and see what makes you feel best. 

This is what I do too. Snack at 4pm, workout at 5-6pm and dinner is usually around 7:30 or 8pm. 

[Deleted]

Jun 6, 2013 13:09:39 GMT -5 thebamker said:

Jun 6, 2013 11:17:00 GMT -5 demandypants said:

what kind of class is it? I don;t like to have a heavy meal before my yoga clases, or runs for that matter. For yoga I try not to eat 2 hours prior but will have a snack after. If I need to eat before a run I will have something like a banana or a cup of dry cereal for energy (and a protein snack later)

boxing.

how about apple and peanut butter at 5? does that sound good?

I'm going to die in there.

Yes you definitely want to pair protein and fiber to keep you full and give you energy. That sounds like a great snack idea. 

[zoidberg]

I do better eating something about 2 hours before a really hard work out. If it's too close I tend to get a little urpy.