It’s common advice to eat before a workout to replenish your energy stores. Some people, however, may experience side effects if they eat too close to working out.
These are usually avoidable by allowing enough time for digestion, though this time period varies depending on the type of workout.
This article discusses how long should you wait to work out after eating.
When should you work out after eating?
When you eat a meal, food enters your stomach and is slowly processed before being released in small amounts into your small intestine.
Food usually takes 2-4 hours to pass from your stomach to your small intestine.
While it is not usually necessary to wait until the food has been completely digested before a workout, it is best to give it some time to settle in your stomach.
Most people should wait 1-2 hours after a moderate-sized meal, and at least 30 minutes after a snack.
At that point, the food has been digested sufficiently to prevent stomach upset. However, the risk of side effects increases as the intensity of the workout increases.
Food quantity and type
Meal size and composition are important considerations when it comes to eating before a workout.
The larger the meal, the longer it will take to digest, extending the time you should wait before a workout.
Furthermore, the composition of the meal influences digestion time.
Meals high in fat, protein, and fiber digest more slowly than those high in simple carbohydrates and processed proteins, such as those found in some protein shakes and supplements.
Intact animal proteins such as beef, pork, chicken, and fish are examples of high-protein foods.
To avoid any potential negative side effects, it’s best to avoid eating large meals high in fat, protein, and fiber shortly before a workout.
Possible side effects
While the side effects of eating close to a workout vary depending on the individual, the most common ones are digestive symptoms and performance issues.
Eating too close to working out can cause digestive issues. Among the most common are:
- Bloating
- Nausea
- Cramping
- Reflux
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Sluggishness
Endurance athletes, such as runners and cyclists, appear to be the most vulnerable to these side effects due to the nature of their sport.
Lower-intensity sports like golf, walking, and archery are far less likely to cause digestive symptoms. Furthermore, by allowing some time for digestion before training, most of these side effects can be avoided.
Typically, 1-2 hours after a moderate-sized meal is sufficient, while at least 30 minutes after a snack is acceptable.
Your performance may be impacted.
While fueling up for an intense workout is essential, eating too close to a workout may impair performance. Athletes and recreational gym-goers frequently feel sluggish after exercising immediately following a meal.
A small study of ten male basketball players found that eating a protein and carb meal before training reduced nausea, belching, and stomach bloating when compared to eating a high-carb meal without protein.
These symptoms may impair performance when participating in your favorite sport or exercise.
How long should you wait to work out after eating?
The time required to avoid digestive side effects varies depending on the individual and the sport. While there is little data on how long you should wait, here are some general guidelines:
Exercise Time to wait — Snack Time to wait — Meal
- Cross-country skiing — 30 minutes — 1–2 hours
- Crossfit — 30 minutes — 1.5–3 hours
- Cycling — 30 minutes — 1.5–3 hours
- Downhill skiing — 15–30 minutes —1 hour
- Golfing — 15–30 minutes — 1 hour
- Mountain biking — 30 minutes — 1–2 hours
- Running — 30 minutes — 1.5–3 hours
- Swimming — 30 minutes — 1.5–3 hours
- Walking — minimal time — minimal time
- Weight training — 30 minutes — 1–2 hours
Some endurance sports, such as running, cycling, and cross-country skiing, may necessitate eating while workout in order to maintain energy stores.
You may find that you can train comfortably shortly after eating, or you may need to wait several hours to avoid side effects. As a result, you should experiment to find your optimal digestion period before a workout.
Importance of eating after a workout
After your workout, you should consume high-quality protein to rebuild and repair muscle tissue that was broken down during your workout and to stimulate muscle protein synthesis, which is necessary for muscle recovery and adaptation to exercise.
During strength training, micro-tears can occur in muscles. Protein can aid in the rebuilding and repair of damaged muscle fibers.
To protect your cells from exercise-induced damage, it is recommended to replace fluids lost through sweating and hard breathing, as well as eat foods high in antioxidants.
Skipping a post-workout snack, on the other hand, can increase fatigue and impede your body’s repair and recovery processes. It can also reduce your performance the next time you work out.
What to Eat After Working Out
A careful balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fluids is the foundation of post-workout nutrition. It is recommended to consume 10 to 20 grams of protein after a workout, depending on your body weight. and, depending on the type of workout you did, adjusting your carbohydrate-to-protein ratio.
For example, after a strength-training workout, aim for a 2-to-1 carbohydrate-to-protein ratio (meaning 20 to 40 grams of carbs and 10 to 20 grams of protein). If you do an endurance (aerobic) workout like jogging, the ratio shifts to 3-to-1 (with 30 to 60 grams of carbs and 10 to 20 grams of protein).
Another important factor to consider when fueling up post-workout is the intensity and duration of the exercise.
Recreational exercisers who do not burn too many calories and who train two to three times a week for 30 to 45 minutes can easily recover by having their usual balanced meal which contains carbs which help to refuel and protein which helps to build and repair muscles.
Those who work out at a higher intensity for 60 to 70 minutes may benefit from a 200-calorie snack containing carbs and protein. More serious athletes (those who train for up to 4 hours per day) should refuel quickly, aiming for a much higher-calorie, carbohydrate- and protein-based snack.
It’s also a mistake to rely solely on intuition, as research shows that people don’t always make the best choices for healthy snacks after working out. In a 2018 study published in Nutrients, researchers gave gym-goers the option of eating a snack after they finished their workouts.
The participants were chosen at random to make the decision before or after the workout, and the timing was important. After the workout, participants were 26% less likely to choose an apple and 45 percent more likely to choose a brownie than if they had chosen snacks before the workout. The study’s findings emphasize the importance of planning ahead of time.
Some good options for post-workout snacks that check all the boxes include:
- Chocolate milk
After a workout, chocolate milk has everything you need—carbs, protein, fluids, and electrolytes. According to a review of scientific research published in the European Journal of Sport Science in 2019, drinking milk after exercise improves muscle protein synthesis and rehydration, replenishes glycogen stores, and reduces post-exercise muscle soreness. - Whole-grain toast and eggs
Eggs are a great source of protein whether they’re hardboiled, scrambled, poached, or in a vegetable omelet (with an average of nearly 11 grams of protein for a large one). Meanwhile, toast contains high-quality carbohydrates. - A smoothie made with whey protein powder, coconut water, vegetables, and fruits
Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants that protect cells from exercise-induced damage, and the protein aids in muscle repair. According to a 2020 study published in Nutrients, whey protein in particular significantly reduces post-exercise blood levels for biomarkers of muscle damage caused by strength training. - Dried fruit and nuts served with tart cherry juice
Fruit and nuts provide carbs, protein, and healthy fats, and the cherry juice may help with post-workout muscle soreness. In fact, studies have shown that drinking cherry juice, which contains phytochemicals with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, improves muscle strength recovery after an intense strength-training workout. - Yogurt, berries, and granola on top
The combination of yogurt, which is high in protein, and berries, which contain carbs and antioxidants, replenishes your muscles’ glycogen stores and aids in muscle recovery. The granola gives the dish crunch and flavor.
What to Avoid Eating After Exercise
Avoid pure protein immediately after a workout because your body will just use it as energy again. Also, avoid foods that are high in sugar (cookies, candy, and the like) or high in fat, such as a handful of nuts (without yogurt or fruit to balance the fat) or fried foods.
These options will not replenish your muscles adequately, and the high fat or sugar content may upset your stomach. A proper balance of carbs, protein, and fluids is critical for post-workout recovery.
In conclusion
It is generally recommended to eat something before a workout to optimize your energy stores.
However, some people may experience negative side effects if they eat too close to a workout.
Most people can avoid side effects by waiting 1-2 hours after a meal and at least 30 minutes after a snack before a workout. Endurance athletes may want to wait longer and incorporate fast-digesting carbs during workouts lasting more than an hour.
Finally, avoiding large meals high in fat, protein, and fiber will help to reduce the risk of negative side effects.