So to all you work out fanatics, when you are doing an intense workout, do you find that you need to eat more to fuel your body? I'm only a 2 weeks out but started back to a cardio drills class that I love. I know it's a little premature but i modified to fit what worked. Problem is, I'm HUNGRY!!! I don't feel like I'm getting enough food to fuel a workout like this. Thoughts?

I would say try to get in more protein if at all possible. I notice that I usually don't feel hungry when I have a protein shake before my workout. Today I had 25grams of protein via protein shake and I didn't start feeling hungry til an hour after my workout.

I have the same problem! I am trying to keep up the protein shakes. Mostly I don't want to eat because I don't want to stop drinking water, I'm still having a hard time getting enough in since it's summer in the desert and I want to work out. I'm 2 weeks out also and have started back with 30 min cardio sessions. Curious when people started back with weight training or at least body weight training?

I love love my work out classes. Just got back from FKB and it was intense! I have an Atkins protein shake before my work out if its in the morning and that usually holds me over to lunch. If its in the evening, I find I HAVE to eat right afterwards when I get home. Either a snack of some almonds or have dinner immediately.

I do not eat anything before my workouts. I find they make me feel more tired before I even begin. My first thing in the morning workouts are always my best ones. I just stay hydrated during my sessions and I feel fine. Then, immediately after I make myself a very healthy Protein Shake with about 25g Protein and very low carb. I find this really helps a lot with keeping the hunger away. I'm sure my body wants to consume because I sometimes will have just burned nearly a thousand calories. It just makes sense. But an immediate replenishment of about 180 calories will keep it from even happening.

HTH

ETA: I just wanted to say that I don't usually even get hungry for hours later. It can even hold me as long as a real meal.

I make sure to eat some CARBS before workouts, and Protein after workouts.

The reason is this: the carbs give you a quick burst of blood sugar to help you power through the workout. If your goal is to lose fat/burn calories, this might be counter productive since you might consume more than you burn. But if you're trying to build muscle, you need the blood sugar to have the stamina to make it through the workout. Since I've been focusing on eating about 100-150 calories of mostly carbs (good carbs, like fruit or something) before I hit the gym, I've noticed that I have MUCH more energy for my workouts, and they're MUCH more intense. Simply put, I don't "poop out" halfway through my sets.

AFTER the workouts, I make sure to pack on the protein. The reason for this is that studies have shown that 15-30 minutes after an intense anaerobic workout is the prime time when your body needs protein to aid in the muscle reconstructing and building phase. I don't know for sure that this is helping (unlike the carbs), but the science says it should help, and I'm a big believer in science

YMMV. If you're only interested in burning calories, a pure protein snack before the workout might be a better choice -- tends to be lower calories, slower blood sugar release, and will still give you SOME "fuel" for the workout. But the odds are that with the sleeve, the difference between a pure protein snack and a "good" carb snack -- around 50-75 calories difference, I'd wager -- is trivial compared to the overall caloric restriction of the sleeve. And for me, at least, the extra energy during the workout is MORE than worth it. Instead of the workouts just WRECKING me and running out of steam halfway through, now I can power through them. I'm still tired when I leave the gym, sure, but I get a good solid workout without running out of steam, and I think that my progress has really accelerated as a result of focusing on my workout-related nutrition.

I have the same problem! I am trying to keep up the Protein Shakes. Mostly I don't want to eat because I don't want to stop drinking Water, I'm still having a hard time getting enough in since it's summer in the desert and I want to work out. I'm 2 weeks out also and have started back with 30 min cardio sessions. Curious when people started back with weight training or at least body weight training?

4 to 6 weeks for toning weight lifting (small amts. lots of reps). You need to let the muscle wall heal or you could give yourself a hernia.

great information here!