Hungry After Exercise

[chefkelly 38]

Is anyone usually pretty hungry about an hour after they exercise? Today I walked 9 miles (I usually only do 5), I also did couch to 5k within that loop and by the time I rode the subway home and stopped to get a salad from a salad bar at a café I was starved when I got home. Some days when I really push myself exercising, I feel like I can eat more and it worries me.

Edited September 30, 2014 by chefkelly

[JamieLogical 8,684]

You need to eat a high Protein meal/snack within two hours of exercising. You will find a MILLION articles telling you that.

[lisacaron 5,075]

@@chefkelly I think it's normal. You are pushing your body asking for it to burn more energy when you work out and of course we want it to take from the fat stores that we have so we can lose weight...but our bodies are resistant and the more you ask of it the more it wants that easy energy burn that comes from food vs dipping into it's fat stores where it likes to save it up for emergency's like the next dinosaur attack

I have days where I run around all day then I do cardio and the trainer and I don't eat much during the day by the time I get home or for me even the next day I find that I am STARVING! Usually after an intense work out my band does not allow me to eat very much so I usually have a renewing muscle building Protein shake after an intense work out with some Amino Acids etc.

[F_it 101]

thats a great workout @@chefkelly :-) but yea you gotta get some Protein in after all that action. This is what I usually like:

a cup of yoghurt with or without some cucumber or a couple dates, or

a half cup of hummus with a cucumber or a couple saltine crackers, or

a half cup of baked Beans with or without a couple saltine crackers, or

a whey protein shot/shake

and lots and lots of water! :-)

[bikrchk 1,313]

OM goodness! Then EAT! Choose Protein, but if your body is asking for food, (not a craving or a want but real hunger) give it what it wants! I'm always hungry after I work out. I follow up my early AM work out with 1 egg, a slice of cheese and an hour later a scoop of Protein Powder in my coffee which seems like a lot, but it's a formula that's been working for me. An active body needs calories to function. If you're worried about eating too much, write it down. There are days I feel like "I ate as if there would be no more food tomorrow", then I go back and look at my journal and see that I've met my protein goals and stayed UNDER my calories for the day! We've all been so conditioned to "diet". Try to let that mentality go and focus on meeting your nutritional and exercise goals. You'll be successful and have a lot less guilt!

[2muchfun 8,927]

Perfectly normal body response. A hard workout will usually result in one hour of anorexia. Your body has depleted all the glucose in your muscle cells and now your body turns to burning fat and muscle. This is when you really need Protein, and whey Protein absorbs much faster than meat and seafood. So, it's always a good idea to consume a high protein(24 gms) shake like muscle milk, elite, premier etc.

This should satiate you for up to 2 hours.

tmf

[chefkelly 38]

Thank you for all the great feedback! There is always that fear that I am going to stretch out my pouch or somehow fail at the weight loss. After big workouts is the only time I feel actual hunger and it can be a bit bothersome!

[RJ'S/beginning 5,357]

I always have a 1/2 lara bar before workout and 1/2 after. Complex carbs make a complete Protein and so therefore will bring sugars back up.

Don't do this starving thing too often because we are susceptible to reactive hypoglycemia.

[Joangel 22]

Idk where I learned this but a banana after a workout is suppose to replenish and regulate your sugar levels. If your really starving, try a slice of whole great toast with Peanut Butter and sliced banana. Has worked for me for years.

[F_it 101]

Idk where I learned this but a banana after a workout is suppose to replenish and regulate your sugar levels. If your really starving, try a slice of whole great toast with Peanut Butter and sliced banana. Has worked for me for years.

Years ago I complained to a trainer that I was getting awful charley horse cramps at night after workouts, she told me to eat a banana, and sure enough they stopped. Due to high potassium I believe.

[Ginger Snaps 1,323]

I'm a firm believer in bananas -- there's probably not more than one day a month I don't eat one. And that night, I'll have muscle cramps!

When I first started exercising hard after surgery, my NUT told me to add a few more carbs into the diet (I know, carbs... scary!). I usually do a piece of fruit before a workout. That gives you some fast-energy carbs to use during the workout. Then I eat a Protein meal after -- a shake or some meat, Beans, etc.

Listen to your body -- if you're hungry, eat! Just make sure what you're eating is healthy. I'm thinking you may need more than a salad unless it has some chicken or something in it.

[labwalker 1,177]

My body is weird. Heavy exercise kills my food cravings for most of the day.