Starting at the gym on Monday. What times do I need to eat?

[Sammo123]

Evening Everyone

I am starting at the gym this Monday. I will be going most evenings straight from work.

So my question is, what times in the day do I need to eat? I will be eating my dinner when I get home from the gym but I assume I would need to eat something before going?

Can anyone help?

Cheers

Sammo

[williamssam]

I personally don't like to eat directly before going to the gym in the evening, instead I'll have a protein shake about 30 mins before.

[Ordinary_Chap]

Do you have any meals planned Sammo?

Also what are your goals from training? Your goals will determine your diet.

[Sammo123]

Well to start with I want to get fit and lose some weight. Once that starts happening I would like to tone up a bit.

[Ordinary_Chap]

Do you have an exercise plan of any sorts yet Sammo? I.e. cardio and/or weights?

The folks will be able to help you far more with this information.

[Sammo123]

Im not sure to be honest. I figured I would just start with cardio to try and build up the fitness and then gradually move onto the resistance machines. I naturally have quite a lot of upper body strenth, but I am very unfit so run out of steam quite quickly.

I went for my induction today and the 5 minute walk from the carpark to the gym got me out of breath

[Ordinary_Chap]

I've been there Sammo, see my thread on this page. Although I wasn't strong, just fat and unfit.

I found it all a complete minefield when I started every man and his dog telling me different things and advocating different things. I was confused beyond belief.

I still personally advocate the use of weights as my main form of fat loss with some cardio training tagged onto each session but there's plenty of other ways to achieve your goals.

Diet I'd suggest is about 70% of the overall results though.

In terms of doing cardio though I'd suggest you don't eat for at least an hour after training since you're body will still be burning fat.

It may be worth getting a coaching session off a instructor if you think they are good enough otherwise we can help make your a diet/exercise plan if you'd like?

[grumbledoak]

If you are starting out and looking to lose weight after work you don't really need to do much more than enrol in some sort of aerobic class. Your normal lunch should suffice, and you won't want to eat before jumping around.

Sure, improve your diet if you aren't eating well, but it'll be a while before you can exercise hard enough for diet to be a big factor.

[ewenm]

When I train in the evening (7pm, running rather than the gym) I just ensure I have a decent lunch at around 1pm, stay hydrated through the afternoon with maybe a small snack (banana or something) at 4ish.

I find it unlikely your daily intake is so precise that you need loads extra to fuel the gym.

[ShadownINja]

A light snack more than 60 minutes before you start might be useful. Any sooner or heavier and you might feel sick.

[Sammo123]

I tend to have my lunch between 12 and 1 most days but I tend to find that by about half 5 I am more than ready for my dinner. Hence why i figured i might need something extra before the gym.

[grumbledoak]

If you are overweight and looking to get fit, stay a bit hungry. A banana at most, but even then you risk the fat burning that you want, or even eating more extra calories than you are capable of burning off!

And don't even consider 'Energy drinks' or protein 'shakes', you are a long way from them.

[ShadownINja]

Sammo123 said:

I tend to have my lunch between 12 and 1 most days but I tend to find that by about half 5 I am more than ready for my dinner. Hence why i figured i might need something extra before the gym.

That's my thinking. I'm always hungry so would have to snack before training or would faint. In fact, time for cake.

Edited by ShadownINja on Saturday 2nd October 22:26

[Ordinary_Chap]

grumbledoak said:

If you are overweight and looking to get fit, stay a bit hungry. A banana at most, but even then you risk the fat burning that you want, or even eating more extra calories than you are capable of burning off!

And don't even consider 'Energy drinks' or protein 'shakes', you are a long way from them.

There's much smarter ways of eating.

I never go hungry and doing so will only slow your metabolism.

Why not balance meals through the day so overall you'll use less calories than you would normally do but without the need to go hungry?

Going hungry isn't conducive to weight loss.

Edited by Ordinary_Chap on Saturday 2nd October 22:35

[grumbledoak]

Ordinary_Chap said:

There's much smarter ways of eating.

Yes, yes. But there is overanalysis too. The number of fat beginners I've seen chugging energy drinks, when I was fitter than they could dream of(*) and had never drunk a single one of them.

But if a five minute walk puts him out of breath he is three months from being able to give his all for an aerobic session! Any extra calories will count against the work he is doing.

• I'm not that fit now, I hasten to add.

[ShadownINja]

grumbledoak said:

Ordinary_Chap said:

There's much smarter ways of eating.

Yes, yes. But there is overanalysis too. The number of fat beginners I've seen chugging energy drinks, when I was fitter than they could dream of(*) and had never drunk a single one of them.

And lugging 5kg tins of protein powder with them like it's a miracle weight-loss substance.

[Ordinary_Chap]

ShadownINja said:

grumbledoak said:

Ordinary_Chap said:

There's much smarter ways of eating.

Yes, yes. But there is overanalysis too. The number of fat beginners I've seen chugging energy drinks, when I was fitter than they could dream of(*) and had never drunk a single one of them.

And lugging 5kg tins of protein powder with them like it's a miracle weight-loss substance.

I've yet to see anyone do that, must be some odd folk in your area.

[ShadownINja]

Ordinary_Chap said:

ShadownINja said:

grumbledoak said:

Ordinary_Chap said:

There's much smarter ways of eating.

Yes, yes. But there is overanalysis too. The number of fat beginners I've seen chugging energy drinks, when I was fitter than they could dream of(*) and had never drunk a single one of them.

And lugging 5kg tins of protein powder with them like it's a miracle weight-loss substance.

I've yet to see anyone do that, must be some odd folk in your area.

You know what I mean.

[grumbledoak]

ShadownINja said:

You know what I mean.

Indeed.

Someone starting from nearly nothing doesn't need to do much more than get some bloody exercise.

[ShadownINja]

grumbledoak said:

ShadownINja said:

You know what I mean.

Indeed.

Someone starting from nearly nothing doesn't need to do much more than get some bloody exercise.

Yep.