Any one else experience this....exercise and hunger

[disfan07]

I recently just got approval from my cardiologist and pulmonologist to go back to the gym after 3 years of essentially being baned from the gym by them.

Well, I go to the gym 3 days a week for just cardio and 2 days for cardio and weights

Ive noticed that on days that I go to the gym and do both cardio and weights I am a lot hungrier than usual. Is that normal? I feel like a bottomless pit those 2 days adn its making me crazy.

 

[Diva of Dragons]

Yes, it's normal! If you think of your body as a machine...the more fuel you use, the more fuel you need!!

 

[JJsmama]

Yes, that is normal. Although for me, I am usually less hungry for a while after I work out and then much hungrier late in the day or the next morning. Make sure to eat some protein before and after your workouts to keep your body fueled. Don't just eat empty carbohydrates. Also, the first hour after your hard workout your body is in the fastest fat burning mode, so that is a good time to eat.

 

[Christine]

It's normal and it drives me nuts. I get almost uncontrollable hunger when I am exercising.

 

[XTinabell]

It's normal and it drives me nuts. I get almost uncontrollable hunger when I am exercising.

Drives me nuts too especially because on my walk home from the gym I walk by a fish and chip shop, the fries call to me. I have yet to give in but it sure drives me crazy.

 

[FireDancer]

It is normal. When you do resistance training you damage muscle fibers which your body has to repair, hence muscle growth. That is a calorie intense process. I always bring a protein shake with me to the gym and drink it as soon as I am done with my workout.

 

[Coach K]

As a PP has stated, when you do resistance exercises, you are breaking down muscle tissue and you need some protein to help rebuild those muscles that are exercised. When you exercise aerobically, you use the carbohydrates that are stored in the body. The first area the body takes these carbohydrates from is what is stored in the liver. Once that is depleted, the carbohydrates are taken from what is stored in the muscles. Once these are depleted, the body switches over to using the fat that is stored in the body. It takes a few hours of exercising aerobically to get to the point of starting to burn the fat. Carbohydrates are not empty-they are the main source of energy for the body. It is the type of carbohydrate that we eat; either simple or complex carbohydrates. Do you reach for the cookie bag or for an apple or orange when you snack? There is a big difference in the small things we do with our diet.

 

[Luv2Scrap]

It is normal. When you do resistance training you damage muscle fibers which your body has to repair, hence muscle growth. That is a calorie intense process. I always bring a protein shake with me to the gym and drink it as soon as I am done with my workout.

This is what I do too. It keeps my blood sugar from dropping, which will send me to the nearest McDonald's in desperation (not much else to choose from in the area my workout place is!)

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Yes--and depending on the lenght of your session, you may actually be starving your body and it goes into that survival mode.

I usually it something before the workout and if the workout is an hour or more, I have nutrition during the workout. At some point, your body will switch from burning fat to burning glycogen which depletes the energy that you had provided from the carbs you have consumed.

Like firedance, I always have a snack afterwards. Not necessarily a protein smoothy, but something with a boost of protein.

After training runs for a marathon--my snack of choice was a pb&j sandwich.

 

[Pikester]

My DH is really into cycling so when he does a long ride he'll come home and have chocolate milk. He read that it helps with muscle recovery.

 

[FINFAN]

totally normal, but it should level off...

 

[disfan07]

What should I be doing for proteing in the morning since the two days that I do resistance training are around 9 AM righ after breakfast?

My cardio workouts are only about 25 minutes. Thats all I am allowed right now.

My cardio/resistance workouts are usually about an hour (25 cardio, 45 resistance)

 

[FINFAN]

What should I be doing for proteing in the morning since the two days that I do resistance training are around 9 AM righ after breakfast?

My cardio workouts are only about 25 minutes. Thats all I am allowed right now.

My cardio/resistance workouts are usually about an hour (25 cardio, 45 resistance)

Have any hard boiled eggs left over from Easter? There are some granola type bars out there w/high protien, or you could grab peanut butter and apple slices, yogurt.

 

[disfan07]

I am allergic to eggs so that is a no go. I've been havign trouble finding granola bars that are not precessed int eh same place as peanuts (I'm severly allergic to peanuts...nothign processed in teh same plant becaus eof cross-contamination)

I hadnt thought of yogurt....i'll have to try that

 

[1stluvispooh]

I can't believe I found this thread today of all days!!!! I only had a small smoothie for breakfast before heading to the gym and I totally bonked! Half way through my workout I was starving and by the time I got home I was shaking. I have been exhausted and starving for the rest of the day. UGH

 

[Christine]

The funny thing with me is that I'm not all that hungry after the workout. It is the next day that gets me. I'll get up and have normal breakfast of high fiber cereal and some protein and then around lunch is when I become a bottomless pit. My lunch just doesn't seem to fill me up and I spend the rest of the afternoon snacking. This just goes on and on until I overeat, feel normal, exercise, and then start the cycle the next day.

 

[mykidsand_i]

TOTALLY normal! I've been excersizing on a very regular basis for about 6 months now- for the first 4-5 months I was STARVING for the rest of the day! I tried everything! I'd eat just before going to the gym, I'd pack a healthy snack for right when I was done!

The Dr. told me that it COULD BE my body telling you you're not drinking enough liquids- when you excersize, you sweat and if you're dehidrated you feel 'hungry' apparently. I figured "what would it hurt to drink more water?????" So I did and it seemed to help most days at least a little.

 

[anotherdisneygal]

Yes. I run a lot and I found that if I drink a large glass of chocolate milk after my run, I'm less likely to eat everything that isn't nailed down.

 

[disfan07]

My favorite thing these past couple of weeks to eat after going to gym has been chicken sausage with grilled peppers, onions, mushrooms, spinach and red potatoes.

It is teh one thing that seems to keep me from snacking constantly the rest of teh day.

I'm usually okay with what to eat afterwards...its just before that I'm not sure what woudl be best to eat b/c its breakfast adn I'm NOT a breakfast person at all

 

[busyshrew]

Yes. I run a lot and I found that if I drink a large glass of chocolate milk after my run, I'm less likely to eat everything that isn't nailed down.

I agree. Except I am not such a good girl - I drink my (large) morning coffee after my workout. I am always thirstier on workout days - good days to eat soup.