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Pre and Post-workout Eating Tips for Weight Loss

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With over two decades of experience at Solutran, Daniel Rich Galinson has demonstrated a strong skill set in building strategic products and driving business opportunities as a national account executive. However, Daniel Rich Galinson's interests outside of work lie in exercise, nutrition, and weight loss.

Limiting the intake of calories to what the body needs for physical activity is essential if you are following an exercise regime for weight loss. According to diabetes.org, exercising on an empty stomach can effectively burn more fat. This is because the body uses stored fat as fuel for the energy required to do your workout when food is not available for metabolism.

If you consume food a few minutes before your workout session, the body will draw the required energy from the ingested food because this is a readily available calorie source compared to body fat. In this scenario, the only way you can lose weight is if your workout is more intensive and requires more energy than can be drawn from metabolized food.

Before exercising, you should confirm that your blood glucose level is within a safe range, between 100 to 180 milligrams per deciliter, if you haven't eaten for several hours. People who can't exercise on an empty stomach can consume light meals immediately before exercising.

Avoid post-workout meals after low-intensity activities like jogging, power walking, and cycling for less than an hour to facilitate weight loss. High-intensity activities like long-distance running, weight-lifting, and high-intensity interval training require a post-workout meal or protein shake, as this prevents muscle breakdown and overeating at a later meal due to hunger.