Exercise & Your Appetite: The Truth

The formula for weight loss (exercise + diet = pounds off) sounds easy enough, but if it really were, we'd all look like Miss Svelte Stair Sprinter.

(page 3 of 5)

Fuel Your Fat Burn

What—and when—you eat before you tackle that yoga mat or treadmill can push your calorie-blasting efficiency to a whole new level. Or it could totally set you back. Don't waste a perfectly good workout by downing the wrong nutrients. Check your schedule, then find the foods that can help you scorch calories at peak speed.

How long do you plan to exercise?

Less than 60 minutes, low intensity
I can carry on a convo without gasping. (walking, light strength training, yoga)

My workout is in less than an hour. You don't need to stock up for shorter bouts of low-intensity exercise; they don't deplete your energy supplies as much as more intensive exercise does, says Karen Reznik Dolins, Ed.D., registered sports dietitian at Columbia University. "But be sure you're not dehydrated or hungry, or you'll fatigue faster."

Best bite: A piece of fruit and a bottle of water provide a small boost without weighing you down.

My workout is in more than an hour. If you're hungry, you have time to digest a lowfat meal, Reznik Dolins says. A mix of low-glycemic foods offer a long charge.

Best bite: 8 ounces lowfat yogurt with ¼ cup granola and a piece of fruit, or 3 slices of turkey on whole-wheat bread with fruit

Less than 60 minutes, high intensity
I'm working too hard to chitchat. (running, swimming, Spinning)

My workout is in less than an hour. "During high-intensity exercise, blood flow is diverted away from the gut to aid muscles, so digestion slows," Reznik Dolins says. If you have a meal shortly beforehand, sloshing undigested food could cause a stomachache. Haven't eaten recently? Enjoy a small snack with simple carbs for a speedy pick-me-up.

Best bite: One slice of white toast with jelly or a sports drink like Gatorade. Skip whole grains in this situation; they're harder to digest.

My workout is in more than an hour. Have a meal with low-GI foods to optimize fat burn. Carbs (muscles' main energy source) are key for tougher workouts.

Best bite: A whole-wheat wrap with veggies and eggs, or a PB&J on whole-wheat bread

60 minutes or more, low intensity
I can carry on a convo without gasping. (walking, light strength training, yoga)

My workout is in less than an hour. Digestion shouldn't be a problem during low-intensity exercise, but headstands on a full stomach? Not fun. A light snack of whole grains and protein offers extended energy, says registered dietitian Kristine Clark, Ph.D., director of sports nutrition at Penn State in University Park.

Best bite: A few whole-wheat crackers and 1 string cheese, or a Luna bar

My workout is in more than an hour. To fend off hunger and fatigue once you're past the hour mark, eat a meal beforehand that includes low-GI whole grains, healthy fats and lean protein, Kristine Clark suggests. The three digest at slow but varying rates, so you have more staying power.

Best bite: 1 cup whole-grain cereal with skim milk and blueberries and 1 hard-boiled egg