Digestion involves a complicated series of events that eventually provide the necessary fuel and nutrients for proper body function. While eating before exercising might seem like a good idea, it can actually end up hampering your workout due to the stomach upset you may experience. I honestly think working out before lunch or dinner is a good idea because you'll have energy for the workout, because working out on an empty stomach might leave you feeling light-headed, but do whichever feels best for you. However, according to the "Journal of Physiology" published in 2010, exercising in a fasted state helps the muscles adapt better to exercise. Your choice!
Process of digestion (in case you wanted to know!)
Before you exercise, your body undergoes a 5-step process to digest any foods you have eaten. Digestion begins in the mouth, where enzymes begin breaking down foods. The food will then move through your system to the stomach. The stomach prepares food for absorption by the intestines; it will not absorb most of the food you've eaten, according to the textbook "Principles of Anatomy and Physiology." Nutrient and water absorption occur primarily in the small and large intestines. Indigestible materials are then eliminated from the body. Food will leave your stomach about 2 to 6 hours after you eat it.
Now... There is also a matter of what types of food digest easier than others. These types of food can influence how long digestion takes and what impact it has on your exercise. Generally, your body can most easily digest simple carbohydrates like fruits. I'm going to go all nerd on you and tell you it's because of their chemical structure - digestion is a process of chemical reactions, therefore the simpler the chemical structure, the easier it is to break down. Proteins, on the other hand, are chemically more complex. They will stay longer in your stomach, and you may experience nausea from exercising too soon after eating high-protein foods. During vigorous exercise, the body relies more on carbohydrates for energy... Just a little food for thought. Literally.
Remember: wait at least 2 hours after eating before exercising.
Think of it like this... Your body goes into fight-or-flight mode. It will decide to "fight" and do its job in one area, like digest, or "flight", and decide that another activity is more important to deal with. When you begin to work out, digestion will slow as your body directs blood flow and energy to your muscles instead of your intestines and stomach. Although digestion is a passive process and works without you thinking about it, it isn't the body's primary function during activity.
So, if you wait to exercise, you can take advantage of the rise in blood sugar and the availability of energy for a more effective workout.
Thanks for reading,
Kat
Info: http://www.livestrong.com/article/430416-how-long-does-it-take-food-to-digest-before-exercising/#ixzz21evmxkgS
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