I read all these articles that say dont workout till 3 hours after eating a big meal. But, Im a weirdo who feels most excited and ready to hit a bike workout or run after eating a big meal. 3 hours later and I am tired.
Do you really have to wait to eat? I just ate a big meal and Im full of energy, watching the clock waiting until 3 hours is up so I can workout.
Where do you get three hours from? It takes 6-8 hours to digest food. If you need three hours before your stomach is settled then you’re eating too much at one time.
Depends on the size and type of meal and the workout.
I wouldn’t think twice about having a reasonably large lunch and heading out for a steady long run 10 minutes later but hard hill reps might not be so nice.
On the bike i’d have a massive breakfast and get straight into a ride or sweetspot effort.
Workout before you eat.
If you feel like it’s a good time to do your workout, do your workout. If you start your workout and you feel gross, take that into account the next time. Random articles should not be your boss.
I have seen it written that should eat your last pre-race meal 3 hours before gun time, so you won’t have a full gut on the starting line.
I generally try to do this, but I’m not as anal about it (pun intended) and have found that 2+ hours is usually sufficient.
YMMV.
As for working out, do whatever the hell you want to.
I can have my coffee and a Clif builder bar while driving to go meet people to bike or run with, and then do said bike or run with no gastro issues.
Again, YMMV.
Workout before you eat.
I do like 100% of my workouts fasted in the morning. But sometimes I just want to go do something after lunch. Like today. I slept late and felt tired. I ate lunch and I was all guns blazing wanting to workout.
Ive read hundreds of articles saying to wait 3 hours because of food digesting and not interfering with those processes… Although when I 1st started and was fat and couldnt run a mile, my workouts were right after dinner every night. Lost 80 pounds doing that.
when I was 18 I had to wait 3 hours after a meal to run. At that time I ran 7 min miles in workouts. Now that I am 53 I can run after an hour or two but am alot slower. It changes over time and depends on what you are doing. All out efforts most people likely benefit from 2-3 hours after eating. I know a guy who can knock back 2 slices of pizza and a beer and he is as good as ever.
There’s no hard, fast rule when it comes to timing nutrition.
It’s going to be different depending on what you eat: a banana clears up pretty quickly; burgers with alcohol would be rough. And how much.
Also factor in what you’re doing: I find I need to be clear for run >>> swim > bike.
Heck, most people eat during workouts.
Trial and error, and listen to your body within reason.
Depends on the size and type of meal and the workout.
I wouldn’t think twice about having a reasonably large lunch and heading out for a steady long run 10 minutes later but hard hill reps might not be so nice.
On the bike i’d have a massive breakfast and get straight into a ride or sweetspot effort.
So I did a 90 minute trainer session with intervals at 75%-90% of FTP followed by a 5K. I usually workout fasted in the morning. But OMG!!! I just killed that workout. I felt like a million dollars on the bike and my pace was about a minute faster per mile than normal easy run pace, with a lower heart rate.
I need to start doing that more often.
I read all these articles that say dont workout till 3 hours after eating a big meal. But, Im a weirdo who feels most excited and ready to hit a bike workout or run after eating a big meal. 3 hours later and I am tired.
Do you really have to wait to eat? I just ate a big meal and Im full of energy, watching the clock waiting until 3 hours is up so I can workout.
Always listen to articles, never your body.
If you feel like it’s a good time to do your workout, do your workout. If you start your workout and you feel gross, take that into account the next time. Random articles should not be your boss.
This ^ sums it up nicely.
I find eating to be a great way to blow off a workout that , apparently, I didn’t want to do anyway. Advice to wait three hours is probably based on blood flow to the gut and insulin levels. Warm-up, avoiding high glycemic carbohydrates, and a steady source of glucose during exercise eliminate any excuses.
There are certain foods I stay away from before a workout… milk and greasy foods come to mind. Just don’t feel good during the workout
But certain foods I almost always eat beforehand. Big Peanut butter and jelly sanwhiches get eaten while I’m on the start line of nearly every bike race
When I’m running or high intensity efforts early on, it’s a bit different l.
Try different things and do whatever works for you… some guys I ride w drink v8 (gross!) 
3 hours after a big meal, 2 hours after an average meal. GCN or GTN did a video on when and why. 2 hours will give you a low blood sugar slump right when you’re trying to start, so a slowish-fast carb of 100 calories 1 hour to 30 minutes before (slowly snacking on it) will have your blood sugar up so you can start off your workout feeling good.
Personally my schedule is driven by the household.
During the week:
AM workout fasted then eat breakfast.
Lunch workouts after light 10am snack then eat lunch.
Maybe an evening workout, but usually after a light dinner or before dinner.
Weekends the schedule is in the air with 11, 8 and 3 year olds. Nap times… soccer games… basketball… homework… chores…
We could have lunch and the 3 year old goes down for a nap and if the wife looks at my and says “this is your window” I’m OUT regardless how much I ate or how full I am.
Ideally I like to fuel 2 to 3 hours before and replenish within 30 minutes after.
Do what works for you and stick with it. Two weeks ago I had a 10 mile group run and needed to eat an hour before. I was very hungry. I ate a peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat. It wasn’t enough. I continued with two bowls of peanut butter chocolate cheerios. Surprisingly no GI distress or sloshing. I’d never recommend milk or cereal pre-workout. Last week, I ended up eating two homemade pork wraps (pork, green peppers, onions and shredded cheese). I was still hungry and ate a peanut butter sandwich. I was looking
for a bathroom stop four miles in and it wasn’t pretty. Ended up feeling much better and finished the run.
My advice is eat something light
but satiating a couple hours beforehand and you should be fine.
Eating too much within an hour before a long run and you’re asking for trouble.
before my long bike ride on weekends I normally eat oatmeal with blueberries and some syrup. Usually ends up being a couple hours before I start my ride. I don’t think I’ve ever had an issue. Before long runs I don’t typically eat much but might have a banana or toast with peanut butter. I don’t ever wait 3 hours but then again if I know I’m going to workout I’m not likely to eat a big meal before it.
Personally my schedule is driven by the household.
During the week:
AM workout fasted then eat breakfast.
Lunch workouts after light 10am snack then eat lunch.
.
This is pretty close to my schedule. 4am workout, light snack at 7am. Breakfast at 9am. Workout again at noon. Eat lunch after, about 1pm.
When it comes to actually participating in Endurance events, I am a weirdo who only eats solid foods. I eat bars, sandwiches and fig newtons on the bike. In the runs, I eat zone bars, cookies, pretzels and anything else solid.
Funny you mention solid foods in races.
After 6 IM’s, I have come to the conclusion that there’s no real reason you HAVE to eat the “nutrition” on course.
They do a great marketing job making we triathletes think we need these special bars, gels, chomps, etc…
While there some justification to the right sugars you need, in the end if it makes you want to barf at mile 13 on the run, what’s the point?
I have gone POP TARTS.
I LOVE THEM. Hot days. Cold days. Training. Races. WHATEVER.
Problem is they tend to melt in heat and crumble.
Problem solved.
Pop tart bites - https://amzn.to/2DTB9bP
My world is right again.
But, for every day eating there’s nothing better than whole real food. You can take all the supplements and bars you want. Fix a decent meal and you should be alright.