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Fruit prior to work out?

  • 22-11-2019 10:07am
    #1
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 350 ✭✭


    I've watched this video recently which recommends that fruit is best eaten before a work out. It puzzled me a bit and I have a few questions. Before anyone says it, I know that the most important thing in general is to make sure that you are working out regularly and eating healthy, and that thinking too much about what to eat pre/post work out is rather trivial. Also, don't presumed that I take everything that this guy is saying as gospel... that's why I'm posting this thread.

    So to sum up what he says here: Fructose is stored in the liver as glycogen, and glucose is stored in muscles as glycogen. But before fructose is stored as glycogen, it is readily available as a source of energy. Before fructose is converted to liver glycogen, it will be used as the body's primary source of energy. After that, the next source of energy will be the liver glycogen, and then the muscle tissue as a last resort for energy. But wouldn't you want to be working out a huge amount before you are catabolising muscle as a source of energy? This guy seems to imply that you will save muscle mass if you eat fruit prior to working out.



    To be honest I prefer to have carbs before a work out. Or perhaps I could have both. But if I were to only have fruit, I would feel a lot weaker when sprinting up a hill having only ate an orange, blueberries and an apple, than if I'd eaten a sandwich or dinner. I never really gave much thought to it, but if anything I've probably been doing things to the opposite way that this guy is suggesting; that is eating carbs before work outs, and eating fruit afterwards. The only fruit I ever be inclined to go for before a workout would be a banana. And I'm guessing that there's more starches in bananas than most fruits!

    He seems to imply that the body's second preference as a source of energy is the liver glycogen, and then followed after that by the muscle glycogen. He says that if you happen to have low liver glycogen levels when you're working out that the body may catabolise muscle?

    Towards the end he also says (although I don't understand why), that when we sleep, we will use the glycogen from the liver, and not the muscles, so therefore the morning is an ideal time to eat fruit. So having watched this video, what someone mightn't realise straight away, is that the entire thing is presented to the viewer on the assumption that they work out every day. Otherwise, the only appropriate time to eat fruit would be in the morning! I only do exercise that involves sweating every 4 days. So maybe on that day I could try and make an effort to swap fruit for something else before I do my running!


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 24,537 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    To be honest I prefer to have carbs before a work out. Or perhaps I could have both. But if I were to only have fruit, I would feel a lot weaker when sprinting up a hill having only ate an orange, blueberries and an apple, then if I'd eaten a sandwich or dinner.

    Not really a surprise that you'd feel better with a sandwich/dinner under your belt since you'd have more calories in a sandwich/dinner than a handful of fruit.

    Also, there are carbs in fruit e.g. fructose. Its not a choice of carbs or fruit.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 350 ✭✭Biodegradable


    Not really a surprise that you'd feel better with a sandwich/dinner under your belt since you'd have more calories in a sandwich/dinner than a handful of fruit.
    So is he arguing that it's worth the sacrifice? Or is he just mad?

    And have you watched what the video?


  • Registered Users Posts: 24,537 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    So is he arguing that it's worth the sacrifice? Or is he just mad?

    And have you watched what the video?

    I didn't watch the video. Its an exercise in overthinking what to eat. Unless you feel there's a need to change what you eat before a workout then why would you?


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 350 ✭✭Biodegradable


    I didn't watch the video. Its an exercise in overthinking what to eat. Unless you feel there's a need to change what you eat before a workout then why would you?
    Just because something feels good doesn't mean that it is always the best way of doing things.


  • Registered Users Posts: 24,537 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    Just because something feels good doesn't mean that it is always the best way of doing things.

    "But if I were to only have fruit, I would feel a lot weaker when sprinting up a hill having only ate an orange, blueberries and an apple, then if I'd eaten a sandwich or dinner."

    If eating fruit makes you feel weaker, then it's not the best way of doing it.

    Ultimately, the best way to find out if fruit is better is to try it and see. It may work for some and not for others.


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  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 350 ✭✭Biodegradable


    "But if I were to only have fruit, I would feel a lot weaker when sprinting up a hill having only ate an orange, blueberries and an apple, then if I'd eaten a sandwich or dinner."

    If eating fruit makes you feel weaker, then it's not the best way of doing it.
    Well actually I did it today and it felt quite good. But I'd eaten other stuff (non fruit) shortly before too. Maybe eating a mix of fruit and other stuff is good. Would it hurt to watch the video?


  • Registered Users Posts: 24,537 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    Well actually I did it today and it felt quite good. But I'd eaten other stuff (non fruit) shortly before too. Maybe eating a mix of fruit and other stuff is good. Would it hurt to watch the video?

    It's 6 minutes of a 'celebrity trainer'. I'd rather spend that time listening to someone like Danny Lennon or anyone with an actual qualification.

    I've tried enough before training to know what works for me.


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 20,650 Mod ✭✭✭✭Brian?


    That fella is spouting pseudo science.

    The quickest way to get energy to muscles is to eat glucose, then sucrose and lastly fructose.

    There's something about how the body reacts to large amount of fructose, I can't remember the details now, but it's the reason high fructose corn syrup is so frowned upon.

    they/them/theirs


    And so on, and so on …. - Slavoj Žižek




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