The fitness world has a varied way to approach daily workout sessions. However, a few of the physical conditions must be kept in mind before one indulges in heavy exercise. The first and biggest concern that many fitness experts as well as nutritionists point out is food intake and the required time gap between eating and bodyweight training or exercising. As the controversy has been ever-present in the community, bodybuilding star Nick Walker put out his own opinion on the matter.

Exercising after a filling meal can have its consequences. The degree of such consequences also gets triggered by the types of exercises one does. While it is truly hard to find blank spaces in one’s busy schedule, health factors should not be compromised at all costs. Hence, it is often advised to wait a little while before starting a full-fledged workout session after a meal. But why?

Possible consequences of bodyweight training or exercising after having a meal

In many recorded cases, eating right before exercise has proven to have several side effects, especially when it includes intense workout sessions right after. These include bloating, nausea, cramping, reflux, vomiting, diarrhea, and sluggishness. It has also proved to have reduced the quality of the athlete’s performance on top of the noticeable side effects.

These effects come into play because of the slow digestion process. For bodybuilders and other athletes, the type of food they consume can alter their digestion rate to a huge degree. High-protein foods and fibers have always been slower to digest than a non-athletes simple meal daily. Hence, fitness enthusiasts must be aware of their food items and the digestive process, which can otherwise hinder their fitness regime.

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The 29-year-old bodybuilder, who is recovering from his hamstring tear, recently talked about this matter. Let us see whether Nick Walker supports eating a meal before bodyweight training or not.

Nick Walker’s opinion on eating a meal before bodyweight training

After missing the opportunity to be on the stage of Mr. Olympia due to his hamstring tear this year, Nick Walker had been going through a lot both physically and mentally. Even still, the bodybuilder sought to get back on his feet and start his grind to chisel his body once again. Thus, in the latest video of his “Road to Recovery” series, Walker had started his fitness regime after having a meal that day. After working out for a while, near the end of the video, the bodybuilder confessed to having made the bad decision.

The video attested to him saying, “Training after one meal kind of s**ks, can’t do that sh*t.” Nick Walker has been working out for his bodybuilding contests for a long while, hence, from experience, he did understand and thus spread the awareness that one should not choose to exercise right after having a filling meal. Although fans were concerned about Walker’s new fitness routine, his concern regarding the matter shows his consciousness about his health.

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Although it is not right to eat right before a workout session, it is also not advised to fast before one. Thus, what should be the right balance between the two, and how long should one wait if they have a heavy meal after all?

Should you eat or fast before exercising?

Although both approaches have their pros and cons, they also have a shared list of myths. It is likely that fasting before bodyweight training would lead to a visible weight-loss process because fasting activates the body’s fats. Exercising on top of that, although it might seem helpful, in reality, does not help one’s performance. And it can, in fact, lower the quality of the workout session. However, fasting before exercising can also lead to an extreme lack of strength. It has also resulted in dizziness, and in serious cases, fainting has also been sighted.

Thus, to balance between the two extremes of a full stomach and an empty one, athletes should keep it half-full. Hence, they should wait an hour or two after a moderate quantity of meals. Even only 30 minutes after a snack should reduce the chances of having side effects from either of the mentioned extremes. Especially for athletes and gym goers who opt for the most intense workout sessions, it is highly advisable to have a balanced diet and a smooth digestive system due to their recurrent physical activities.

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In the world of bodybuilding, having a healthy fitness routine is extremely crucial. Fitness should not only indicate the strength or the or muscle an athlete has; instead, it should rather consider one’s whole physical attributes. Do you agree with Nick Walker? How do you usually prefer to hit the gym before or after eating? Let us know in the comment below.