To assess when is the right time to eat for maximum fat burning, Dr Adam Collins of Surrey University conducted a clinical trial of 30 non regular exercising people (13 men, 17 women) who took part in three exercise classes per week for four weeks. A carbohydrate drink or placebo drink were drunk before and after exercise.
Women burned 22% more fat and did better when eating the hour before exercise compared to men who burned less fat and burned 8% fat when eating after exercise. Dr Collins thinks this is due to men having a higher muscle mass and burning carbohydrates as the preferred source of fuel.If they eat before exercise men burn the carbohydrates rather than fat. Women burn most fat in the three hours after they stop exercising. Women should wait at least 90mins after exercise before they eat if they want to maximise fat burning.
We were fortunate to have Dr Adam Collins as guest on our Bitesize Nutrition podcast discussing weight, gender & exercise. You can listen free without registration on your phone or PC by clicking here, or you can also find Bitesize Nutrition on iTunes & Spotify.
We have a great 45min nutrition seminar & webinar titled New Year, new you which helps guide you through the pitfalls of weight management. It looks at macro nutrition (carbohydrates, protein, fats), the balance of these according to the eatwell plate (and why this may not be 100% accurate). The seminar also includes the importance of exercise and latest research on HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) which means you just need to do 30 seconds of intense exercise followed by 30 seconds rest – repeat this 10 times and watch the results. It only takes 20mins in total (10mins exercise + 10 mins rest). If this could be done just three times per week you will notice the change in body shape.
Wellbeing at work initiatives could include exercise classes of just 30 minutes HIIT training either provided by a local gym instructor or many providers are now available online for a small license fee. Organisations could simply allow one of their larger meeting rooms to be used during the lunch break to improve staff wellbeing and access to exercise, reduce obesity, and improve post exercise concentration.
Here’s a link to the article:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3388628/Men-exercise-eating-women-burn-fat-scientists-reveal.html
A reminder:
- The information in this article is for educational purposes and should not replace medical advice.
- The information is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition.
- If you have a diagnosed medical condition, you should consult a doctor before making any major changes to your diet, and;
- Some supplements may interact with medications and you should check with your GP before commencing any supplement programme.
