Is It Better To Exercise Before Or After Eating? | A Blood Sugar Experiment

Summary

In this blood sugar experiment video, the presenter explores whether it's better for blood sugar levels to exercise before or after eating. After conducting a two-day test with high-intensity interval training and a high-carb breakfast, the results show that exercising before eating led to a higher but faster-returning blood sugar spike. The presenter suggests exercising on an empty stomach might be beneficial for metabolism and glucose burning, but encourages viewers to test and share their own experiences.

Takeaways

• 😄 The video script details a personal experiment to determine the impact of exercise on blood sugar levels before and after eating.
• 🏋️‍♀️ On Day 1, the subject performed a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout before eating a high-carb breakfast to observe the effects on blood sugar.
• 🍽️ After the workout, the subject's blood sugar initially spiked but returned to baseline within an hour, suggesting that exercise can stabilize blood sugar levels after a carb-heavy meal.
• 🍞 The subject consumed two waffles and almond butter for breakfast, which totaled 33.5 grams of carbs, contributing to the blood sugar spike.
• 🚶‍♀️ On Day 2, the subject reversed the order, eating breakfast before the same HIIT workout to compare the effects on blood sugar.
• 📈 Blood sugar levels after eating on Day 2 showed a minimal rise and then returned to baseline, indicating that exercise post-meal can prevent spikes.
• 🍦 A surprising finding was that consuming a high-carb ice cream sandwich after the workout on Day 1 did not cause a significant blood sugar spike.
• 🤔 The experiment suggests that exercising on an empty stomach might be more effective for stabilizing blood sugar throughout the day.
• 🧘‍♀️ The subject felt energized and less nauseous after the workout, despite the intense physical effort, highlighting the benefits of exercise on overall well-being.
• 📊 The experiment's results varied, and the subject acknowledges the need for further testing to understand the long-term effects on blood sugar management.
• 👍 The video concludes with a recommendation to try early morning workouts on an empty stomach to kick-start metabolism and glucose burning capacity.

Q & A

What is the main question the video aims to answer?

The video aims to determine whether it is better for blood sugar levels to exercise before or after eating.

What type of workout does the video subject perform in the experiment?

The subject performs a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout from Bully Juice called 'Intense 20-Minute Fat Melting HIT Cardio'.

How does the subject feel after completing the first workout session?

The subject feels extremely tired, sweaty, and experiences symptoms similar to low blood sugar, such as shaking hands and a sense of nausea.

What was the initial blood sugar level before the first workout, and what happened after the workout?

The initial blood sugar level was 85, which rose to 95 after the workout, likely due to the body releasing stored glucose.

What was the subject's breakfast after the first workout, and how did it affect their blood sugar?

The subject had two waffles with almond butter, which caused a spike in blood sugar close to 130, but it returned to baseline within an hour.

How did the subject's blood sugar respond to eating an ice cream sandwich after the first workout?

Surprisingly, the subject's blood sugar did not spike after consuming almost an entire ice cream sandwich.

What was the subject's strategy for the second day of the experiment?

On the second day, the subject ate breakfast first and then exercised to see how it would impact their blood sugar levels.

How did the subject's blood sugar behave after eating and then exercising on the second day?

The blood sugar rose minimally after eating and then exercising, and it returned to baseline after about three hours.

What was the subject's conclusion about the best time to exercise for their blood sugar management?

The subject concluded that, for them, exercising on an empty stomach in the morning might be better for jump-starting their metabolism and glucose burning capacity.

What advice does the subject give to others who want to try this experiment?

The subject encourages others to try the experiment and share their findings in the comments, as individual responses to exercise and food intake can vary.

What is the subject's plan for future experiments?

The subject plans to replicate the experiment in the future to account for confounding variables and different factors that may have impacted the results.