Do you get the munchies after exercise? How do you manage exercise- induced cravings? In this article I reveal the very individual results of our latest SmartShape online survey.

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In my Dec 2007 article How to beat the exercise-appetite drive, I shared how some research that suggests that some people may experience an increase in appetite after starting an exercise program. Now, let's see what SmartShape subscribers say...

Exercise puts the breaks on appetite immediately after a workout for half (50%) of the 240 people who completed our online survey. Not surprising, given that exercise, especially intense activity is known to be an acute appetite suppressant. However, this calorie curtailing benefit may be short-lived, with 70% reporting that their appetite is generally increased hours after exercise.

What do people crave after exercise?

Carbohydrates, then sugar and protein were most commonly craved after exercise.

Carb-cravings make sense because your body may be looking for a quick source of energy to replace the muscle glycogen stores of carbohydrate you've used.

Only one-third said they craved specific foods after exercise and these foods included a wide range of items, including fruit, vegetables, salad, scrambled eggs, yoghurt, cold meats, soft drinks, chocolate, porridge. muffins and bananas.

Swimming triggers the most cravings

The most common munchie-triggering exercise modes in order were swimming, weights, cardio, then running.

Survey participants said,

• "I haven't swum for a long time, but when I used to I would get really hungry after swimming only. All the other types of exercise don't affect my appetite."
• "High cardio exercise or running has no effect on my appetite no matter how much I do. But with fitball or weight training, my appetite goes through the roof."
• "Cardio makes my less hungry, while weight training increases my appetite."

And you could also up the intensity to see if it curtails cravings:

• "Often intense exercise sessions tend to make you feel a bit yuck in the tummy so eating healthy light foods or little amounts often such as grazing is better."
• Mild exercise seems to increase appetite and yet strenuous exercise tends to decrease appetite."

After days and weeks of regular exercise, the survey still found that around half (53%) of participants said appetite is still generally increased.

If you do experience greater appetite with regular exercise, this can still be OK for weight management. You'll still be in control, as long as you are burning more calories from exercise than any extra calories you are eating from an increased appetite. One person said, "I am hungrier after lots of exercise but it gives me more control over what I eat."

Almost two-thirds (62%) reported appetite going up an down "pretty much in line with how much exercise I am doing". Survey results showed the majority were making adjustments to food intake by eating more on days with exercise than days without exercise.

Half of our survey participants said exercise makes it easier to control food intake, while a quarter each said it makes in harder to control or makes no difference.

Managing your response

These results show how difficult it is to predict how individual appetite patterns will respond to exercise. For some people, the period hours after a workout will become a craving danger zone that will need to be carefully managed. For example, staying away from vending machines, the fridge or pantry at the two-three hour mark after a workout may be wise. Or making sure you have a meal planned and ready - "When I come home from the gym, I need to eat dinner almost immediately otherwise I will just eat anything that is there."

Exercise boost

Even if exercise does stimulate appetite physiologically, the exercise habit may have an overriding psychological benefit. Quite a few survey participants said that awareness of and commitment to healthy eating was greater when they exercised:

• “I find exercise makes me more disciplined in what I eat and when. I don't want to blow my hard work by eating something I don't need.”
• “I find I eat healthier when I'm exercising regularly, and crave crap food less.”
• "Because you feel good about exercising, you feel like eating healthier foods to make it all worth it and give you good fuel.", and
• "The more I exercise the more healthy I eat. It motivates me to eat better foods."

Whatever your personal experience, regular exercise and effective appetite management will provide powerful compliments to a healthy diet plan. Even if you do experience an increase in appetite with exercise, knowing that you are a regular exerciser will motivate you to put healthy food in your body.

Who responded to the survey?

240 people of which 86% were female

A big thank you to all who completed the survey!

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