Association between the timing of pre-workout macronutrient intake and rated appetite among resistance-trained adults in Jbeil, Lebanon

Macronutrients play an important role in appetite regulation. In addition, adequate nutrient and energy intake, which may be altered by exercise-induced appetite fluctuations, is required to ensure important training outcomes. However, findings regarding appetite responses to macronutrient consumption before training and to different resistance training intensities remain inconclusive. This study investigated the association of three types of macronutrient intake before different intensities of resistance training with appetite. A purposive cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 280 resistance-trained individuals (mean age 26.4 ± 5.8 years) representing five gyms located in Jbeil, Lebanon, and who completed an online questionnaire. Data collected included socio-demographics, nutritional strategies followed by each respondent, training characteristics, and appetite rating before, during and after exercise using a validated visual analogue scale (VAS). A short-term suppression of appetite was reported during resistance-training, with no significant difference in exercise intensities (p > 0.05). In addition, low-fiber carbohydrate and protein food/beverage content consumed 30–60 min before training had an advantage in appetite suppression. In summary, these findings suggest that resistance training combined with pre-workout consumption of a whole meal was associated with appetite suppression, at least during the short period of exercise. From the perspective of appetite control and energy balance, the critical factor is the quantity and quality of macronutrient food sources, in addition to the timing surrounding training of nutrients ingested.