Once and for all, how long should you wait to work out after eating?

Many fitness devotees are all-too-familiar with the nausea-inducing feeling of stepping on the treadmill a tad too soon after munching on a hearty pre-workout snack. Because, just like there are certain foods to avoid at all costs ahead of a sweat sesh, there’s also also a certain time frame beforehand that’s a total no-go for consuming pretty much anything.

Not to worry, though—there’s a health-expert-approved rule of thumb you can follow closely. “You should usually wait for one to two hours after a meal before beginning a strenuous workout,” advises Victor Romano, MD, an Illinois-based orthopedics and sports medicine specialist. “The body needs time to digest the food, which requires energy and increased blood flow to the stomach.”

“You should usually wait for one to two hours after a meal before beginning a strenuous workout.” —Victor Romano, MD

But the science of not gagging halfway through your workout is not a perfect one, and this is largely because every workout warrior metabolizes food differently, according to Amanda Lemein, MS, RD, LDN, a Chicago-based dietician. She adds that there are two important factors to consider when it comes to timing your workout fuel properly: 1. your own habits and body, and 2. the size of the meal. If you start exerting yourself too soon after eating, Lemein warns that your body will start sending most of its energy toward your muscles, keeping your food from digesting. She adds that this is especially true for larger meals that are more likely to put you in a “snooze” than “sprint” mind-set. “It can really affect your performance when you’re [heading to a workout, feeling] a little sluggish, and therefore you’re really not getting the most out of it anyway.” But on the other hand, eating a small portion of something light—like a banana—can actually give you a kick of energy, thanks to the carbohydrates.

So if you’re really looking to optimize your snacking regimen for optimum performance, try taking note of which foods help you reach that coveted post-gym high, and which ones make you feel queasy mid-pike press.

Once you’ve given your body ample time to digest, get sweating. You can do these five Megaformer moves *anywhere* (no machine necessary) or stream any of these on-demand workout options.