Post-Exercise Energy Expenditure

A study published recently online on Sports Medicine--Open (a SpringerOpen Journal) looked at different forms of exercise and different pre-exercise nutrient intake and post-exercise resting energy expenditure (REE) in women. Twenty recreationally active women, mainly in their 20s, were evaluated before and after performing (1) aerobic exercise (treadmill running) for 30 minutes, (2) high intensity interval exercise (10 bouts of 60 seconds hard running followed by 1 minute of rest), and (3) high intensity weight training (3 sets of 6-8 reps of heavier weights, followed by rest periods). The researchers found that high intensity interval training resulted in a significantly larger REE. If you're trying to lose weight, this is something that you want. They also found that eating protein (why isolate) prior to exercise resulted in a larger REE compared to a carbohydrate (maltodextrin) snack. For someone trying to lose weight, it would then make sense to have whey isolate prior to exercise, and for the exercise to be high intensity interval training. 

If your exercise is of longer duration, and you're looking at performance, not REE, eating carbohydrate prior to exercise is a better choice.