Q: For how long should one not eat anything before and after exercise?

A:If you are gong in for a very strenuous workout, first thing in the morning, it is advisable to eat a small breakfast like a banana or apple. Ideally there should be a gap of an hour and a half between a heavy meal and a workout. It takes that much time for the digestive process to take care of the food ingested. You can eat something almost immediately after you finish your workout though. Though these are the general rules to go by, it may work differently for different people.