You don't want a FULL stomach b4 a hard workout, but you should eat about 200 calories of mostly carbs about an hour and a half or two b4 you exercise. Eat a protein and carb rich meal within an hour after a weight workout. If you do the carbs will help deliver the proteins to your depleted muscles and helps your body to assimilate the proteins faster. A full stomach negatively affects your performane. Extreme athletes(such as Tour de France racers and marathoners do have to refuel during those long, break free hours of extremely strenuous exercise though. But there is no way to eat enough food and not be full to go a whole marathon without passing out I would think. That is why they have to suck down those energy gels every so often.