food before early am workout?

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pippin44
pippin44 Posts: 34 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Just went back to work, and my 9am workout time is gone.
In order to commit to a consistent work out time, it seems like I will have to go at 6am so I am back to get the kids ready for school, out the door, and to my workstation by 9am.
So my question is, what do I eat before I work out? Clearly I want something that is 'fast' and light given the time. I try to stay around 1200 calories per day...
I appreciate suggestions.
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Replies

  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    I work out early, at 5am three days a week for 30-60 minutes, weights, HIIT, etc, and I don't eat anything before I start. In summer, I run at dawn to beat the heat, also on an empty stomach and have no problems.

    If you're getting an early start, maybe try it without any food beforehand and see how you do. If you feel your workout suffers or you feel yucky, then opt for a half a banana, a slice of toast with peanut butter (my go-to pre-run snack when I run later in the cooler months), maybe some coffee. Kinda have to try different things and see what works for you.
  • FatMoojor
    FatMoojor Posts: 483 Member
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    Peanut butter on a plain bagel and a banana. Goes down really easily and has a nice hit of carbs and protein.
    I normally make the bagel up the night before, just because it saves me a minute or two in the morning.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    At that time I'd prefer to have my food after my workout tbh

    I'd vomit if I exercised immediately after eating
  • TheSurge0n
    TheSurge0n Posts: 113 Member
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    Early gym is best at empty stomach if you're not doing heavy and longer duration exercise. But do take post workout.
    Longer duration might cause gastritis. In that case having something would be good.
    I want to go gym @ 5 am but mine only opens @9 & I have to start working @8 to 5 pm.
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
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    I work out at 6:15 and I work out fasted. I have a protein shake when I'm done. I couldn't imagine trying to eat that early. Ugh.
  • peter56765
    peter56765 Posts: 352 Member
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    I never eat before a workout, morning or otherwise. I drink some water but I don't like to eat just before being active.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    At that time I would also eat after my workout. I need at least an hour after eating to digest before a workout, typically, or it doesn't go well.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    pippin44 wrote: »
    Just went back to work, and my 9am workout time is gone.
    In order to commit to a consistent work out time, it seems like I will have to go at 6am so I am back to get the kids ready for school, out the door, and to my workstation by 9am.
    So my question is, what do I eat before I work out? Clearly I want something that is 'fast' and light given the time. I try to stay around 1200 calories per day...
    I appreciate suggestions.

    Uhm, you can eat something, or not. Your choice.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    I wouldn't eat much right before a workout, but I would lean toward a banana or a couple of Fig Newtons, something fairly high in carbs, but only about 30 grams of carbs.
  • Hell_Flower
    Hell_Flower Posts: 348 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    At that time I'd prefer to have my food after my workout tbh

    I'd vomit if I exercised immediately after eating

    Same here.

    If I get a later workout in though (for example maybe around 11am after sleeping in at weekends), I'll maybe have a banana or couple of dried figs just for a quick sugar/carb hit.

  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    pippin44 wrote: »
    Just went back to work, and my 9am workout time is gone.
    In order to commit to a consistent work out time, it seems like I will have to go at 6am so I am back to get the kids ready for school, out the door, and to my workstation by 9am.
    So my question is, what do I eat before I work out? Clearly I want something that is 'fast' and light given the time. I try to stay around 1200 calories per day...
    I appreciate suggestions.

    Except for Tuesdays, I work out at 4 a.m. and I just have a little something--a bit of cottage cheese, an egg, a piece of turkey sausage, a few bites of yogurt.
  • into_fitness
    into_fitness Posts: 91 Member
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    When I go in the am, at around 5:30 it is too early for me to eat so I typically don't. If my body is telling me it needs something I will have toast or half a banana just to get me going. Otherwise, after my workout I have a protein shake while getting ready for work!
  • pojinx
    pojinx Posts: 34 Member
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    I workout from 5:45 to 6:45 every morning fasted. However, because I run and then weight lift, sometimes being really hungry makes me feel weak or dizzy. On days when I wake up and feel like this may happen I eat one or two handfuls of Special K Protein cereal before leaving for the gym. I don't like to eat before working out as it can make me feel sick, but the handful of cereal is dense and minimal enough that it doesn't bother me.
  • Exquisitern
    Exquisitern Posts: 89 Member
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    I try to go at 5:30am in the morning. I don't eat before I go, but I do drink a large cup of coffee with cream and sweet and low. I don't want anything heavy on my stomach. After the work out, I drink a bottle of water. I don't usually eat until about 8:30 or 9.
  • jhall260
    jhall260 Posts: 111 Member
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    I run or bike before work in the AM. I prefer to do it on an empty stomach otherwise I have issues. I eat breakfast at my desk.

    I have a fridge in my office though where I can store things like almond milk, yogurt and the like with out having to worry about others to steal it. Lucky I guess.
  • ryanhorn
    ryanhorn Posts: 355 Member
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    My go to is a banana and maybe some peanut butter.

    If you feel fine doing it without eating before hand, you can do that, but for me at least, I get dizzy and light headed if I don't fuel up.
  • pippin44
    pippin44 Posts: 34 Member
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    wow!! thanks everyone. i thought that you messed up your metabolism if you worked out on an empty stomach.....but it seems i was misinformed. i definitely don't want to eat that early in the morning!!! thanks for the guidance.
  • bostonultd1
    bostonultd1 Posts: 45 Member
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    I like to have a protein shake, pre workout and vitamins before I hit the gym at 6:15am. That way my muscles can get fueled while I exhaust myself.
  • mbcieslak87
    mbcieslak87 Posts: 206 Member
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    I struggle with this too; I typically am an afternoon/evening worker-outter, but on days when I do have to get a workout or run in before work to accommodate my evening plans, I struggle with this. I seem to be fine when lifting just on an empty stomach with maybe a cup of coffee/pre-workout drink on my way to the gym, but for runs I notice my distance and speed suffer if I have no recent energy to pull from. I am usually a fan of half an english muffin and a 15grams of peanut butter... it gives me enough of a boost without being so much that I need to wait a hour for it to digest (I obviously don't want to have to get up even earlier to leave time for digestion). You could also try energy chews or gu for fast energy, but I am personally not a fan when I can avoid them. In general I think anything small with some carbs will do for energy.
  • sdado1013
    sdado1013 Posts: 209 Member
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    my nutritionist said to eat a simple carb before early morning workout

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