Breakfast before exercise or after?

janellnicole2

Some people tell me to eat right away when getting up to increase metabolism and others have told me to exercise first then eat right after. Just seeing what works for others or if you have a good link for me to read up on.
Thanks for your help.

metco89

I was always told to eat first also so that is what i do, even when i don't feel like breakfast i eat it anyway. Seems to help me keep up with the day. I am glad you posted this, interested to see what others think. have a great day:flowerforyou:

minnesota

Mayo Clinic always has the answers

I like to drink a 1/2 cup of chocolate milk before my workout and right afterwards and then i make breakfast. I don't know if that is ok to do, but I don't feel crampy nor hungry until I am finished with my workout.


http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/hq00594_d

cullensbrunette

Dr. Oz says you should eat breakfast within one hour of waking up. I listen to everything he says!

Desiderata

i know that for me, because my glycogen levels are low when i wake up, im really tired and sow in the morning, so if i do decide to exercise in the morning, i make sure to eat something light, like a piece of fruit and a glass of water, just to get me going and then i go and exercise. Post workout, i will eat a real breakfast (breakfast is the most important meal of the day..), something that includes lean protein (to help build lean muscle, which is most effective 30 minutes after a workout, and to ward of hunger until my next meal) and whole grains (to also keep me fuller longer). if you skip breakfast and head right into a tough workout, you launch a depleted body into greater depletion

But no matter what time of day it is, because you'll be exerting a lot of energy, you'll need to consume more energy to fuel your body, and that depends on the duration and intensity of your workout and what you're fueling your body with. Know that your body burns on average 100 calories an hour at rest or at sleep, so you dont need to consume food just for exercise.

Be smart! Be healthy!

http://health.msn.com/fitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100146039

kcdrake

I eat something light and quick (a banana, yogurt with fruit and granola mixed in, etc) before I work out. I've found that if I don't eat, or if I eat something too heavy I get really bad side cramps when running.
After my work out (typically between 40 minutes and an hour), I come in, take a shower, and then make myself breakfast. Typically my breakfast is eggs, fruit, some sort of carb and extra protein - today it was eggs, Eggo waffle with a tablespoon of peanut butter, and an orange.
It works for me, but ultimately you have to figure out what works for you.

Edit: Oh, and just so you know, it's usually between 15 and 20 minutes after I eat and I start my workout.

miqisha

You can do it both ways.....The key is to eat atleast 1 hour before you go to workout

Some people excercise early in the morning and cant eat that early....so a fruit like banana can be eaten before you workout

I usually have a banana

However, of late I have started wokring out at 6am.....too early to eat......so I just workout and then eat when I get back

mrsw510

I always eat before working out or otherwise I don't have the energy to get through it.

Usually, I eat, wait 1-1.5 hrs to give it time to settle and then do my work-out.

maddox22

I exercise pretty early in the morning, and I usually run, so I can't have too much in my stomach. I usually eat something small when I wake up (1/4 c oatmeal, some yogurt, applesauce, half a banana, something like that--with lots of carbs; that's at about 5:30 AM). I run about 15 minutes after that; I've found that if I eat more than that, I either get heartburn or I just don't feel well while I run. If it's a long run (more than about 8 miles) I also bring a snack to eat on the run, such as some raisins or white rice, and I drink homemade gatorade while I'm running too. After my workout I typically eat a larger breakfast (usually within an hour or the workout), with more protein in it--my go-to is a hard boiled egg, sliced up on a slice of wheat bread with a little bit of mayo (1 tsp or so), and maybe some fruit (that's usually around 8 or 8:30 AM). Then I usually have another snack an hour or two later if I'm hungry again. Seems to work for me. I'd say try it both ways and see how you feel.

lutzsher

Since I work (more) than full-time if I can fit in exercise in the morning I have to do it on a fairly empty stomach as i just don't have the time to eat, wait to digest a bit, then work out. I will often just have a glass of milk if anything prior . . . well my one cup of coffee before I attempt anything is always first!