working out first thing in the morning before breakfast

neandermagnon

This is purely for practical reasons. I've figured out the most convenient time to work out is probably 6:30am before I drag the kids out of bed for school. I work mon-fri 9-5 and I'm a single mum so have to do all the parenting things like feeding them and helping with homework by myself. I could workout in the evenings after the kids are in bed but I have more energy in the mornings and I'm usually totally knackered by 8pm.

The issue is timing meals around this, because I know it's generally advised not to do weight training on an empty stomach, but if I eat too close before exercising I'm likely to puke. I'm not really that keen on the idea of getting up at 5:30am to eat (plus I need sufficient sleep!). I'd have to have another breakfast after training because otherwise I get mega hungry during the day. How much of an issue is it if I don't eat in the morning before training? I'm not going to be glycogen depleted as I'm not doing low carb or IF and I'll be eating a normal dinner (including carbs) the night before. When in cutting phases it's only ever going to be a very small deficit so at no point will I be working out while glycogen depleted (and I fully understand why strength training when glycogen depleted isn't going to achieve much in terms of improving strength). And I'll be eating a decent breakfast after training, including plenty of protein and a sufficient amount of carbs.

DawnEmbers

I mostly workout at night due to working close shifts and the gym is less packed at that time. However, I do have one day I go in the morning (though not that early cause yeah, no). I rarely eat anything before morning lifting (or jogging) and haven't had any problems and I've been on a deficit for a year. As long as in general I'm getting what I need on a regular basis, it doesn't seem to have too much affect on the lifts so far, but I'm near max on deadlift so that might vary in the near future. Though if you do have issues you can maybe do something really tiny and see if that helps. Trial and error.

andylllI

I coffee before training if I do it first thing in the am. Without coffee is probably drop a barbell on my foot.

andylllI

MFP ate the rest of my reply. Essentially if I have had a few deficit days and then I try fasted training I feel weak and sad like kitten. I suggested a good bedtime snack the night before.

krokador

Some caffeine in me and some flavored BCAAs while I workout are usually good enough to get me through. Otherwise I go with a light carby snack-type before the workout then have breakfast after. It,s really not that big a deal unless you eat 1200 cals a day You get used to working out on an empty stomach.

Llamapants86

I found that eating nothing before lifting works for me. I just don't have time to eat before I workout (4:30 is early enough for me thanks!)

canadianlbs

i make a shake every morning with yogurt frozen into ice cubes, some kind of fruit and a protein powder. it's my breakfast whether i make it to an early workout or not, and it seemed to work fine on the days when i did. then i get to work and just commence right away on the whole day-long 'eat everything in sight' assignment.

timing stuff around children is really difficult when there's only you. i agree that mornings would have been the only one that would have worked for me, if i had been doing this when my son was still young. later in the day i always found that it was impossible to control the start times on anything. you operate on a much more general kind of time scale, like 'morning', 'work', 'post-work', 'pre-bedtime', 'bedtime' instead of being able to trust in specific hours. you probably understand what i mean ;-)

neandermagnon

Thanks for your replies everyone I will be drinking tea with my early morning workout. Then breakfast afterwards. Glad others are finding this kind of schedule works for them. Will be getting some protein powder to make shakes n stuff probably.

giusa

Thanks for posting this @neandermagnon! Tomorrow will be my first morning lifting session and was a little concerned, I'm also NOT a morning person, and like to lift on a full stomach so I'll make sure and have a late night snack...