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Excercise Before Breakfast

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2

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  • DorkothyParker
    DorkothyParker Posts: 618 Member
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    Only in the summer so I can go running at 6 AM and not burn. But I need breakfast in me for my lunch time work outs the rest of the year. I cannot work out if I am fasted for 16+ hours!

    I don't know if it really is more advantageous to work out fasted for fat loss (especially those who do IF and hit the tail end of that fasting part.) I know I cannot work as hard without at least a little more salt in me.
  • BillyGoatZombie
    BillyGoatZombie Posts: 9 Member
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    I usually get up around 6am, eat a light breakfast (250cal) and drink a pre workout. Then workout for 60 - 90 minutes. Workout is a mix of cardio, body weight and free weight exercises. After the workout I'm usually starving. I then drink a post workout protein shake to hold me over until around lunch. Working out first thing in the morning helps me wake up and focus on what I have to do the rest of the day.
  • ajsawrie
    ajsawrie Posts: 38 Member
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    I think it's kind of like birth control - the best method is the one you will stick to!
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
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    mrswizz395 wrote: »
    I find I get dizzy if I exercise before breakfast (usually cycling about to start running) any tips to stop this?

    Eat before you work out. Seriously. I have to do this as well as I get hypoglycemic.
  • snikkins
    snikkins Posts: 1,282 Member
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    ajsawrie wrote: »
    I think it's kind of like birth control - the best method is the one you will stick to!

    Ha! I think that's a great analogy! :)
  • pebble4321
    pebble4321 Posts: 1,132 Member
    edited March 2016
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    I usually run/exercise before breakfast - because that's what fits into my routine, I know that if I leave it until the end of the day it's not going to happen.
    If I'm going for a really long run or have a race, I'll usually have coffee and something light (toast usually) then a bit of a break then go out.
    That's what is best for me, but I agree with the crowd, find what works for you.
  • dickie150692
    dickie150692 Posts: 15 Member
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    Thanks for getting back to me all!

    Been nice to see all your opinions!

    I haven't been bothering with this method though.

    :D
  • zcb94
    zcb94 Posts: 3,678 Member
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    Personal experience tells me that fasted cardio is sometimes inevitable, but always dangerous. I get highly dizzy and hangry when I even try to bathe fasted. I must at least drink some water before starting, but am often not allowed to because my morning caregiver prefers fasted (read NPO) cardio.
  • ccrdragon
    ccrdragon Posts: 3,369 Member
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    I always work out fasted because I get up at o-dark-thirty to do my workouts (and I am NOT getting up any earlier to eat something prior to the workout). I have chosen to do my workouts in the morning because that is where they fit in the schedule (family, work, etc.) - if I wait until after work, then I will not make it to the gym.

    I see a lot of bro science that says working out fasted will burn more fat, but I believe that is exactly what it is - bro science.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    mrswizz395 wrote: »
    I find I get dizzy if I exercise before breakfast (usually cycling about to start running) any tips to stop this?

    Low blood sugar. Have an energy bar before you work out.
  • johnnylloyd0618
    johnnylloyd0618 Posts: 303 Member
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    @mrswizz395 I would try a bagel and peanut butter. Sounds like low blood sugar (get a test after 24 hour fast)
  • arjohnson128
    arjohnson128 Posts: 8 Member
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    I think it depends 100% on your goals. For me, I need change in my daily habits to overall improve my health and get rid of excess weight. Working out first thing in the morning held me accountable to completing a workout and also motivated me through out the day. However, I wouldn't imagine that those who are trying to bulk up or improve performance would benefit from this. They need fuel for energy, not motivation.
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
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    ccrdragon wrote: »
    I always work out fasted because I get up at o-dark-thirty to do my workouts (and I am NOT getting up any earlier to eat something prior to the workout). I have chosen to do my workouts in the morning because that is where they fit in the schedule (family, work, etc.) - if I wait until after work, then I will not make it to the gym.

    This is me. I get out of bed, have a glass of water, go for a run/the gym. I run with a club one evening a week and have a snack about the hours before that. But it's a personal preference and depends on your schedule. I think it also depends on what your 'workout' consists of.
  • BeastField
    BeastField Posts: 463 Member
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    I don't have time during the day or evening (6 kids = a lot of getting people to places), so I get up at 4am. Drink a large glass of water with lemon slices, then goto the gym. I only get about 30 minutes in because then I have to start getting ready for work. Come home, eat, ready for work, kids up.... I enjoy working out early and empty - don't feel sick after, especially if I push real hard.
  • Katie_Y89
    Katie_Y89 Posts: 330 Member
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    meganridenour wrote: »
    zyxst wrote: »
    I do my workout before eating simply because I don't like working out immediately after eating. It's personal preference and doesn't affect how fast weight loss happens.

    This.
    If I work out right after a meal, I will want to throw up.

    Agreed.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    When I know that my weekly work hours are to be 40, I do regularly get a 30-minute cardio workout before breakfast. I theorize that by eating my breakfast soon afterward I trick my body into thinking that I've replenished the calorie burn. In truth, I'll have the same breakfast whether I exercise or not. Has that made my weight loss journey easier? For different reasons, my focus on getting a breakfast of 600 calories has noticeably reduced the opportunities for cravings to get the better of me. A big breakfast, a small lunch, and a big dinner works for me.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
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    Running in the morning (or a long brisk walk) on an empty stomach usually blunts my appetite for the day. If I don't start the day this way, I've noticed that I'm usually more hungry throughout the day. I also cannot run with food in my stomach without it wanting to come back up.

    I can't lift weights on an empty stomach, though. I save weightlifting for the afternoon.

    I don't think the timing of working out and eating comes down to anything more than preference.
  • topeb
    topeb Posts: 12 Member
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    yes if you eat before exercise your body will burn the food for energy. if you exercise on an empty stomach your body will burn fat for energy.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    Doesn't make any difference to what you burn over the course of the day or week. If you eat fewer calories then you burn, your body will have to burn fat at some point.
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
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    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    Running in the morning (or a long brisk walk) on an empty stomach usually blunts my appetite for the day. If I don't start the day this way, I've noticed that I'm usually more hungry throughout the day. I also cannot run with food in my stomach without it wanting to come back up.

    I can't lift weights on an empty stomach, though. I save weightlifting for the afternoon.

    I don't think the timing of working out and eating comes down to anything more than preference.

    +1

    I find it easiest to run before breakfast (also that time is usually the easiest to have available, nobody asking for anything at 5am) but find yoga and lifting MUCH easier, safer, and more productive toward the end of the day.

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