What do you get before a workout

Sunline77

Probably a pretty well worn question but ideas about what I can eat before a gym workout?

cwolfman13

I don't typically eat before a workout...I'd be puking. I take in adequate nutrition throughout the day. If I ride in the morning, I ride fasted...in the fall and winter I usually ride at lunch or in the evening so if I ride at lunch I will have had breakfast...if I ride in the evening I will have had breakfast and lunch and my afternoon snack. I lift in the evening on Tuesday and Thursday so I've had breakfast and lunch and my afternoon snack and have dinner shortly afterwards.

mitch16

I never eat right before if I can help it. My usual workout time is early afternoon (2-3 pm)--I eat my normal lunch at 11 am and that's usually sufficient. I might eat a small granola bar, a banana, or a couple Shot Bloks (~100 calories) if I have to push my workout much later than 3. If I'm forced to workout in the morning (on a race day or if I cycle with my husband) I might eat a mini bagel with a bit of jelly and/or a banana to get me going--I aim for less than 300 calories--and then eat a bit more when I'm done.

alondrakayy

I take a protein shake. Mainly because I hate drinking it, so I force myself to do so after work which happens to be when I'm on my way to the gym. Going on an empty stomach is awful IMO so the shake helps.

dieselbyte

Your workout is fueled by food that you have eaten the previous day/many hours before your workout. Adequate nutrition throughout the day will repair and rebuild. There is no "need" for a pre-workout meal. However, any meal you consume shouldn't hinder your workout i.e. - make you feel lethargic, cramping etc.

ccrdragon

water or coffee (if I get up early enough to make coffee)... anything else and I puke.

sardelsa

If I am lifting, it is usually candy.

rainbowbow

i cant eat too much about 2-3 hours before i work out or i feel sick. if i'm just starving and am crunched for time i can tolerate about half a protein bar with water; anything else and i'll probably throw up.

Meelisv

Same as most others here - I don't eat anything for at least hour or 2 before workout. And before that it's just my usual meal. Exception is when I sometimes go to gym early in the morning, then I'll eat light breakfast, but even in that case it takes me about an hour from breakfast until I get to gym.

Sheisinlove109

I can't eat anything for 2-3 hours before or I'd get sick. If I do it might be half of a granola bar, a few crackers...just enough to not feel like I have a completely empty stomach. Planning works best for me.

spiriteagle99

It depends on how hard you are working out and what you are doing. I'm a runner, mostly. I do most of my runs in the afternoon. If it's early afternoon, I'll eat a light lunch, wait an hour, then run. If I'm running long (2 hours or more) I'll wait two hours. If I run in the morning, same thing. I eat something, then wait until it's digested, more or less. If I'm running late in the afternoon and I'm feeling hungry or low energy, I'll eat a banana or some juice. They don't upset my stomach but give me a sugar boost.

jemhh

I'm an outlier it seems. I often eat a full breakfast if I'm working out in the morning--oatmeal, eggs, fruit, and coffee.

jennybearlv

jemhh wrote: »

I'm an outlier it seems. I often eat a full breakfast if I'm working out in the morning--oatmeal, eggs, fruit, and coffee.

OMG! You do exist. I thought I was the only person on MFP that liked a full meal before working out. I'm not picky pre-workout. Any well rounded meal will do. Haven't puked yet. In fact I get horrible hunger pangs and fatigue if I don't eat first. If I'm out over an hour and a half I usually eat a granola bar too.

pomegranatecloud

I don't eat anything special. Just my usual meals/snacks. Exercising on an empty stomach makes me feel sick.

Luna3386

If it's been 3+ hours since my last meal i eat apple & pb2. If it's less, nothing

icemom011

I don't do very well hungry, i am slower and have less energy, so i usually eat before work out. I love yogurt with mango slices as pre-workout meal, plus some coffee if I'm especially tired that day.

getnickripped

never any food just espresso.

If you got at night, what can you do. I would try to be on 4 hours no food if I could. Longer the better (for me anyway)

katnadreau

I work out first thing in the am, I'll have a little water, but nothing other than that.

kellyfeb78

Bowl of cereal or some toast, too much food slows me down as does not food

firef1y72

If I'm going for an early morning run then I won't eat or drink anything beforehand, if it's an early morning PT session then I'll have a protein bar because they are usually intense. Otherwise I just eat whatever I normally would, trying to make sure there's an hour between eating and working out. I struggle more with eating after, just don't feel like it after an intense workout.

missh1967

jennybearlv wrote: »

jemhh wrote: »

I'm an outlier it seems. I often eat a full breakfast if I'm working out in the morning--oatmeal, eggs, fruit, and coffee.

OMG! You do exist. I thought I was the only person on MFP that liked a full meal before working out. I'm not picky pre-workout. Any well rounded meal will do. Haven't puked yet. In fact I get horrible hunger pangs and fatigue if I don't eat first. If I'm out over an hour and a half I usually eat a granola bar too.

Me too, mostly. For weight lifting, I need a good meal. I have less strength on an empty stomach. For cardio, I like a little something in my belly for energy as well.

livingleanlivingclean

Another vote for no food.... I usually train at night and try to make my previous meal at least 2-3 hours before. I eat dinner post training.

sweetpea813

Coffee with heavy whipping cream and a Siggi's yogurt and maybe a boiled egg or 2. I get light headed if I don't eat.

277Gina

Because I work out in the morning, I have a high protein breakfast 30 minutes to an hour before that. But it's a small portion. I found this protein and mixed nuts breakfast idea in an article on the Mava website and it works well.

ezekielsherrard205735

I don't usually eat or drink anything pre-workout, but I make sure to include some carbs into my dinner to have some leftover glycogen that will fuel my workouts! But I've been looking into trying out some BCAAs because I know that a lot of people find them effective

EricLFC1892

Coffee and Beta Alanine. Plus BCAA's during my workout... DONE!!

bribucks

I usually workout around 7pm (late dinner afterwards) and I eat a snack around 4:30-5pm when I get home from work. My usual snack is half of a wheat bagel thin with almond butter, or apple with peanut butter.

preshalin

I usually have oatmeal/egg breakfast at home then hit the gym

lauracups

Black coffee

Kay_180

A banana usually works fine for me. Also sometimes those little cans of rice pudding, they're a good size - but also I just love rice pudding so any excuse to eat them

collectingblues

It depends on what I'm doing, and when I'm doing it. First thing in the morning barre (on a weekend?): Nothing, unless my blood sugar is low and I need to stabilize it (I'm type 1 diabetic). Evening barre after work: A small protein-based snack if I'm really hungry, like a prosciutto/cheese roll with a cracker or two.

Running? Oh, nope nope nope. I've learned by bad experience that having anything in my system less than two hours before a run leads to misery out on the trail. I can handle Welch's fruit gummies if I'm hypoglycemic, or if I need to fuel mid-run, but that's the limit of what can go in my gut without it saying "Look, girl, you're crazy and I'm not doing this."