early bird workout freaks.....

luvz2bfitMOM

ok, gonna start working out in the early am before my kiddies wake up.....for those who do the same.....what do you eat!?!?! food usually has to sit for 45min before intense workouts....but man that seems like a lot of time to kill....i mean i would be sleeping if i had it my way, lol.....what do you eat? what time you get up? isnt working out on empty tummies bad for you? .....and something i've always wondered....if you do everything first thing in the morning, is it best since you have the rest of the day to eat eat eat?? lol....does it matter what time you work out?

stephyj23

Hi omy name is Stephanie, I actually was told by a trainer that working out in the am on an empty tummmy is ok, cause it boosts your metabolism, and keeps it running all day, and then eating a healthy breakfast after, god luck and talk to you later!!!

mmmpink

I work out every day at 6 am on an empty stomach. I prefer it that way. If I've eaten, I just find I'm not able to jump as high, and I get cramping more often.
When you work out before eating anything you burn stored fat as fuel instead of using the carbs from food you've just eaten, so I prefer to do it this way

luedker

I hate to eat before my workouts but my trainer insists I do and he recommends oatmeal. I don't always do it.. I get up about 4:15- 4:30 and am at the gym usually by 5. So with commuting to the gyn and pulling everything together its not so bad. But I do love working out that early the main reason being it is done and nothing can interfere with my me time, work isn't bugging me, my daughter is still asleep and she doesnlt have any activities at that hour.. I also feel good that I have done something for myself and keeps me on track for my food consumption. Good luck!

imagymrat

I work out every day at 6 am on an empty stomach. I prefer it that way. If I've eaten, I just find I'm not able to jump as high, and I get cramping more often.
When you work out before eating anything you burn stored fat as fuel instead of using the carbs from food you've just eaten, so I prefer to do it this way

Yup and that's my answer as well!

Jamiebee24

I workout every morning Monday through Friday. I wake up anywhere from 5:10 to 5:30 and go to the gym on an empty stomach. I workout until 7:10ish and never have any problems with wishing I would have ate before I went---and I always have my intense cardio sessions in the morning---usually always burning at least 900 cals!! I have to go in the morning too before my kiddos wake up as well. Once I get home from the gym, I eat a banana, take my shower and once my boys wake up I eat my breakfast with them. the workouts don't stop there though---we go for a run/jog---or I go back to the big gym and go to a class and do some weight training and have a light cardio session. The boys love the walk/jog and really like going to the gym---well my 2 year old LOVES it, but my 13 month old not so much!

sbilyeu75

I used to get up at 4:30am everyday to get to the gym at 5am. I would just drink 8 oz. of milk to get started. I mostly strength train, so there may be a difference there.

skinnytayy

Can a car run with an empty tank of gas? No. and Neither will you. It's best to eat BEFORE you workout. Your body needs fuel to function as well as perform intense workouts. Another girl just asked this and a guy that works out or at a gym was saying he seen some lady workout before she ate and she ended up fainting and breaking her jaw as well as a few teeth. Not trying to be rude .. Just tell it how it is. Use common sense everyone .. we don't need any injuries :-)

BOGmama2010

We roll out of bed and push play. No food, but we drink plenty of water before, during, and after. We drink a recovery drink within 15 minutes of being done with our workout. I couldn't imagine not working out before the kids get up - it just takes all of the "when am I gonna get it done?" out of the way.

imagymrat

Can a car run with an empty tank of gas? No. and Neither will you. It's best to eat BEFORE you workout. Your body needs fuel to function as well as perform intense workouts. Another girl just asked this and a guy that works out or at a gym was saying he seen some lady workout before she ate and she ended up fainting and breaking her jaw as well as a few teeth. Not trying to be rude .. Just tell it how it is. Use common sense everyone .. we don't need any injuries :-)

How do you know this happened to her because lack of food? she could have a pre-existing condition...how do you know? I've seen people, including myself get better results from not eating before a morning workout. It's not a bad thing to do. And FYI, my body isn't a car, you can't compare the two, we have fat reserves our body can draw from, when a tank is empty it's got nothing to draw from. If you want to debate the topic, have some actual data to back you up, and not "welll..a friend of a friend, saw someone who knocked her teeth out cause ..well...I think she didn't eat before she worked out. For some people it works, for others it doesn't your body will let you know.

kaylarose123

i workout everyday at 5 am on an empty stomach.. get up roll out of bed a cup of black coffee with splenda speeds things up as well your body starts burning straight fat...... after eat some egg whites on a fiber tortilla with cheese n salsa u will be burning all DAY!

luvz2bfitMOM

wow awesome tips you guys! i will try it tomarrow....kind of scared, lol, i've always worked out while kids were napping or time when they would let me as they slapped on a movie.....but im numping it up to 90 min so i dont think they will let me for that long....gotta step up my game!!!

thank you all sooooo much!!! the proof is in the pudding!!

Nharley

I get up at a freaky 4:30am to get in an hour or more workout before my first class starts. My routine is to drink (2) 16oz glasses of water before running/yoga/walking and/or weight lifting. I do not eat unless I wake up starving, and then I won't eat until after my 2 glasses of water. The body becomes dehydrated as we sleep, so the water flushes out any nasties, hydrates the brain and stimulates bowel movements. If I need to eat after my water, I choose a banana or make a green smoothie (google the term) and have a small amount (8 oz) of that before working out. I eat after I work out, usually fruit, a smoothie or like today an egg sandwhich. And more water! Coffee and tea dehydrates the body and actually causes you to feel sluggish because the cells in your brain are thirsty! Google the effects of dehydration too. It was an eye opener for me!

renae5

I get up at 3:50am and I am out the door and on the pavement by 4am, I live in the middle of nowhere and have to be home by 5:45 to get my kiddos up to get ready for school. If I workout on a full stomach I get Super nauseous, I do grab breakfast as soon as I can afterwards, atleast a banana or some oatmeal, or maybe hard-boiled egg whites to start the recovery process. My sister and I workout together every morning... she is the exact opposite, she cannot get going without some form of food. So, before we meet she grabs a banana or mango, something small but healthy. Now, we are Not experts.. but we are working very hard. You may just have to see what works for you.

ShaneT99

ok, gonna start working out in the early am before my kiddies wake up.....for those who do the same.....what do you eat!?!?! food usually has to sit for 45min before intense workouts....but man that seems like a lot of time to kill....i mean i would be sleeping if i had it my way, lol.....what do you eat? what time you get up? isnt working out on empty tummies bad for you? .....and something i've always wondered....if you do everything first thing in the morning, is it best since you have the rest of the day to eat eat eat?? lol....does it matter what time you work out?

That's a lot of questions.

What do I eat? Nothing. I work out on an empty stomach (and I actually prefer it this way).
What time do I get up? 3:45
Is workout out on an empty stomach bad for you? Certainly not.
Do you get to eat, eat, eat the rest of the day since you worked out early? No. You still have to stay within your calorie limits.
Does it matter what time you work out? Not really. I tell people to work out at whatever time works best for their schedule.

ShaneT99

Can a car run with an empty tank of gas? No. and Neither will you. It's best to eat BEFORE you workout. Your body needs fuel to function as well as perform intense workouts.

Your body HAS fuel. It's called fat. I've been doing intense workouts for years on an empty stomach and hundreds of thousands of other people have too.

That being said, if you're already very lean (I'd say 10% BF or lower for males and maybe 12-13% or lower for females) and you're not trying to cut down any further then it's probably a good idea to eat before your workout. If you have fat to spare you're not going to hurt anything by eating on empty. In fact, it might just help.

One thing you DO need to do is eat AFTER your workout. That meal really needs to have some protein in it.

Azdak

If do want to eat before a workout, it doesn't have to be a big meal--nor do you have to wait 45 min. 100-200 calories is fine--there are plenty of combinations. You can grab something first and by the time you get dressed and put on your shoes, you are ready to go. If you have drive to a gym, that's even a little more time.

You can choose to do what works best for you -- just keep in mind there are no physical benefits to working out on an empty stomach. So make your choice based on your needs -- not some urban folklore.

iplayoutside19

What ShaneT and Azdck said.

Think about it. Captain Caaaaaaaaveman. Certainly had to "work out" to find food to eat in the first place. Humans are designed to do such things. You'll be OK.

amg_89

When I run first thing in the morning I can't eat or I will have the runner's sh**s. It's a funny name but it's a horrible feeling when you are running through a neighborhood about to deuce in your pants. I've even run half marathons on an empty stomach (ok, probably not the best idea, but I felt fine so I went with it). If they start before 8 I really just can't eat beforehand. If it starts at 8 or after, I'll wake up at 5 or 6 and eat something small so I can take care of the BM before the race starts.

poncerjd

I don't eat anything before I hit the gym and I'm in there by 5 am. I've been doing it for almost three years now and haven't had any problems with it. I'd say figure out what works best for you. Try it out without eating anything and see how you feel throughout the workout. If you feel fatigued or anything then maybe try a nutritional drink or power bar or something

CaptainJSK

I prefer to workout on an empty stomach as well. Try it and see how it feels. You might find that it's tough and you feel a bit queasy part way through your workout. If that's the case then try eating something small before your workout, like some fruit. Half a banana works really well as well as the oatmeal suggestion earlier. It can help to have that little bit of extra sugar to keep your blood sugar up but it doesn't need to be a full meal!