what do you eat before/after a morning workout?

cottagegirl71

Newbie here - my apologies if this has been asked many times!

I will be working out in the mornings sometime between 9-11am (cardio or weights or a class)....I get up at 7:30, eat breakfast (usually greek yogurt with berries and a little granola)....but wondering what everyone else is doing before/after? Thanks!

prgirl39mfp

It is a good option before exercise. After exercise I go for some good carbs/ protein.

SezxyStef

I don't particularly subscribe to the requirement of eating specially prior to or after a workout.

I eat when I need to...

raindawg

I work out in the mornings on Saturday & Sunday. I always eat small for breakfast anyway so I like to go work out right after eating, otherwise I lose energy in the workout if I wait to long. I have a whey protein drink after the workout which seems to hold me over till lunch time.

spoiledpuppies

Typically nothing before unless I've been up for awhile before I go. After, nothing in particular--just whatever I'm in the mood for.

(I asked my trainer what I should eat beforehand, and he didn't seem to think it was important either way. He said a 1/2 scoop of protein powder 30-120 minutes before we'd meet...we're doing heavy lifting.)

cottagegirl71

thanks for the input - I worked out, then went grocery shopping and almost fainted at the checkout....better planning next time!

BreatheAshley

I have a smoothie in the morning and I use that to replace one of my meals.

MeanderingMammal

I will be working out in the mornings sometime between 9-11am (cardio or weights or a class)....I get up at 7:30, eat breakfast (usually greek yogurt with berries and a little granola)....but wondering what everyone else is doing before/after? Thanks!

If I'm doing a forenoon session it'll generally be a long run, 90-120 minutes, or a long ride, 120-180 minutes. Before those I'll have a couple of bananas and three slices of wholemeal toast or porridge with a handful of mixed nuts and honey, both with coffee and water.

If It's an evening session it'll be 8-10 km, so it depends on how I'm feeling after work. Generally I wouldn't bother with anything but if it's been a long afternoon then some nuts and dried fruit or a bottle of energy drink.

Spaghetti_Bender

I usually eat either oatmeal with frozen berries and peanut butter , or egg whites, turkey on a whole wheat wrap with Sriracha after my workouts.

TitanGM

I kinda have a similar schedule working out at 12pm. In my workout days I eat twice before working out. My typical food choices consist of 7:30 am, 2bananas, 4egg white omlet with 1 cup of oats + 1 whole egg. Then at around 9:30, 1 sweet potato, 1tbs of butter, 25grams of cheese + tamarind. Then at 12 I'm ready for workout.

99clmsntgr

Typically I workout at lunch, with the exception of my long runs which are Saturday mornings. I don't normally eat anything, unless you count the scoop of pre-workout formula and the two packets of Gu (one at mile 4.5 and one at mile 9).

If I eat anything in the morning before working out, it's usually just a banana or something equally light. I can't work out with a heavy stomach. On days when I work out at lunch, I've eaten breakfast around 6:30 (egg whites, green pepper, chicken sausage on an english muffin) and something around 9:30 (usually a piece of fruit and some kind of protein).

MelodyandBarbells

thanks for the input - I worked out, then went grocery shopping and almost fainted at the checkout....better planning next time!

LOL. I have a similar schedule on Saturdays. Workout started at 7 am. No food before but two cans of diet dew on my way in to wake me up. One hour later 1/4 of an apple (sliced and packed with me in my little gym string tote). Around 10:30 on my way back, went grocery shopping, didn't really eat my first meal until noon. So summary: I pack a small snack to help me not pass out and resume regularly scheduled eating whenever I feel like it

kristendeyell

Every Saturday I have an early workout. I'll eat a protein bar (usually Quest or ALT Luna bar) before. A protein smoothie after I get home. I was starting with the smoothie, but found all that liquid floating around in my stomach made for a not so pleasant kickboxing session

Mrsallypants

I emphasize carbs after a workout. I don't like the feeling of low blood sugar (shaky, dizzy, tired, sometimes nauseous) after a hard workout, so carbs are a must.

I don't much concern myself with protein as I read the "anabolic window" is a myth.

Before a workout, carbs also if the workout is a weight lifting session as your body uses primarily carbs as an energy source when weight lifting, especially heavy compound lifts like squats or deadlifts. Just eat the carbs 90 to 120 minutes before to avoid puking the food back up in your mouth. Or you could drink Gatorade as a carb source during your workout.

For fatloss cardio, I think it's better to eat nothing before in the mornings. The more glycogen depleted, the more you use fat as an energy source, yet not so much if you're doing high intensity cardio.

MelodyandBarbells

They have free peanut m&ms in a bowl some days at the gym. Today wasn't one such day

MagdaSea

I tend to just have a coffee before my morning workout. Sometimes I'll also have an apple or a bit of greek yogurt with oats.

After my workout I'll have a protein shake followed by breakfast which consists of a small bowl of cereal with soy milk or egg whites and veggies.

970Mikaela1

Before... BreAkfast.
After.... Lunch

kelly_e_montana

Before I workout, I often eat a banana and a simple coconut/almond milk+ whey protein shake. After I workout, I eat a meal replacement bar with a zone-ish ratio of 40%C/30%P/30%F. If I have time to eat a full meal, I will try to get 50 g of starchy carbs in the form of sweet potato, rice, or oatmeal because that's what works for me, plus some protein. I always eat the pre-workout food about an hour before the workout.

Your pre-workout meal sounds appropriate to me.

Wetcoaster

From Alan Agaron and Brad Jon Schoenfeld


http://www.jissn.com/content/10/1/5


Due to the transient anabolic impact of a protein-rich meal and its potential synergy with the trained state, pre- and post-exercise meals should not be separated by more than approximately 3–4 hours, given a typical resistance training bout lasting 45–90 minutes. If protein is delivered within particularly large mixed-meals (which are inherently more anticatabolic), a case can be made for lengthening the interval to 5–6 hours. This strategy covers the hypothetical timing benefits while allowing significant flexibility in the length of the feeding windows before and after training. Specific timing within this general framework would vary depending on individual preference and tolerance, as well as exercise duration. One of many possible examples involving a 60-minute resistance training bout could have up to 90-minute feeding windows on both sides of the bout, given central placement between the meals. In contrast, bouts exceeding typical duration would default to shorter feeding windows if the 3–4 hour pre- to post-exercise meal interval is maintained. Shifting the training session closer to the pre- or post-exercise meal should be dictated by personal preference, tolerance, and lifestyle/scheduling constraints.



Even more so than with protein, carbohydrate dosage and timing relative to resistance training is a gray area lacking cohesive data to form concrete recommendations. It is tempting to recommend pre- and post-exercise carbohydrate doses that at least match or exceed the amounts of protein consumed in these meals. However, carbohydrate availability during and after exercise is of greater concern for endurance as opposed to strength or hypertrophy goals. Furthermore, the importance of co-ingesting post-exercise protein and carbohydrate has recently been challenged by studies examining the early recovery period, particularly when sufficient protein is provided. Koopman et al [52] found that after full-body resistance training, adding carbohydrate (0.15, or 0.6 g/kg/hr) to amply dosed casein hydrolysate (0.3 g/kg/hr) did not increase whole body protein balance during a 6-hour post-exercise recovery period compared to the protein-only treatment. Subsequently, Staples et al [53] reported that after lower-body resistance exercise (leg extensions), the increase in post-exercise muscle protein balance from ingesting 25 g whey isolate was not improved by an additional 50 g maltodextrin during a 3-hour recovery period. For the goal of maximizing rates of muscle gain, these findings support the broader objective of meeting total daily carbohydrate need instead of specifically timing its constituent doses. Collectively, these data indicate an increased potential for dietary flexibility while maintaining the pursuit of optimal timing.

LianaG1115

plain grits about 45-60 minutes before my workout, that's all my stomach can handle.

itzcool4me

I usually have something super light before a work out - a hard boiled egg or nuts & cheese. After I'm done, I'll have a pre-made cup of oatmeal that was soaked overnight with greek yogurt and almond milk or a kale/spinach smoothie.

103reasons

I eat carbs before a workout, usually some fruit. Then, I have protein (normally my protein heavy lunch) after the workout, to help the muscles recover.

DienhartDotCom

Before my workout I'll have a hard boiled egg and a banana to give me a boost to get thru the workout. After, I'll go ahead and have another egg and some oatmeal or regular breakfast. I prefer to stay as natural as possible and stay away from protein bars... Due to the sugar content (most are marginally better than a candy bar).

Francl27

Normal breakfast before, usually nothing after until lunch.

ianthy

I guess each to their own. For years I used to work out on a virtually empty stomach, the thought of eating anything before used to make me feel queezy. Then I started working with a new PT and she insisted that I eat 2 hours before our lunch time sessions. Yes - I felt queezy but after a few sessions, I got used to it and also found that I had a lot more energy during our work outs. I follow a similar pattern now - good breakfast before my 10 am work out. Again if i am going on a power walk - some carbs/protein about 1 hour before the session. After each session - I am ready for a snack - boiled egg and toast or something similar I have never tried the energy drinks or bars.