Do you eat breakfast before working out?

katiest0ne

Hi! I'm considering getting up early to go to the gym tomorrow morning before my class. I was wondering if most people eat breakfast before going to the gym when working out in the A.M? Also what about coffee? I feel like I can't really function in the morning before I have a cup of coffee, but it might hurt my tummy if I drink it then go straight to working out

thanks!

rhenry086

I usually don't if I workout in the morning, but I do have a cup of coffee.

Achrya

Nope. I generally don't eat until around noon to 2pm, and I try to lift as soon as I'm fully awake.

By contrast I have to eat before I jog, or else it doesn't 'work', but I usually do that later in the afternoon

waterwing

I don't usually have anything when I work out in the morning. I used to have a quick coffee but stopped that because I found I'd rather enjoy my coffee post-workout. It's totally up to you though. Some people need something like a banana before they work out while others (like me) prefer to just get right to it. Play around and see what works best.

wickedpursuit

I can't eat anything resembling a meal an hour or two before working out, regardless of when the workout is. If I do, it leaves me feeling nauseated for hours afterward (which is probably just my quirky biology). I'll usually drink coffee or soda before, though!

elyelyse

If I'm going to eat early before exercise, I like something calorie dense so I can eat a little, get energy, but not have a full belly. I go for something around 200 calories...usually some granola, muesli, or nuts (or a mix). I do try to eat it at least 45 minutes before I'm gonna work out though, so I might start munching as I'm getting dressed and ready.

tealgrove

For an early morning workout I eat some cereal before heading out and I have a coffee. I find that if I don't eat, I don't have the stamina for a "good" workout.

StreetBystander

Besides water, I don't consume anything before my early morning workouts. Sometimes I don't eat until upwards of an hour afterwards, either. My body is just not hungry until an hour or two after waking up. Tying to force something down during this period makes me feel physically ill and less inclined to workout.

That said, though, I think this is something you're going to have to experiment with to find out what works for you personally. I understand wanting to get a consensus before trying something new, but in the long run you will benefit from playing around with these kinds of details until something clicks.

sun_fish

I have much better performance if I do cardio fasted first thing in the morning, weights I need some food in me and do better late afternoon/early evening. You should pick the approach that gives you the best performance, there is no right or wrong way. As far as the coffee goes, you may just have to try it and see if it bothers you. Otherwise, drink up!