Dietitian says 'Make sure you have toast...

IronSmasher

in your stomach during your workout"

http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/2014/04/should-i-eat-before-my-morning-workout/

Ignore your goals, schedule, individual case and the International Society of Sports Nutrition - it's absolutely essential you have some carbs floating about in your stomach during your workout.
Make sure you have a large amount of water with it to ensure discomfort!

Afterwards it's ESSENTIAL that within 1 HOUR (despite goals, yadda yadda yadda) you feed your newly made muscle children.

Seriously though,
Thoughts?

EmmieBaby

I've heard you need a slow carb before a workout (banana, toast, juice) to give you energy, then after you workout you need protein, fat and complex carbs.

not convinced on the timing, I just tend to eat 30min or so before and 1 hour after

peleroja

That's what you got from that? Maybe you should read it again, because I really don't see how "if you work out first thing in the morning and you aren't feeling your best, a light meal beforehand can help give you some energy and avoid the digestive issues many people experience eating a full meal before working out" boils down to "eat toast before you work out!"

*shrug*

katev394

I have a few friends who are vegan and work out compulsively 1-2 hours a day. They also tell me to stop counting calories if I'm working out. And that drinking a protein shake/and or getting protein is important immediately after a work out.

MysteriousMerlin

I eat carbs about an hour before I work out so I don't pass out from low blood sugar...

Boogage

I tend to feel sick if I don't eat something before working out and I hear its good to have protein after to help your muscles repair and avoid DOMS. If you don't want to do it then don't.

KarmaKills

I work out at 5 a.m. on an empty stomach. No time to eat before working out because I need all the sleep I can get.

Dragonwolf

That's what you got from that? Maybe you should read it again, because I really don't see how "if you work out first thing in the morning and you aren't feeling your best, a light meal beforehand can help give you some energy and avoid the digestive issues many people experience eating a full meal before working out" boils down to "eat toast before you work out!"

*shrug*

I didn't get quite the same thing, but I did get "carbs! Carbs! Must have carbs!"

Bulletproof Exec begs to differ ( http://www.bulletproofexec.com/how-to-make-your-coffee-bulletproof-and-your-morning-too/ ), and frankly, so do I. When I worked out in the morning, I did so fasted and did just fine.

Now, I work out in the evenings again, and again do so in a fasted state (usually about 4:30-6pm, before eating dinner). Otherwise I get sicker than a dog. I did, however, try an experiment one time, and had something before working out and was fine -- the author would find what it was ironic, I think -- a spoonful of coconut oil. It's the only thing I've ever been able to eat even within 3 hours of working out that didn't make me sick when I worked out. MCTs are a wonderful compound.

Your glycogen stores may be running on empty (though I doubt it for people following the USDA guidelines of 50% carbs), but that doesn't mean your tank is on "empty." Your body has tens of thousands of calories worth of fuel at its disposal, and may already be accessing those reserves. Unless you're working out at an elite level, you'd be pretty hard pressed to outrun that conversion, especially once you adjusted to working out in that state.

I've also found the MFP blog to be of very limited value. Most of it seems to be regurgitated conventional wisdom. If it's not stuff that my own research has put into question, it's stuff I've already heard ad nauseum.

IronSmasher

That's what you got from that? Maybe you should read it again, because I really don't see how "if you work out first thing in the morning and you aren't feeling your best, a light meal beforehand can help give you some energy and avoid the digestive issues many people experience eating a full meal before working out" boils down to "eat toast before you work out!"

*shrug*

That's much more reasonable and scientifically accurate. Perhaps MFP should get you to write these blogs.

sjaplo

I say to each their own. I work out between 5:30 and 6: 30 in the am. The only thing I put in my system is 16oz of water and a couple of cups of black tea.

I will say that when I was running longer distances I would have some peanut butter toast before heading out. But for me - any workout under an hour and I'm cool on an empty stomach.

Now that I'm lifting I do have extra protein on lifting days. That is one scoop of Kaizen in a glass of milk.

IronSmasher

I say to each their own. I work out between 5:30 and 6: 30 in the am. The only thing I put in my system is 16oz of water and a couple of cups of black tea.

I will say that when I was running longer distances I would have some peanut butter toast before heading out. But for me - any workout under an hour and I'm cool on an empty stomach.

Now that I'm lifting I do have extra protein on lifting days. That is one scoop of Kaizen in a glass of milk.

I think the vast majority of experts would agree this is a decent approach (I don't know what Kaizen is).

Unfortunately, the blog says you are sabotaging your training and recovery

sjaplo

Sorry - Kaizen is a Whey protein brand out of New Zealand - the chocolate is yummy.

peleroja

That's what you got from that? Maybe you should read it again, because I really don't see how "if you work out first thing in the morning and you aren't feeling your best, a light meal beforehand can help give you some energy and avoid the digestive issues many people experience eating a full meal before working out" boils down to "eat toast before you work out!"

*shrug*

I didn't get quite the same thing, but I did get "carbs! Carbs! Must have carbs!"

Bulletproof Exec begs to differ ( http://www.bulletproofexec.com/how-to-make-your-coffee-bulletproof-and-your-morning-too/ ), and frankly, so do I. When I worked out in the morning, I did so fasted and did just fine.

Now, I work out in the evenings again, and again do so in a fasted state (usually about 4:30-6pm, before eating dinner). Otherwise I get sicker than a dog. I did, however, try an experiment one time, and had something before working out and was fine -- the author would find what it was ironic, I think -- a spoonful of coconut oil. It's the only thing I've ever been able to eat even within 3 hours of working out that didn't make me sick when I worked out. MCTs are a wonderful compound.

Your glycogen stores may be running on empty (though I doubt it for people following the USDA guidelines of 50% carbs), but that doesn't mean your tank is on "empty." Your body has tens of thousands of calories worth of fuel at its disposal, and may already be accessing those reserves. Unless you're working out at an elite level, you'd be pretty hard pressed to outrun that conversion, especially once you adjusted to working out in that state.

I've also found the MFP blog to be of very limited value. Most of it seems to be regurgitated conventional wisdom. If it's not stuff that my own research has put into question, it's stuff I've already heard ad nauseum.

I'm glad your website's advice works for you, but everyone is different. Personally, I can't do fasted cardio in the morning because I do end up completely exhausted before I'm done, and I don't feel that way if I eat something first. It works for me, but it may not work for everyone, and I think the blog was saying the same thing - IF you don't perform well fasted, then here are some suggestions.

I agree that it wasn't especially innovative, but MFP is for people of all levels of fitness and nutritional knowledge, and some people will need to read that. There are a lot of people for whom this is in fact new info and it's probably helpful to them. Just saying. If it's not news to you or you don't have a problem exercising before you eat in the morning, then it wasn't directed at you...no one can write stuff that is all things to all people, you know?

Dragonwolf

That's what you got from that? Maybe you should read it again, because I really don't see how "if you work out first thing in the morning and you aren't feeling your best, a light meal beforehand can help give you some energy and avoid the digestive issues many people experience eating a full meal before working out" boils down to "eat toast before you work out!"

*shrug*

I didn't get quite the same thing, but I did get "carbs! Carbs! Must have carbs!"

Bulletproof Exec begs to differ ( http://www.bulletproofexec.com/how-to-make-your-coffee-bulletproof-and-your-morning-too/ ), and frankly, so do I. When I worked out in the morning, I did so fasted and did just fine.

Now, I work out in the evenings again, and again do so in a fasted state (usually about 4:30-6pm, before eating dinner). Otherwise I get sicker than a dog. I did, however, try an experiment one time, and had something before working out and was fine -- the author would find what it was ironic, I think -- a spoonful of coconut oil. It's the only thing I've ever been able to eat even within 3 hours of working out that didn't make me sick when I worked out. MCTs are a wonderful compound.

Your glycogen stores may be running on empty (though I doubt it for people following the USDA guidelines of 50% carbs), but that doesn't mean your tank is on "empty." Your body has tens of thousands of calories worth of fuel at its disposal, and may already be accessing those reserves. Unless you're working out at an elite level, you'd be pretty hard pressed to outrun that conversion, especially once you adjusted to working out in that state.

I've also found the MFP blog to be of very limited value. Most of it seems to be regurgitated conventional wisdom. If it's not stuff that my own research has put into question, it's stuff I've already heard ad nauseum.

I'm glad your website's advice works for you, but everyone is different. Personally, I can't do fasted cardio in the morning because I do end up completely exhausted before I'm done, and I don't feel that way if I eat something first. It works for me, but it may not work for everyone, and I think the blog was saying the same thing - IF you don't perform well fasted, then here are some suggestions.

I agree that it wasn't especially innovative, but MFP is for people of all levels of fitness and nutritional knowledge, and some people will need to read that. There are a lot of people for whom this is in fact new info and it's probably helpful to them. Just saying. If it's not news to you or you don't have a problem exercising before you eat in the morning, then it wasn't directed at you...no one can write stuff that is all things to all people, you know?

I would agree....except for the fact that nowhere does it say that working out fasted is okay. In fact, it basically says "if eating in the morning doesn't agree with you, do it anyway or drink your calories," and claims that by not eating carbs before a workout, we're sabotaging it. Instead, it's saying things not much different than the "eat breakfast to jumpstart your metabolism!" thing, which most people on here have worked so hard to unbrainwash out of the newbies. Offering an option for those who don't do well working out fasted is one thing. Implying that you're playing Russian roulette with your energy if you do work out fasted is a completely different matter.

Also, if you look at the link I posted, it's not about working out without eating. It's about what many have found to be a phenomenal energy drink comprised of not carbs, but ample amounts of fat.

But yeah, the OP asked for opinions and I gave mine. *shrug*

peleroja

I kind of took that first "If you don't eat, you may not perform at your best" as a this-only-applies-if-you-do-feel-that-way. But yeah, I suppose it could be clearer on that front.

But it's not my blog, and I'm not the editor.

ksuh999

It's just like how if you don't your meat, you can't have any pudding.