Best to work out before or after breakfast?

Vupe
Vupe Posts: 80
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been doing my workouts before breakfast. But then I am not as hungry but still need to keep the caloric intake up. Any expert advice out there?

Replies

  • DrJenO
    DrJenO Posts: 404 Member
    Eat more later in the day?

    I don't think it matters as anything other than personal preference. Some people swear by fasting workouts, but I personally don't think it probably matters that much.

    I tend to split my calories in half, eating the first half throughout the day (including a 200-300 cal breakfast about 30 minutes after my early morning work out) and the other have for dinner and late evening.
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
    Personal preference, whatever fits your personal lifestyle. When I lift in the mornings I like to be fasted, if I'm doing cardio which is rare I like to have something beforehand, primarily because after I lift I am starving, but after a run the last thing I want is food YMMV.

    Rigger
  • Ainar
    Ainar Posts: 858 Member
    It does not matter. It's all about personal preference and how it effects your personal body. So you need to experiment. I find that I have more energy and better workouts fasted. If I ate my energy goes down for some reason. So I work out fasted.
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    Like they said... whatever works best for you. I can't eat anything sizable before or right after. My stomach will hate me with a passion. Before a workout I may have a banana or something similar. Just enough to keep my stomach from being totally empty (which also causes me issues... I hate my body). After I will have a protein shake or a glass of chocolate milk. About an hour after that is when I would be able to stomach a real meal.
  • angieroo2
    angieroo2 Posts: 970 Member
    It depends on your body. Personally I struggle to force down energy chews before a run. Looking at a banana turns my stomach. But many people I know eat food before a workout.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    All personal preference. For me, I work out at the crack of dawn (since it's when I have time), on an empty stomach (or sometimes a cup of coffee). I find that as long as I eat my dinner late (or a snack if early dinner) right before bed, I still have enough fuel to not feel dizzy or sick or anything.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    I run on an empty stomach at 4:30, when I get home I eat a 900 calorie bowl of oatmeal & Silk (almond milk) loaded over the rim with chia seeds, tree nuts, strawberries blueberries, and a banana.
  • Vupe
    Vupe Posts: 80
    Thanks, I wake at 6am and have breakfast around 8:30, (do workouts in the house while the baby is asleep). Then have a quick smaller lunch around 1-2 but then I was told best not to eat past 7pm for best results so I feel like I squeeze dinner in by 6. My calorie intake is pretty low but still...from 7pm-6am I hear my stomach saying "gimmee a snack". A lot of things I read say to burn on empty stomach to burn more efficiently and not to eat after 7pm for the same reasons. I wonder if workouts should be done later on in the day rather that early am or SPLIT like one of you mentioned. One work out in am and one in afternoon. Just trying to find the right niche. If any of you wanna track with me let me know cause I track daily and taking this gig pretty seriously.
  • cwoyto123
    cwoyto123 Posts: 308
    Personal preference, does not matter.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Thanks, I wake at 6am and have breakfast around 8:30, (do workouts in the house while the baby is asleep). Then have a quick smaller lunch around 1-2 but then I was told best not to eat past 7pm for best results so I feel like I squeeze dinner in by 6.

    Provided you're managing your total calorie and nutrient intake, you can safely eat past 6pm. I really wouldn't pay any attention to rules telling you not to eat at certain times.

    A lot of things I read say to burn on empty stomach to burn more efficiently and not to eat after 7pm for the same reasons.

    This is basically nonsense.
  • Vupe
    Vupe Posts: 80
    Good advice, and works for my conscience too thanks.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Whatever is sustainable and you prefer. Stay within your calorie goals and eat whenever you want. Everything else you are doing is unnecessary.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    Strictly Personal Preference and what works best for you and your individual goals.....Best of Luck
  • ddkphotos
    ddkphotos Posts: 304 Member
    personally I don't like the thought of working out on an empty stomach - so I have a little something before going to aquafit (quinoa crispbreads with peanut butter) - then have my regular smoothie with protein powder when I get back... but not being hungry after has never been a problem. I'm always hungry!

Categories