Eating before exercise or not?

Charlea1981

Hi guys, in the morning do you eat before exercise or afterwards, please?

Which is wise?

Thank you :-)

jkleman79

Most definitely something before you exercise...not a lot though. You may get an upset stomach depending on what you eat..and how much. Make sure you always have some protein before you work out..

My roomie actually throws up after a work out if he doesnt eat before...

mkingraham

I personally don't eat before because I wake up at 5:45 and I am working out by 6:30 and I always try and push myself really hard. I think I would barf if I ate before. I do however shower and then eat oatmeal with cinnamon and topped with some greek yogurt for breakfast. It works for me, but it may not work for everyone!

maryrshstattoo

I always eat something light yogurt and toast. I find if I don't I get light headed during my exercise.

MistyMtnMan

Yes, always. I usually have a piece of Ezekiel bread (whole grain, gluten free, wheat free bread) with some all natural peanut butter, banana and honey. Delicious and does the job.

khodges15

i plan it perfectly that i eat breakfast before i hit the gym workout for 2 hours, go to class, then have lunch!

feliciapeters

i have a small amount of protein/carbs b4 & protein after

RZO42488

Eat a breakfast/nutrition bar........you can get your protein and it wont be filling while you work out. Feeling light headed is never fun early in the morning when you have the whole day ahead of you. I would also suggest chugging a cup of water as soon as you roll out of bed (whether you eat or dont eat before the workout).

bfomo

I do 30 minutes of low impact aerobics before breakfast. I do hydrate with 12-16 ounces of water before beginning.

jewelzz

I never eat before my workouts,it makes me feel sick.but I do drink water and that seems to be ok.think its a personal thing weather you do or dont.:bigsmile:

heatherhart

I always eat something small before I work out & then something with protein afterwards.

MakingAChoice

Eat something before your workout even if it is a protein bar/drink. After sleeping all night your body is hungry for food, working out in that condition could lead to a loss of muscle instead of fat. I always eat a full breakfast about an hour before working out.

maureensc

I usually have a banana and a cup of coffee (I keep it light).

jkleman79

mkinggraham you may be cheating yourself actually...your metabolism doesn't start the day until you start it with something to eat.. You should eat at least something within 20 minutes of waking up to jump start your metabolism for the day.. This may increase your calorie burn while you are working out... just a thought.

VSgirl2010

I never eat before either. I recently saw on the TODAY show that you benefit more from exercise before eating breakfast but if its a case where there is a lot of time between getting up and exercise and eating breakfast you may want to have a snack 1st. I tend to roll out of bed and on to my elliptical machine so theres no time for me to get hungry, LOL- THEN I eat a sensible breakfast.....Do what works for you!

souxie32

Everything I have ever read from exercise experts, be it Bob Harper from Biggest Loser to Billy Blanks, states you should eating something at least 1 hours before you exercise. The reports vary on what but you need to have fuel to do the workout or you will "run out of gas" and may not have as an effective of a workout.

saldridge

It depends on the workout too.
I think for weights, you should definitely eat. For cardio, there are different opinions. A lot of people believe that cardio on an empty stomach and depleted system will go to the fat faster instead of burning glycogen (or glucose?).

Here are a couple of links that explain it much better than I can:
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/diet_and_fitness/article6988526.ece
http://fitnessblackbook.com/main/fasted-workouts-and-fasted-cardio-vs-epoc-for-fat-loss/
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/fasted-cardio-and-fat-loss-qa.html
http://www.hollywoodbodyfitness.com/fasted-cardio-for-fat-loss
http://www.formerfatguy.com/articles/cardio-morning.asp#axzz1GxRPW9dn

I admit, it makes a lot of sense to me, but on the other hand, I cannot do more than 40 minutes that way.

becka63

I'm torn on this too, and there is a thread somewhere on this forum where most of the posters seem to suggest the opposite!

I used to work out and then have breakfast, but then I watched a docu on the tv where a GP told someone that their body would be working harder less effectively if they didn't eat before exercise. So I changed my routine and ate breakfast and then worked out about an hour later.

I can't tell any difference in my weight loss pattern - my initial weight loss may have been because I'd gone from sedentary to getting off my butt, rather than my eating times, but today I did some light cardio without eating, then had breakfast, left it an hour and completed my workout.

BifDiehl

I roll out of bed and 15 minutes later am exercising. So I don't take the time to eat anything significant, so I drink about 4 ounces of milk before exercising. And a glass of water.

Mayor_West

There are two schools of thought on this. The first being that after sleeping and not eating, we need to break the fast (thus the clever name) we put ourselves through during our slumber. This will give us enough energy to get through our workouts and start our metabolism.

The other is that by not eating anything, especially carbs, our bodies will instead tap our stored fat for energy while we work out. So, since fat loss is a primary goal of most of us, burning fat through exercise would seem to be an ideal option.

So which is "correct"? I'd say BOTH, and here's why. It's no secret that when it comes to burning fat and losing weight, there is no "One Size Fits All" approach. Just as we all look, talk, act and think differently, our bodies also respond differently to different stimuli. So, in turn to say that because Option A worked for this person means that Option B won't work for that person is obtuse and narrow-minded at best.

Now, based on my own personal experience, I spent the better part of the past 9 years lifting weights and doing cardio every morning, 6 days a week on an empty stomach. I was able to burn fat, put on muscle, increase endurance and strength. However, that does not mean that the same approach will work for YOU. Just like anything else, some experimentation is in order to find what works and what doesn't.

danni31487

I usually will have protein like egg whites with toast before I work out or a yogurt. When im done with working out I usually will have a piece of fruit

fteale

Absolutely not before. I throw up during if I eat before exercise.

up2me2lose20

My alarm rings at 5AM and I meet Jillian in my living room at 5:10. I have to get my workout in before the rest of the household is awake because there's really no other time to get it in. I do not eat before I workout. Somedays I feel like I should have eaten something. If I work out really hard I do get a little woozey feeling because I know my body and I know I need to eat. I'm afraid I just can't do it beforehand, though...then I'd have to wait to digest a little bit and by that time it's time to cook breakfast for the kiddos and send them off to school, besides getting myself ready for my 10 hour a day/work from home job. It makes sense to give the body a little fuel I just can't figure out a way to do that.

One poster suggested a glass of milk prior to working out. I think I might try that...just a little bit of SOMETHING. I do drink about 4oz of water before my workout.

elyssiam

This thread has been helpful. I usually work out early in the morning before I eat anything. I've tried eating prior to exercise (anything from a hard boiled egg, a protein bar, banana with almond butter...) and I couldn't tell the difference in how I felt or how my body performed.

I've run 5.5 miles on an empty stomach and felt nothing but energized. I usually do some kind of cardio for about 30 min prior to boot camp class 3 days a week, then 45 - 65 minutes of cardio the other 3 days (I take Sunday off). I do drink a protein shake made with unsweetened almond milk, frozen berries and unsweetened cocoa after working out. I also drink before and after my work out.

I guess it really does depend on the individual!