early morning workout...eat before or after?

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jeffarthur
jeffarthur Posts: 123 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I usually roll right out of bed and hit the bike for 30 mins then eat...am i doing this backward? c'mon fitness people...you know, don't you??
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Replies

  • AnnThereseRN
    AnnThereseRN Posts: 44 Member
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    I'm not a fitness guru, but I have had good and bad luck going both ways. If I don't eat, I am less likely to cramp up during a run. But if I don't eat I also could lose steam 1/2 way into my workout.

    I'm curious as to what people have the most success with.
  • japruzze
    japruzze Posts: 453 Member
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    Planning on starting an early morning workout routine (waiting for my new treadmill to arrive). I'd be interested in what people recommend too. I was planning on hitting the treadmill as I roll out of bed (I will stop to put my sneakers on first!) but was planning to eat afterwards.
  • japruzze
    japruzze Posts: 453 Member
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    bump
  • BrandyontheRun
    BrandyontheRun Posts: 204 Member
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    Your body needs carbs to burn while working out. I believe they say to eat half an hour to an hour before you workout. This is what I do and I find when I don't, I get cramps mid run. I also have a small snack (or lunch, depending on the time) after I finish my workout. So before I hit they gym I usually have some fruit (and maybe some toast, depending on my mood/what I want of course) and water.
  • theginnyray
    theginnyray Posts: 208 Member
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    Trial and error - find out what works for YOUR body!
    I work out early mornings too. Three or four mornings a week I run, the other days are strength days. I need caffeine before I run, or I lose steam fast - so running mornings I take a PowerBar Gel with caffeine before I head out the door. On strength mornings, I don't need the extra caffeine, so I work on a completely empty stomach. That's what works for me. On a rare occasion that I am ravenous when I wake up, I might have half a banana or something.
    As a general rule, if it's not broke, don't fix it.
  • debilyn574
    debilyn574 Posts: 92 Member
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    I'd say to have something light before working out. A piece of fruit is good, this morning I had eggs on a whole wheat tortilla and that seemed to work well too. I came home and had my oatmeal with blueberries and walnuts as my real breakfast.
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
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    Nope, not backwards. Doing cardio on an empty stomach is very beneficial for burning fat and it kickstarts your metabolism for the day. Keep it up!
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    I usually roll right out of bed and hit the bike for 30 mins then eat...am i doing this backward? c'mon fitness people...you know, don't you??

    I would base this decision entirely on personal preference.

    Anecdotally: Fasted cardio will only POTENTIALLY make a difference for already lean people trying to get very lean. Mobilization of fatty acids can increase but in overweight people mobilization is a non issue.

    In short -- up to you.
  • smae1980
    smae1980 Posts: 794 Member
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    I also work out before I eat for the same reason someone posted above, because if I eat right before I get cramps during my workout and it makes it hard to focus. I find I don't run out of steam as long as I work out right after I get up instead of waiting a little while, then as soon as I finish I eat breakfast. If I work out later in the day I try to time it for between meals so I haven't eaten too near to the time of my workout, again because of the cramps, then I have something to eat right after
  • tistal
    tistal Posts: 869 Member
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    I chug a bottle of water then do 30 mins of Zumba in the mornings before I eat.
  • JenSmith1104
    JenSmith1104 Posts: 58
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    Nope, not backwards. Doing cardio on an empty stomach is very beneficial for burning fat and it kickstarts your metabolism for the day. Keep it up!


    ^this!
  • Shannonnn92
    Shannonnn92 Posts: 86 Member
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    I eat before and after I go to the gym... I have an english muffin with peanut butter before and when I get back I typically have some granola and a grapefruit... I have found that I function best that way, but I think it can vary and you should just do whatever feels best for you.
  • kimoRUN
    kimoRUN Posts: 325 Member
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    Early morning empty stomach workouts.

    Low intensity cardio: Good
    Weights: Bad
  • Panda86
    Panda86 Posts: 873
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    Honestly, I think it's whatever works for you. For me, if I exercise in the early morning, I don't feel like I need food beforehand. I usually workout around 6:30, but I can't eat before 8 or I will get a horrible stomach ache all day. But my workouts aren't super strenuous, and they are rarely longer than 30 minutes. However, if I am going to do something like, 60 minutes on the elliptical, I MUST have food before, or I totally lose steam. Especially if its later in the day. I also try to eat an hour or so before a 3-mile run, because I will lose steam on that if I don't. Find what works for you :)
  • carebear7951
    carebear7951 Posts: 404 Member
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    Nope, not backwards. Doing cardio on an empty stomach is very beneficial for burning fat and it kickstarts your metabolism for the day. Keep it up!

    That's what I was told (well, not personally LOL) by Denise Austin who is a long term fitness professional. :) (And shoot, if I look like her in my 50s???? I'd feel like I had room to tell people what to do!) She says that if you eat first you are burning what you eat. If you burn on an empty stomach you are burning what's already there (ie fat!) so that's what I do. Besides, who wants to puke? ;) Plus, if I sit down to eat before I work out...fuhgeddaboutit! LOL I have to get it done asap.
  • catattack13
    catattack13 Posts: 117
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    if I eat aaaanything before I work out I will get an enormous, debilitating cramp, immediately, and potentially fall off the treadmill or drop whatever weights I'm trying to lift.
  • mcarden86
    mcarden86 Posts: 59 Member
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    http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/15/phys-ed-the-benefits-of-exercising-before-breakfast/
  • friendlygecko
    friendlygecko Posts: 1
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    A couple of years back, I was seeing a nutritionist and we discussed this exact issue. She said that everyone needs to eat within 30 minutes of being up (since your body has gone so many hours without eating). She said if you are someone that gets sick when you exercise with food in your stomach, to at least have a piece of fruit for some natural sugar. Then as soon as you are done working out, eat your breakfast. Your body needs food every 3-4 hours while awake, and no food for 2 hours before bedtime. Hope this helps!! When you workout on an empty stomach, you are burning into your muscle that you want to improve, not fat, and your body is actually storing the fat. Good luck all!!
  • lareymarey
    lareymarey Posts: 9
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    I am another that falls out of bed onto the treadmill, or of to the gym
    I eat after i have fnished usually within an hour

    I do need to have a glass of water beforehand
  • jbenton091011
    jbenton091011 Posts: 99
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    I will have a banana before my work out. Gives me enough energy to get through the work out but not enough to make me feel full and crampy while I'm working out. When I'm done, I shower and then have a good bowl of oatmeal.

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