To eat before or after working out in the morning?

pedraz

Whatever you do, make sure to drink enough. I workout in the AM before eating but I drink a big glass of water that I keep by my bed before I even put one foot on the floor. I also sip water throughout the workout. This keeps me from feeling nauseous with no food in tummy. That said, I'd feel nauseous WITH food in my tummy during a workout. Everyone is different. Experiment and find your way. Good luck!

pedraz

Here's the easiest way to look at this. If you don't eat before you workout (especially just after waking in the morning) you'll have less energy which will affect the quality of your workout. You've basically been on a 6-8 hour fast (depending on how long you sleep at night) and your body is looking for a recharge. That said, if you're going to eat before a workout it should be roughly 2 hours before your workout. This gives your body time to digest the food and provide the much needed energy for your workout. Eating right before a workout can also negatively impact your workout. If your body is actively digesting food you just ate, it can not only make you feel not so great it can also rob you of energy needed for your workout. (Now before all my physiological majors start in, I'm over-simplifying here on purpose so let's not get pedantic).

My suggestion is eat 2 hours before you workout and eat something with a little higher carb content. If you cannot eat that far before your workout then my suggestion would be go on an empty stomach. You may have a bit less energy but ultimately you'll feel better than if your stomach is full. Finally as a general rule, carbs before workout, proteins after.

Like this!

NovemberJune

If I work out in the morning, I don't eat before. If I eat before I work out, my kids will wake up... and then I won't be able to work out!

KilikiMom

i like to eat in the am before i exercise otherwise i feel like passing out...and thats not a fun feeling

now_or_never12

For me it depends on the type of exercise I am doing. If I am just going for a simple walk I don't. I'll do my walk, come home, shower than eat.

If I am aiming to do something more intense I will eat something small. Usually a mini protein shake about 45 minutes before as I get sick if I don't eat and exercise intensly on an empty stomach.

NovemberJune

.... apparently morning exercise is for losing weight and evening is for toning body.
.....

I've never heard that myth but it's not true

myfitnessnmhoy

I do both. I bicycle in to work (50 minutes, 14 miles, hilly), and I have a slice of multigrain bread just before I head out (110 calories, complex carb bias), and a good batch of refrigerator oatmeal with peanut butter when I arrive at work after I've showered (balance of fats, carbs, proteins).

EDIT: As others have said, though, I exercise on an empty stomach if it's going to be a 200-calorie exercise. I burn around 700-800 on my ride in, and doing that with no calorie input at all means I really start to suffer on the big hills.

MzMiller1215

I usually get up at 3:30 a.m and head straight to the gym. I never eat until after my workouts in the mornings.

2011_4mygirls

I have to eat before my morning walk. If I don't, then my blood sugar gets all out of whack and I feel terrible the rest of the day.

I normally try to have a protein shake before working out - sometimes, I do a string cheese or something instead, it just depends on the amount of time I have.

mikeyboy

It depends on what type of workout and how intense. Also like some others have stated, find what works for you. I workout first thing in the morning and I drink half of my protien shake before and half after.

Hellbent_Heidi

Morning workout here...and most days (probably 8 out of 10) I don't eat anything before (just a few shots of coffee on the way to the gym). Some days I'm just HUNGRY though, and I'll have half a protein bar or something beforehand, just to take that edge off.

I do eat ASAP afterward though. I shower and dress for work at the gym, and generally either get a protein shake or I have something ready to eat in the car on the way to work

philco41

I'm diabetic, and I have to be careful not to let my blood sugar drop too low. I eat before exercise (usually a morning walk,) and often have a snack afterward to restore blood sugar levels.

MzMiller1215

I do my strength training first thing in the morning as well and my body is VERY toned.

RobynMWilson

When I had the luxury of working out first thing in the morning, I did it on an empty stomach (besides coffee) b/c it was just too early to eat and I sometimes would get a bit of regurg if I was doing abs or cardio. Now I have a small carb snack before I work out and then eat protein about an hour post-workout.

deenie169

That's a good question! I just read the Runner's World article on Running on Empty: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/1,7120,s6-238-267--14388-0,00.html
It's a good idea for training, if you're racing or whatever, but for most people it won't matter much. It really matters for people who are pros/ elite competitors.

You could try doing a couple of post-work workouts and see how you feel. The thing about fitness is that you have to find something that you can do consistently...if you hate it, you're less likely to continue. If you work it out so that you feel more willing to work out at day's end, you're more likely to stick with it.

Good luck! Let us know what happens.

wcmyers74

The bottom line is, we each have to find a system that works for us. You may be fine doing cardio without a meal in the morning, but strength training may require more fuel to really challenge your muscles. The best answer to this is to do what works for you. Don't go hungry just because you think you're burning more fat...after all, if you cut it short or lower the intensity because of low energy, how much fat are you burning anyway?

If you do eat before a workout, make sure you give your body time to digest. The larger the meal, the more time you'll need. But, if you choose a light snack (100-200 calories) and stick with higher carb fare, you can probably exercise after about 30-60 minutes.

Pre-workout snack ideas:

•Banana (or other type of fruit)
•Yogurt
•Oatmeal
•Energy bar or gel
•Fruit smoothie
•Sports drink

surlydave

Honestly, do whatever feels comfortable to you. If you can work out fasted and not feel light headed or weak during then do that. If you feel that you need a little something in your system and a small meal prior to helps you, then do that.

There will be a lot of people who will tell you that you "have" to work out fasted to get better results or you "have" to eat in order to kick start your metabolism... lots of noise and opinions.

Do what works for you and what makes you feel good.

This. In fact, I would say this about the many theories on MFP that sometimes seem to oppose one another. Personally I don't eat before I workout in the morning but it's not because I feel I have to. I am used to not eating until I get to the office. I do subscribe to the idea of eating protein within 60 minutes post workout.

ItsCasey

I only do morning workouts on weekends and days off work. In those cases, I work out before I eat.

My weekday workouts are almost always right after work, around 4 PM. I typically eat lunch between 12 and 1, and then I have dinner right after my workout, around 5:30.

But I agree with the poster who said there isn't a right way and a wrong way to do it. There is no point in trying to commit to something you will not continue doing in the long-term. Figure out what works for you, and don't worry about what everyone else says you should be doing.

wild_wild_life

I agree you just have to try different things to see what works best for you. After some trial and error, I realized its better for me not to eat before a run but to eat a small amount of protein and carbs 30-60 min before lifting or I don't feel like I can put maximum effort in.

You hear different theories about fasting exercise and whether you burn more or less fat or whatever, but I really wonder if it's significant enough to matter for the average person. What matters is what makes you feel at your best.

FrugalMomsRock75

I've been getting up and running first thing in the morning (well... running/walking in intervals. I'm not a runner yet, but I'm trying to be lol). Right now (because of the tropical storm that dumped all the rain in our area), I'm doing a 2.5 mile route. As soon as my normal route clears up, I'll be back to the 4.2 miles I was doing.

I *always* go on an empty stomach (except water). I wake up and drink water while I change, grab my gear (runner pouch, iPod, pedometer) and go. I come back home, drink some more water, and then finally get around to some food. I'm not very hungry in the morning. If I eat before I go, I inevitably can't run as well because I feel like I'm going to throw up. :-x

Same for my gym time: if I eat first, I can't do the higher intensity stuff (elliptical, arc, treadmill uphill @ 4.0-5.0 mph). I always need at least an hour and a half after eating to do more intense exercise.