Cardio in the Monring Before Food?

Polymorphist
Polymorphist Posts: 41
in Fitness and Exercise
I was wondering if it's better to do cardio - either steady-state or HIIT - in the morning right out of bed before consuming any calories or is it better to have, say, a 1/2 cup of oatmeal and then hit the cardio?

I'm having a very hard time hitting my daily calorie goals set here by MFP. Usually i'm coming in under my goal meaning that I don't eat enough. I'm usually anywhere from 300-700 shy. I've been doing some form of cardio every day and usually pretty hard. I'm just not hungry at all throughout the day these past few days. I've lost 2 lbs since last week. Do any of you experience this? I'm just wondering if it's better in my case to eat before cardio.

Thoughts?

I'm also sleeping a TON. Last night I went to bed at about 1:30am and didn't get up until 5pm this afternoon. I feel great - wondering if such heavy sleep is also normal?

Replies

  • Chris99mu
    Chris99mu Posts: 352 Member
    Bc I exercise pretty soon after waking, I rarely eat anything beyond a protein bar and some tea. Sometimes just tea if i know I'm gonna be doing something like running that will really jiggle my stomach contents around.
  • BunnyBabyDoll
    BunnyBabyDoll Posts: 132
    NO NO NO. You need to eat more. Whether you feel hungry or not you need to put at least the minimum amount of calories your body needs, AT LEAST! The heavy sleeping is because you're not eating enough and it's not normal. You will lose more weight by properly nourishing body. It's especially important if you're exercising. As far as eating before or after a work out, I think you should do both. Food before gives you the energy you need to work out but make sure you digest first and eat something high in protein after to help your body recover and keep your metabolism up.
  • AMBlass
    AMBlass Posts: 161
    You can exercise before eating. Lots of people do it. Some people feel sluggish without good, some people feel sick when they do eat. So it's up to you. However, it's critical that you get the right amount if cals per day, so def eat more. And if you are sleeping that much, you might have a thyroid issue. I recommend seeing a doctor to discuss.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    As far as steady-state, that all depends on how far or how much you do. If it is a small 3 mile run, then you could just go and eat afterwards. But if it is a long run, say half or full marathon training sessions, then it is advised you eat 30 minutes to an hour before hand.

    I personally like having a banana or something like that before any of my runs, but that is me. Everyone is different. After some time you should start seeing a pattern develop with your calorie numbers and will be able to better prepare for the day. Keep an eye on that and plan accordingly.

    As far as HIIT goes I don't know. I will get back to you on that (starting it in 2 weeks).
  • jaaronsutton
    jaaronsutton Posts: 1 Member
    Personally I like to work out in the morning (running at the gym) prior to eating breakfast. I noticed some research recently that stated that those who work out prior to eating breakfast tend to have less fat and other artery-clogging substances in their bloodstream. They also tend to lose 33% more weight than those who eat breakfast first. It seems also that it might also depend on when you are eating last the night before and how much energy you have in the morning. (I can relate to the sleeping thing). However, I normally like to get up around 4:00am (ish---emphasis on the "ish") and hit the gym by 4:30. I work out until about 6:00 or so (sometimes less), then I go home, clean up, (make sure that I stay hydrated with water) and then head to work and either eat on the way with something healthy or once I get to my desk. I normally try to eat dinner around 5:00p - 6:00pm and then go to bed around 8:30 - 9:00pm. It really works well for me.

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