Early morning workouts--do you eat before?

RM10003

I normally exercise in the afternoon or evening, but there's a new 7am interval class at my gym that fits nicely into my schedule.
I tried it for the first time today and liked the class but was exhausted all day long, rather than being energized.
Now some of that may just be since I'm new to interval training as well, but I did do the class on a completely empty stomach, and with no coffee (I'm a coffee junkie, but I'm afraid of getting acid stomach before a workout), so I'm wondering if that's the cause.

For those who normally do early morning workouts, do you eat something before hand? I could certainly scarf down a Larabar or something on the way to the gym. I think I'd rather save the full breakfast until after I get to the office, though.

cinrn68

When I workout early in the morning, I usually have a fruit smoothie and add in some protein powder before my workout. I'm sure there's "study" or literature out there that someone will quote, but for me it's just about keeping my blood sugar up (and obviously it will be lower in the morning after not having eaten all night) and having enough energy to get through the workout in the early hours. After my workout, I have a good breakfast and my morning coffee!!

NikinCilla

I workout at home about 6am & I dont eat I drink water but not eat too early for me. But when I use to be with the gym they suggest you eat something - nutritious pre-workout meal but you must exercise 2hrs after or if you feel like you cant work out on large volume of food early in the morning you can have a glass of orange juice or sport drink with carbs instead.
I also find if I had an early dinner my body needs something before working out in the morning to support my energy level Good luck

RunnerElizabeth

I can't eat before early morning workouts. I need my coffee before hand though, helps curb the hunger, open the airways (I have asthma) and helps my energy levels.

justcallmerob

When I workout in the morning I usually eat a piece of fruit (banana, apple, etc...) about 15-20min before I work out. If nothing else at least have some water. If I dont put something in my system, my workout is over quick.

DavPul

Whether or not to eat before is a completely personal choice. I work out first thing in the morning and I do it without eating anything, but I'm conditioned for it at this point. If you feel like you don't have the energy then eat something that won't weigh you down during the actual workout. One thing I used to do if I had a really hard workout in the am is have 2 tablespoons of honey or 2 cups of choc milk before leaving the house.

Plentiful_Tentacles

I always try to eat a small meal before any workout. Some almonds, fruit, protein supplement, anything along those lines. I just hate working out hungry. I have more energy and focus this way.

NaomiJFoster

I wake up, eat breakfast, play on facebook or read for 20-30 minutes, then exercise.

Teri0329

I'm at the gym between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m. - so no eating before hand. 2 cups of coffee and off to the gym. I eat after I'm done. The coffee gives me the get up and go that I need to get my work out done and out of the way!

juliana813

I usually have something small like cottage cheese or an egg or a piece of fruit and then have a real (second) breakfast when i'm done :-) but i only go running from about 6:25 to 7 in the morning. I guess just try different things and see what works? :-)

Heather0123456789

You should do what works best for you and how your body feels. Everybody is different and I'm sure there is a ton of info out there of how to do it all the "right" way . Personally, when I work out early in the morning, I don't eat or drink anything.....way too early...but I do take a bottle of water or sometimes a protein shake for after. Then......it's cofffeeeeee time

akp4Him

Wow! If I drank coffee before I went to exercise...I would spend my entire workout time in the bathroom! I've done both...eaten breakfast before...and exercised on an empty stomach. Didn't bother me either way. It really does depend on how you feel.

piggydog

I have to eat before I do anything or I get sick

heathersherrell1

I normally exercise in the afternoon or evening, but there's a new 7am interval class at my gym that fits nicely into my schedule.
I tried it for the first time today and liked the class but was exhausted all day long, rather than being energized.
Now some of that may just be since I'm new to interval training as well, but I did do the class on a completely empty stomach, and with no coffee (I'm a coffee junkie, but I'm afraid of getting acid stomach before a workout), so I'm wondering if that's the cause.

For those who normally do early morning workouts, do you eat something before hand? I could certainly scarf down a Larabar or something on the way to the gym. I think I'd rather save the full breakfast until after I get to the office, though.

In my experience, when I am doing a morning workout, which I do 6 days a week, I *need* something before hand. Even if it's just a protein drink (I love Syntrax--I should get paid for how much I promote them!). I need something to give me energy for the workout itself and to keep me going through the day. Something light (the protein drink, which only has 90 calories, no fat, carbs, or sugar, and 23+ grams of protein--see why I love it??) or a Larabar or a scrambled egg... for a while, when I first started a few months ago, I would eat a banana and a slice of whole wheat toast with a tablespoon of peanut butter. And then I'd go work my tail off. Now, a bowl of Kashi GoLean or something light will do the trick. Make sure you give yourself 20-30 minutes to digest before your workout, though, especially if it's a high intensity workout. When I don't eat beforehand, I'm useless the rest of the day. Everyone is different, though, so you'll probably get a different response from everyone. If you want to try eating before the class, stick to something about 100-150 calories and low-carb. See how you feel afterward and the rest of the day. It's probably going to be trial and error for a while. Good luck!

lexherrera

I'll eat a bagel or an english muffin with my coffee in the morning (finally got myself used to eating breakfast again after years of not doing so), do my workout around 7am, then eat a banana or some oatmeal when I get into the office.

PeteWhoLikesToRunAlot

Dunkin's XL hot coffee and a banana every day, about an hour before a run.

wassergottin

I can't eat before I exercise in the morning, I'll throw up. I wait until I get back home.

carolinesparkle

I wake up at 4.45am to exercise, if I was to eat before hand I don' think I could handle waking up at 4.15! I'd say go with whatever works best for you.

ingeh

Iv found if I exercise in the AM with an empty stomach I get very low blood pressure for the day and feel terrible and weak and end up eating more to feel human again. So im starting to work out in the evenings when the kids are in bed so I can avoid that feeling

athenasurrenders

I don't eat first, but then I don't like to eat early in the morning anyway so my body isn't used to it. I guess just experiment and see what makes you feel best.

My morning schedule is tight so I'm out of the door to run within 5 minutes of waking up, I'd struggle to find the time anyway.

Huffdogg

I had a bit of a rough time exercising (or really doing very much at all) on an empty stomach a while back, but I got used to it very quickly and now I don't even notice the difference. I'm on 16/8 IF and work a fairly physical job; I start work at 7 and don't eat until noon. On my days off, I usually hit the gym in the morning before my first meal. As I said, it took some acclimation, but it's not so bad.

cwaters120

When I workout in the morning, I make sure to eat something light about 20 minutes prior. Usually I grab a small apple and an ounce of nuts with tea or water. I make my morning protein smoothie for AFTER when it won't sit in my stomach like lead. I find my workout is more energetic and I don't feel like crap later :happy:

vivaldirules

If I go out out for a run (6 miles or longer), I usually eat first or else I would often crater (presumably because my blood sugar drops) and I would often feel tired and sluggish the rest of the day. So I usually eat two pieces of dry whole wheat toast and a little fruit (plus coffee) half an hour to an hour before I run and then I'm always fine and, yes, I feel energized the rest of the day. If instead I do one hour elliptical trainer and strength workout, I never eat beforehand and never have any problems. Go figure.

Good luck!

EmmaKarney

I do morning gym classes on an empty stomach with just a tea or coffee beforehand.

If I eat too close to a workout I'd be sick.

mamosh81

i usaly eat a banana or orange before morning workouts and drink a 0,5 liter bottle of water

pcdoctor01

I eat after I workout.

RM10003

Thanks for the replies! I think I'll try eating a banana or a bar or something on the way to the gym, and if that doesn't do it, try adding in an espresso as well.

briski_2005

when i workout in the morning i dont eat anything before. typically an hour or or so after ill have breakfast and/or my protein drink.

eaglewoodwill

Always. Usually half a PowerBar or a half a Clif Bar.

Jovan0609

I typically don't eat before my early morning workouts (which I do around 5am). If I'm really hungry for one reason or another, I wil eat a snackpack of apples & grapes or just an apple. Generally I just drink water throughout my workout and then I will down a muscle milk (protein shake) right after I finish. Different things work for different people though so listen to your body.

If you're worried about not having enough energy to get through your workout,, try a small snack before like some nuts or a clif bar and see how it affects your workout. Good luck!

myturn1976

I read this, agree with this and thought I would copy and paste. It's from Jillian micheals......
"The Truth: You should always eat something before exercising so your body has enough fuel to power through your workout.

The rationale behind this widely accepted myth is that forgoing food before exercise will force your body to burn more fat during your workout. This is a big, fat lie: Starving yourself before exercising can actually be detrimental to your body. Let’s get to the bottom of this fitness myth once and for all.

You need sugar to exert energy. Your body needs a certain amount of sugar for fuel when training. When that blood sugar is not there, your body will convert your own muscle tissue into energy. A recent study published in the Strength and Conditioning Journal looked at cyclists who ate before they trained versus those who fasted before they trained. The amount of fat burn was the same for both groups, but those who had trained without eating first had 10 percent of their calorie burn come from protein — including their own muscle mass. You’re trying to build muscle, not eat away at it!

Your body needs energy to perform at a high intensity. You know I’m always saying that I want you to work out as hard as you can for as long as you can. How can you do that if you haven’t properly fueled your body? Think about it this way: Would you drive a car without gas? Use your iPhone without charging it? Nope and nope. If you haven’t eaten anything, your workout won’t be as intense as if you’d fueled up beforehand, not to mention that you’ll likely suffer from low blood sugar, which will make you dizzy and sluggish.

You don’t need to gorge yourself; a healthy snack will do the trick. I suggest you eat something 45 minutes to an hour before training — you’ll have more energy and endurance to work harder, burn more calories, and improve your muscle tone. Aim for something with carbohydrates and protein. Here are a few quick, healthy snack ideas: a whey shake, low-fat yogurt with berries, or a banana or apple slices with natural almond butter.

The Bottom Line: You should always eat something before a workout. I’m not suggesting you pig out. A small, healthy snack consisting of carbohydrates and protein will properly fuel your body for a killer workout."