Pre-Workout Snack?

Cherryblosm3
Cherryblosm3 Posts: 106 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ive never even thought about this, but i was looking at other people's posts and some were talking about it.
I am working out in the morning, around 5:30 and it never even occured to me to have a pre-workout snack..

Do you do this? What do you eat?
I cant work out on a full stomach.. ive also heard you burn more on a partially or completely empty stomach?

Advice?!

Thanks!~
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Replies

  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    I can't do Insanity on a full stomach, I'd throw up. I have a protein shake afterwards.
  • xunleashed
    xunleashed Posts: 82 Member
    While you many burn more on an empty stomach, you need some sort of food for energy. Maybe some whole wheat toast with peanut butter, oats, a protein shake, fruit, something that won't fill you up.
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,749 Member
    I have a home made protein/granola bar pre-workout. I eat it on the way to the gym. Usually I'm pretty hungry in the morning so it keeps the pangs to a minimum and gives me a little energy for my workout.
  • trud72
    trud72 Posts: 1,912 Member
    nothing here,i would probally throw if i did! :wink:
  • Skinny_Jeans_Soon
    Skinny_Jeans_Soon Posts: 326 Member
    I tried several different snacks pre-workout but find that the belvita crackers keep me going the longest without crashing during my workout. I eat half a serving and they are very light. They are my go to now for prework out and then a protein shake after. They also are great for early morning workouts, I hate eating heavy in the morning and need something light before my runs.
  • carneymb
    carneymb Posts: 1
    A fitness model once told me she worked out at 6am on an empty stomach and would have a protein shake afterwards. Personally i think i would faint without any source of pre-workout energy. So if you can do it, workout on an empty stomach, you will burn more fat.
  • sedechenne
    sedechenne Posts: 4
    You need a little lift before an early morning workout (that is when I work out too). I usually eat a Balance bar (sometime 1/2 a bar). I am never hungry in the morning and would get sick if ate very much and then worked out. This gives me some protein and some sugar to get started. Also drink water before you start since you wake up slightly dehydrated.
  • homerjspartan
    homerjspartan Posts: 1,893 Member
    Protein bar or granola bar about 45 min before.

    Also, a good idea is a a glass of 2% chocolate milk. Gives you a little protein and carbs to energize you before you workout. Plus, it is yummy.

    If you are doing any lifting you could look into a pre-workout drink also, there are about 1000 on the market. I use Musclepharm Assualt.
  • theshow4jsu
    theshow4jsu Posts: 380 Member
    I do cardio first thing in the morning so I don't usually eat, unless I'm going for a longer run, then I may have a half of a banana and sometimes I'll have a piece of whole wheat toast with a tablespoon of smucker's natural peanut butter and half a banana before I go for weights.
  • Angie__1MR
    Angie__1MR Posts: 388 Member
    I lift first, then cardio...I do a whey shake (25 g. protein) and .25-.5 cup of oats.
  • Reba518
    Reba518 Posts: 1
    I either do a banana or a protein shake at least 30-45 minutes before a 5:30am workout, helps with energy.
  • dogladytwo
    dogladytwo Posts: 97 Member
    a banana
  • Cherryblosm3
    Cherryblosm3 Posts: 106 Member
    I have a home made protein/granola bar pre-workout. I eat it on the way to the gym. Usually I'm pretty hungry in the morning so it keeps the pangs to a minimum and gives me a little energy for my workout.

    Home made? Recipe?? :) Nutritional facts too if you have them
  • pa_jorg
    pa_jorg Posts: 4,404 Member
    I won't eat anything before a morning workout. But if I workout in the evening I make sure to have a little something about 2 hours beforehand.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I usually workout after dinner. I wait about 30-45 minutes, or maybe an hour, depending on what I ate.
  • MSimm62385
    MSimm62385 Posts: 227
    Something as simple as a banana, protein bar, or a bit of cereal is enough to carry me through a workout. I don't go overboard on the calories since my post-workout protein shake tends to be a bit high.
  • brookeg20
    brookeg20 Posts: 54
    I run, and I usually have a granola bar or a couple graham crackers. Everyone is different, though, and I've learned that what works for one person will be terrible for another. If you can work out without eating and you don't feel really tired or faint, go for it. If I try to work out without a snack first I usually feel really tired and I have to cut my workout short, so I don't really burn more calories! Also, what seems to fuel me one day can make me feel sick the next! I've found two graham crackers about an hour before a workout keeps me fueled and not wanting to puke for at least a six mile run.

    Good luck, hope this helped.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    I don't eat until after noon whether I work out in the morning or not. I have plenty of energy to get through my workouts. I start working out at either 4:00 am or about 4:30 pm during the week (alternate days either lifting weights or running between 3 and 5 miles) and around 7:00 or 8:00am on Sundays (running).

    I may need to re-evaluate that for my Sunday morning runs though. I went 9.3 miles last Sunday and I was pretty wasted at the end of it. I may start eating a little something before runs longer than 8 miles or so.
  • maravida
    maravida Posts: 1
    Hmm, I think its interesting that people are saying it is beneficial to work out on an empty stomach. I was always told (though i dont really know...) that you wanna eat atleast a little something as early as possible (so soon after you wake up, before a work out) because once you eat something your body kicks into metabolism mode where as if you havent eaten anything your metabolism will work slowly since it doesn't know if it needs to conserve "energy" (fat?) or not.
  • McBully4
    McBully4 Posts: 1,270 Member
    I work out at 5am on an empty stomach, but If I work out in the afternoon i like to have 1/2 a sweet potato about 30 mins before
  • Cherryblosm3
    Cherryblosm3 Posts: 106 Member
    So it looks like its mostly a personal opinion thing? Or has anyone actually seen studies?
    I am not hungry in the morning (especially that early) and feel fine after i work out without food..
  • bberg0521
    bberg0521 Posts: 49 Member
    Ive never even thought about this, but i was looking at other people's posts and some were talking about it.
    I am working out in the morning, around 5:30 and it never even occured to me to have a pre-workout snack..

    Do you do this? What do you eat?
    I cant work out on a full stomach.. ive also heard you burn more on a partially or completely empty stomach?

    Advice?!

    Thanks!~


    When I was working with a personal trainer, she said you dont necessarly need to eat before working out. She said if you wanted to, try something small like a few almonds, 1/2 banana, or something like that.

    When I worked out in the am I would just get up and go with out eating.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    So it looks like its mostly a personal opinion thing? Or has anyone actually seen studies?
    I am not hungry in the morning (especially that early) and feel fine after i work out without food..

    Exactly. Whatever works for you.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    A few almonds would just piss me off. Why do people always recommend that as a good snack? I bought a package of almonds at a gas station a few months ago and ate all of them. There were about three almonds in there and it was 600 calories (well, something like that). Damn. All my calories for the day and I'm still hungry.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    I always eat something. It starts your metabolism.

    It doesn't have to be much. I usually have a Lean Chew from GNC just to have something.

    I pound pretty hard in the gym for a good 80-90 mins though.
  • betrayalunknown
    betrayalunknown Posts: 63
    It never occured to you to have a pre-workout snack?? Obviously you are not the hungry.ravenous in the morning type of person like I am!!

    However, I must say that I am surprised to see just how many folks really don't have even a *bite* before a workout! I personally work out hard for 1:30-2 hours every morning, so for me, I need the energy. Otherwise, I feel like without a bit of caloric energy for fuel inside of my body, my workouts would suffer.

    I honestly believe that eating a small amount (or large, if you're hungry and don't feel sick working out on a partially full stomach like I can) really goes a long way to give you the strength and endurance to have an amazing workout. I usually workout that much harder and within the same time frame, I can burn off my whole "pre-workout snack" without using a tremendous amount of strength.

    I urge you to have a bit of fruit (my preference is a higher carb fruit) and see if it helps you with your workout. It honestly attributes to my workouts tremendously. But that's just my personal experience.... everyone's different in his/her own right!!
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    I always eat something. It starts your metabolism.

    It doesn't have to be much. I usually have a Lean Chew from GNC just to have something.

    I pound pretty hard in the gym for a good 80-90 mins though.

    How does YOU eating something start someone else's metabolism.

    My metabolism doesn't stop over night. I won't speak for you but I bet yours doesn't either.

    Also, I'm offended at you talking about how long you pound it.
  • airbent
    airbent Posts: 150 Member
    Nuts work for me, or fruit or a glass of dairy milk. The other day I tried a whey protein shake instead but halfway through the workout my blood sugar dropped so fast I felt super weak and had to quit early. Maybe I should make it with real milk next time instead of almond milk, so I get the carbs.
  • bicoastalgirl
    bicoastalgirl Posts: 85 Member
    if i'm working out first thing in the morning, i generally do not eat. if i wake up hungry, i have a half serving of raw almonds. but usually, i work out on an empty stomach.

    if i am working out during my lunch break, i eat a snack around 10:30 (greek yogurt with granola and berries; almonds and fruit; clif bar), and then work out around 12-12:30. i feel sick if i have too much food in my stomach.
  • Sherylmarlee
    Sherylmarlee Posts: 224 Member
    I have always struggled doing any type of vigorous work outs without any fuel (especially if it was an am workout). Its a fine line figuring out what is enough, but not too much - for me it was anyway. For me personally, a protein shake with a handful of nuts works for me (having it about 30-45 mins prior to the work out). If its a longer hike or anything longer than an hour I will take additional fuel as well. I found that I would get this intense burning in my stomach if I was not fueled and it would diminish my intensity. I eat like a horse when I am done though too! lol

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