What do you eat before an early-morning workout?

laceymcmath
laceymcmath Posts: 44
in Fitness and Exercise
I like it when I can wake up early and work out first thing in the morning (it doesn't happen often enough), but I HAVE to eat before I do or I get very lightheaded and sick feeling. Do any of you have a go-to food that you eat before you work out early? Something that will give me fuel but not TOO many calories (I only get 1470 a day, and I eat about half of my exercise calories back).
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Replies

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    I like it when I can wake up early and work out first thing in the morning (it doesn't happen often enough), but I HAVE to eat before I do or I get very lightheaded and sick feeling. Do any of you have a go-to food that you eat before you work out early? Something that will give me fuel but not TOO many calories (I only get 1470 a day, and I eat about half of my exercise calories back).

    I eat NOTHING. If I'm working out early, and it's not fasted, I'm in a really poor mood and people around me are in danger.

    That's just my choice though, I have better gym workouts when fasted, except for swimming, it's hard to go 2 hours swimming without a little something, and then I bring a bottle of cytomax.
  • laceymcmath
    laceymcmath Posts: 44
    Bump... :glasses:
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    I usually run fasted too (I can't stand having food in my stomach when I'm running) but if it's a longer workout and I have at least an hour to digest my go to is a banana and a 100ml yogurt.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,064 Member
    I don't eat anything when I workout at 5 a.m. I can't stomach much that early in the morning.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    Protein coffee and a mozzarella cheese stick. I need something in my stomach otherwise my lifts will be crappy.
  • foxys_mum
    foxys_mum Posts: 67 Member
    No food but must have coffee!
  • flashie1
    flashie1 Posts: 1
    I eat 1/2 a banana...then use the other half in my protein smoothie after my workout. It keep the sick feeling at bay, even after a long workout, and is not too much so I feel sluggish during my exercise.
  • blackcoffeeandcherrypie
    blackcoffeeandcherrypie Posts: 486 Member
    I have 50g of unsweetened museli with milk, which is about 250 cals and keeps me going till lunch.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    I don't eat anything before morning workouts... and if you're just 23, and working out regularly, you might not be eating enough to start with.

    ETA: at only 9lbs to go, update your profile here to lose .5/lb per week.
  • simsburyjet
    simsburyjet Posts: 999 Member
    I make my own smoothie.. Berry mix, cucumber, banana, oj peanut butter and watermelon. Its about 400 calories and
    I am able to do a body pump and spin class without feeling hungry.. Other than the weekend I workout at night.
  • footiechick82
    footiechick82 Posts: 1,203 Member
    I have nothing 99% of the time... or a banana.
  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member
    I don't eat anything (besides coffee w/ creamer) before lunch most days.
  • JoelleAnn78
    JoelleAnn78 Posts: 1,492 Member
    Nothing. (Except sometimes my coffee...)
  • ericmooney
    ericmooney Posts: 5 Member
    banana and a cup of water
  • nadiB
    nadiB Posts: 283 Member
    Nothing at all! Just a few sips of water if I have anything else I would just feel sick. I do have a shake after though.
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
    I eat nothing in the early morning. Just water, generally. I find that when I eat shortly after waking up, I will go way, way over on my calories for the day and pretty much feel like I'm starving all day long.

    Exercising while fasting is not dangerous. And the light headedness and nausea will pass after a couple of minutes. Just have some water, it helps a lot. Depleting your muscles of their glycogen stores through fasted exercise will prevent your body from storing excess calories as fat should you over eat over the day. This is one of the tricks of body recomposition.
  • Leeann1979
    Leeann1979 Posts: 1,090 Member
    I`m going to reply here because I actually have something to suggest.

    I either have a banana, a granola bar, a slice of toast, homemade protein bars, or homemade banana muffins, and of course I need coffee. You could always a bit of yogurt, small serving of cereal, an apple, hard boiled egg. I have to have a little something too. Nothing too heavy though. I don't go as often as i'd like, but these are what I usually have when I do go.
  • 89nunu
    89nunu Posts: 1,082 Member
    1 English muffin
    1 omelette consisting of 1 egg, 2 egg whites, spinach, cottage cheese and some Parmesan
    1 massive cup of coffee with some milk in
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    coffee.

    if I workout in the morning I like to do it fasted, you know so I don't throw up.
  • gobonas99
    gobonas99 Posts: 1,049 Member
    During the work week, nothing except my pre-workout drink, because I get up and workout right away, so I can shower pack my lunch and get to work on time.

    On weekends, I normally get up at the same time, but workout a little later, so I'll eat a banana, but usually not more than that. But I have to have at least 30 minutes between eating and working out (at least 45 minutes if I'm running).

    The exception being when I have a triathlon. ie I had a race yesterday, I was up at 5:30 to be to transition between 6-6:30. I had two bananas before I left the house. Then I had another banana while I was putzing around transition, waiting for us to be kicked out at 7:45. But I didn't have to be in the water until 8am, so I finished the last banana around 7am. And had about a third of my pre-workout drink just before they kicked us out of transition. :)
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    It depends. I'm not a big early morning breakfast guy, but my favorite go-to when I do eat it, is 2 eggs, a cup of egg whites, some cheese, a couple slices of bacon, some tortillas, coffee, some cantaloupe, and milk.
  • daterminedfatburnerX
    daterminedfatburnerX Posts: 346 Member
    nothing i IF till noon so i just rely on my fat storages
  • sevsmom
    sevsmom Posts: 1,172 Member
    Before a long run, at least an hour before, I'll try to have an english muffin with some jelly or honey. easy carbs, but not a ton. I HATE food sloshing around when I run.
  • IronFiend
    IronFiend Posts: 44 Member
    Oats and whey
  • lmerino
    lmerino Posts: 2
    I usually eat a Clif Mojo bar. It's a low-glycemic bar and gives me the energy I need to get me through my 6 AM workouts.

    Here are some other good ideas:
    http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/981973/pre-workout-foods-to-burn-fat
  • Mcmilligen
    Mcmilligen Posts: 332 Member
    I am one of those people that NEEDS breakfast first thing out of bed (practically), so I've never been able to get the 'fasted while working out' thing to work for me (I feel weak and light-headed). I do want to keep trying though, it'd make things a bit easier.

    Usually it's just a piece of fruit and some lemon water. I make sure to eat it immediately after waking, so that it's digested enough by the time I'm ready to hit the pavement.

    If I'm feeling crazy, I'll add some raw almond butter to my banana/apple as well.
  • stepplax
    stepplax Posts: 26
    Oatmeal with cinnamon and Splenda
    Protein shake with water
    Vitamins + pre-workout
  • laceymcmath
    laceymcmath Posts: 44
    I don't eat anything before morning workouts... and if you're just 23, and working out regularly, you might not be eating enough to start with.

    ETA: at only 9lbs to go, update your profile here to lose .5/lb per week.

    =/ Sorry about that. I guess I need to update... I haven't followed MFP's suggestions (which is something like 1200 calories) almost since the beginning, so I didn't even know what my profile said I was trying to lose per week.

    Thank you to all who gave suggestions... it's nice to see the variety. I DO have to eat something before I work out. I am hypoglycemic and if I don't give my body anything before I start moving a lot, I get quite sick. I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't work out on an empty stomach... after the first few people posted, I was starting to feel like a weirdo. :noway:
  • FrankiesSaysRelax
    FrankiesSaysRelax Posts: 403 Member
    I have nothing 99% of the time... or a banana.

    Same
  • DragonflyF15
    DragonflyF15 Posts: 437 Member
    I make a smoothie with fruit, a handful of something green (spinach,kale, etc) some flax seed and almond milk or coconut milk, depending on fruits used. It gives me the energy and carbs to get going, and the smoothies don't make me feel weighed down when working out. After the workout, I will get my protein in, either eggs or protein powder.

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