Running Before Breakfast?

MadisonHein
MadisonHein Posts: 31
in Fitness and Exercise
I've heard a lot of people say that if you jog before consuming anything, so like in the morning before breakfast you'll lose your muscle mass, meanwhile other people say that you burn fat faster. feedback?

thanks
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Replies

  • KeepGoingKylene
    KeepGoingKylene Posts: 432 Member
    bump cause i would like to know too. i have a really hard time running if i have eaten anything within hours!
  • 1PatientBear
    1PatientBear Posts: 2,089 Member
    I've heard a lot of people say that if you jog before consuming anything, so like in the morning before breakfast you'll lose your muscle mass, meanwhile other people say that you burn fat faster. feedback?

    thanks

    Stop hanging out with idiots.
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
    Neither is true.

    If you don't like to eat before running, that's fine. if you like to have a snack an hour before, that is fine too. Muscle loss will come if you are eating at a deficit, not getting enough protein and consistently running for over an hour.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    There is no real advantages between the 2 and it strictly comes down to personal preference. I tend to eat my normal 1200 calories breakfast an hour before my workout but if I do a split and workout in the evening (around 5) then I prefer to wait til after my workout to eat supper..... Pick what works best for you......
  • MadisonHein
    MadisonHein Posts: 31
    @cheekykeke yeah i suppose it's best to have a little something before any workout

    Thankss u guys x
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    They lied. You don't lose muscle mass. You die. Run before breakfast and you will shrivel up and die.

    FACT
  • MadisonHein
    MadisonHein Posts: 31
    They lied. You don't lose muscle mass. You die. Run before breakfast and you will shrivel up and die.

    FACT

    interesting...

    .__.
  • robdel302
    robdel302 Posts: 292 Member
    I've heard a lot of people say that if you jog before consuming anything, so like in the morning before breakfast you'll lose your muscle mass, meanwhile other people say that you burn fat faster. feedback?

    thanks

    Consuming BCAA's before morning cardio is theorized to prevent burning muscles mass. BCAA's cross from the stomach directly into the bloodstream so no need to be broken down like protein shakes.
  • tonynguyen75
    tonynguyen75 Posts: 418 Member
    They lied. You don't lose muscle mass. You die. Run before breakfast and you will shrivel up and die.

    FACT

    Proven 100%. If you've survived, you're just a special snowflake.
  • guessrs
    guessrs Posts: 358 Member
    I only run before breakfast. The reason being is that my stomach is feeling best on empty.
    I've tried a little toast before and my run turned into washroom stops, so ain't doing that again.

    I don't know what the research shows, but I lost 65 pounds in the past year and run on empty stomach in the mornings. So it sure works for me.
  • poohpoohpeapod
    poohpoohpeapod Posts: 776 Member
    common sense you will access fat stores more quickly if your stomach is empty. If you have just eaten, the food will be used then fat stores. so much misinformation that people are adamant about.
  • Socalgal13
    Socalgal13 Posts: 34
    It depends on how far I am going to run in the AM. If less then 5 miles I will eat 100 Calories worth of almonds and a glass of water to hydrate. If I have a longer run I will get up earlier then I need to and eat a real breakfast.

    Remember most likely you have not eaten since the evening before and so your body is on empty. Eating a little something just makes sense. You will not lose muscle mass from eating before you run or vice versa. You loss muscle mass from in activity
  • heis4u2004
    heis4u2004 Posts: 176 Member
    I usually with have a smoothie or banana before a run. I have experienced feeling faint during a workout before, so i know I need something. Plus during my hour run I have a low cal/low sugar Sustain Sport drink mix in my water to prevent this.
    So from my personal experience I should have something light before-hand.
  • yaseyuku
    yaseyuku Posts: 871 Member
    I run at night usually so I definitely eat beforehand. I don't run right after a big meal though.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    I don't know, but if I'm running 6-8 miles or less I go without eating beforehand but then I always have coffee with cream and sugar when I first wake up. If I'm doing more than 8 I'll probably eat some easy-to-digest cereal or something an hour or so beforehand. Or almonds. Those are calories without feeling like anything in your stomach. If I'm going for a really long run, I'll eat extra the night before and then cereal or something in the morning.
  • YoBecca
    YoBecca Posts: 167
    If I run 5 miles or less, I run on an empty stomach. If I run more than 5 miles I eat something (toast w/ almond butter). If I run more than 6 miles, I add in fuel (Gu) during the run, at every 4 miles.

    I'm not interested in cray theories - I prefer an empty stomach, but if doing a distance, I fuel for distance. The end. But my runs are less about "burning fat" and more about "running." Good luck!
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
    common sense you will access fat stores more quickly if your stomach is empty. If you have just eaten, the food will be used then fat stores. so much misinformation that people are adamant about.

    Nope. You will find that a lot of what is "common sense" is wrong.
  • walleymama
    walleymama Posts: 174 Member
    I run first thing in the morning and always before breakfast. Breakfast is like my reward for a good run. By then I've worked up an appetite. I find it very hard to believe it makes any significant difference whether you do or not.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    common sense you will access fat stores more quickly if your stomach is empty. If you have just eaten, the food will be used then fat stores. so much misinformation that people are adamant about.
    If I'm eating a 500 calorie deficit and burning 500 calories a day worth of fat, why does it matter whether that occurs during a run, or while I'm eating, or driving a car, or sitting on a couch, or sleeping, or taking a dump, or whatever else?
  • generallyme2
    generallyme2 Posts: 403 Member
    I will sometimes run on an empty stomach, but only if I'm doing fewer than 6 miles (I run at an avg 10min/mi pace). If I go longer, I'll have something before hand and usually bring something along for the run.

    I've also heard the muscle mass idea, but from what I've read in various running articles, etc, it's not proven.
  • Rhayahana
    Rhayahana Posts: 57 Member
    I just prefer running on an empty stomach (for under 5 or 6 miles, otherwise I eat a very light breakfast)

    Never liked running after eating/drinking, gave me terrible stomach pain every time.

    Kind of silly to think you would lose muscle mass or burn more fat or whatever if you run on an empty stomach. Just do whatever works for you I guess. It's mostly trial and error from what I've learned.
  • robdel302
    robdel302 Posts: 292 Member
    common sense you will access fat stores more quickly if your stomach is empty. If you have just eaten, the food will be used then fat stores. so much misinformation that people are adamant about.
    If I'm eating a 500 calorie deficit and burning 500 calories a day worth of fat, why does it matter whether that occurs during a run, or while I'm eating, or driving a car, or sitting on a couch, or sleeping, or taking a dump, or whatever else?

    Because it's impossible to have all of your excess calories burned come from stored fat. The deficit will burn stored fat, glycogen, and muscles. There are many variables that affect how much of each are burned. Anything from metabolism. diet, current body fat, age. There are just too many things to count. Best way to maximize burning fat stores is to ensure your glycogen stores are already low and consume some form of BCAAs. So long as there are BCAA's in your blood your body is less likely to catabolize muscles for energy. And as always, individual results will vary.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    common sense you will access fat stores more quickly if your stomach is empty. If you have just eaten, the food will be used then fat stores. so much misinformation that people are adamant about.
    If I'm eating a 500 calorie deficit and burning 500 calories a day worth of fat, why does it matter whether that occurs during a run, or while I'm eating, or driving a car, or sitting on a couch, or sleeping, or taking a dump, or whatever else?

    Because it's impossible to have all of your excess calories burned come from stored fat. The deficit will burn stored fat, glycogen, and muscles. There are many variables that affect how much of each are burned. Anything from metabolism. diet, current body fat, age. There are just too many things to count. Best way to maximize burning fat stores is to ensure your glycogen stores are already low and consume some form of BCAAs. So long as there are BCAA's in your blood your body is less likely to catabolize muscles for energy. And as always, individual results will vary.
    You completely missed the point, Ssgt.
  • SadFaerie
    SadFaerie Posts: 243 Member
    I can run on empty only if I'm currently in ketosis. Then it doesn't seem to matter at all if I run fasted or not. If I'm not in keto I definitely need some fuel before running, else I quickly get tired, light headed and nauseated and can make 5k at most (I usually run 10k), then I gas out and it's game over.

    My advice is: don't listen to any science, listen to your body. If you're doing OK fasted, run fasted, if you're doing better after having some food -- have some food. Results will come either way, if you stick with it.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    There have been some studies on running and cardio fasted vs. unfasted, and there were some indications that it may be slightly beneficial to run fasted in the morning. So, there may be some slight benefit.

    But, there was also a recent study published in February that shows a slight benefit to eating first.

    And you will still need to eat during the day, and from what we know from the strong evidence that meal timing doesn't matter, it probably doesn't matter at all. Some some studies show a slight benefit to fasted, a recent one to unfasted, and there is plenty of other evidence that suggests it won't matter at all.

    So, what to do? Stick with what works for you. If you enjoy running in the morning prior to breakfast do that, if you want to eat first, do that.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    common sense you will access fat stores more quickly if your stomach is empty. If you have just eaten, the food will be used then fat stores. so much misinformation that people are adamant about.

    I'm always very careful about trying to apply "common sense" to science. It often doesn't work well. For example, common sense tells me that a heavier object, when dropped, should fall faster than a lighter object but that turns out not to be true.

    Common sense is a starting place but it's not the end all be all.
  • robdel302
    robdel302 Posts: 292 Member
    You completely missed the point, Ssgt.

    Good call, I see your point. In the end you're right; calories burned throughout the entire day are what matters most. There are adjustments that one can make to help promote progress but it's not going to make an astounding impact. BeachIron said it best, each individual will vary. As the old saying goes; "If it isn't broke..."
  • DesertRoseC
    DesertRoseC Posts: 1 Member
    Have a look at this. http://www.boxingscene.com/exercise/1312.php

    First thing in the morning works for me. I get it over and done with and I do feel better during the day.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    http://alanaragon.com/myths-under-the-microscope-part-2-false-hopes-for-fasted-cardio.html

    I'll just leave this here...
  • SkimFlatWhite68
    SkimFlatWhite68 Posts: 1,254 Member
    I don't think anyone can argue with Alan Aragon...

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