eating before an early morning workout?

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boymom75
boymom75 Posts: 74
in Fitness and Exercise
I do boot camp at 5:30 am every morning. I've tried eating...I've tried not eating. If I eat, it's a half banana and some juice. I feel sort of sluggish but know I should probably not workout on an empty stomach. Any suggestions? anything that has worked for you?

Thanks y'all for the advice! have a good day! :smile:

Replies

  • JoPa9477
    JoPa9477 Posts: 65
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    I usually don't eat before my morning workouts, well I haven't in the past and I just started going to the gym again this past weekend, but I am seeking the same advice as you.

    I am not sure what the right answer is. I can handle not eating, I just don't know if its the right thing to do.
  • Halbared
    Halbared Posts: 24 Member
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    What's the goal?
    Maximise fat loss, don't eat. Athletic performance, eat.
  • willrun4bagels
    willrun4bagels Posts: 838 Member
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    I wake up at 4:30am to workout. I take 3 scoops of preworkout, and will have 50-75 cals worth of crackers/pretzels, depending on what I have in the house on that particular day. I weigh out the amount I'm going to have the night before and leave them in a little cup with a lid in my kitchen so I can eat them as I'm driving to the gym. I find that if I take preworkout and don't eat anything, I get nauseous shortly thereafter.
  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
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    Congratulations on having the motivation to get out of bed that early!! I do 30-45 mins of pilates every morning and don't eat beforehand - I'm usually fine, although I appreciate that pilates is a bit different to boot camp style workouts! If I do cardio workouts, like running, swimming or spinning I have to eat at least an hour before hand - if I don't eat I get stitches, and if I eat too close to the exercise I get tummy upsets! (Sorry, TMI!) That probably doesn't help with your early starts though...! I'd suggest if you feel you need a little energy boost before working out then eat something small but energy-packed, like a banana or a slice of peanut butter on toast, maybe 15-30 minutes before you work out, then eat something else afterwards to keep you going until lunch.
  • HWeatherholt
    HWeatherholt Posts: 283 Member
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    I don't work out that early, but I do eat about an hour before I work out and then within about an hour after.

    Right now I have the "luxury" of time. My alarm went off at 8. I got up, peed, took the dog out for a quick one, feed both fur babies, went to the bathroom again, weighed in, took my measurements, had 2 glasses of water and my vitamins/supplements, had a homemade ham and egg mcmuffin (347 calories, 28g carbs, 21g protein) and more water.

    Now I'm killing a little time, checking fb, mfp, playing a game or two. In a few I'll get ready and head to the gym. I'll put in almost 2 hours of cardio and strength training. When I get home I'll have some Greek yogurt to get more protein.
  • Zomoniac
    Zomoniac Posts: 1,169 Member
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    Banana for me. Big shake PWO.
  • RoseGoldDinosaur
    RoseGoldDinosaur Posts: 133 Member
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    When I do my 5:30am workouts at the gym, I don't eat. I hate eating early in the morning and usually don't eat before 9am (at the office). Different people will give you different advice as to what's "right" or "correct". I vote for doing what feels good in this case. If you feel faint, eat. If you feel fine and hate eating early, don't eat.
  • NikiaSue
    NikiaSue Posts: 259 Member
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    would like some insight as well....
  • FabulousFifty
    FabulousFifty Posts: 1,575 Member
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    I can so relate - I have been in the same situation. For the past month, I have eaten before. Very little weight loss, but feel stronger. I am trying to lose weight and get stronger. So, this month I will have coffee and water only before my morning workout. I hope this switch, along with upping my protein, will yield the results I desire!

    Note: My son is in the military. They have an early morning workout, then a big breakfast with loads of protein. We can learn a lot from our soldiers!

    Any other ideas that would help us out there?
  • HWeatherholt
    HWeatherholt Posts: 283 Member
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    If I do cardio workouts, like running, swimming or spinning I have to eat at least an hour before hand - if I don't eat I get stitches, and if I eat too close to the exercise I get tummy upsets! (Sorry, TMI!)

    I have also found if I eat and workout to close together or have a liquid breakfast like a protein/breakfast shake, my tummy gets upset too.
  • lts42uk
    lts42uk Posts: 162 Member
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    I do Insanity on an empty stomach - just water! I have a protein shake immediately after.
  • chriscolh
    chriscolh Posts: 127 Member
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    I get up at 4:45 am each morning to work out. I've found that if I eat right before I work out, I feel nauseous. I make sure I get enough water during exercise, then will have a protein shake when I get home. If there's a time when I can work out later in the day, I make sure I have at least an hour gap between last eating and beginning exercise. I've tried the small snack or half a banana before a workout to see if it would increase my energy level, but there's just something about being breathless and having food in my stomach that doesn't agree with me!
    I'm not sure if this is the right thing to do for everyone, but I am stronger than what I was last year and it works for me. Good luck!
  • KinoM
    KinoM Posts: 359 Member
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    All I'll say is that intense cadio with too few carbs in your system can lead to that amonia smelling sweat, which is a sign that you're burning amino acids. Was happening to me when I went on morning runs without eating first, now I make sure to get at least some pb on toast into me 30 mins or more before I leave the house.

    Other than that, whatever suits you is fine.
  • positivity1967
    positivity1967 Posts: 27
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    i dont get up as early and you and tend to exercise midday or evening but always have a banana about an hour before as fuel which definately helps
  • craftywitch_63
    craftywitch_63 Posts: 829 Member
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    I eat a full breakfast or I pass out from hypoglycemia. If you're feeling sluggish, instead of a banana and juice, what about a banana and something with protein - greek yogurt, peanut butter, egg, protein shake, something like that? The protein will help stop the carb spike.
  • karryann2008
    karryann2008 Posts: 140
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    Everyone is different, so do what works for you:smile:
    I like a black coffee and then a tbsp of almond butter right off the spoon, that keeps me going until breakfast at 9am.
  • boymom75
    boymom75 Posts: 74
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    thanks for all the advice/repsonses! I guess I'm just looking for the energy/endurance. I notice about a half hour into the workout is when I'm really getting going...maybe I'm just awake by then.

    I do drink a celsius energy drink, they seem to help every morning. I'm going to try a little toast tomorrow with some pb and see how that goes...

    Thanks again y'all... :smile:
  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
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    I'm up at 4:30am- at the gym by 5am. I pretty much just take two scoops of preworkout and eat a string cheese and I'm pretty good to go. I can't go on a completely empty stomach because I will get sick, but I can't go after a full meal either or I'll take a nap on the ARC trainer. It's about happy medium for me, but everyone is different.
  • sfbaumgarten
    sfbaumgarten Posts: 912 Member
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    If it doesn't actually bother you to exercise on an empty stomach, go for it. You just have to do what works best for you. M-F I get up between 0430-0500, work out until 0600, then I get ready for work and eat when I get there around 0715. That's just what works best for me!
  • Halbared
    Halbared Posts: 24 Member
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    thanks for all the advice/repsonses! I guess I'm just looking for the energy/endurance. I notice about a half hour into the workout is when I'm really getting going...maybe I'm just awake by then.

    I do drink a celsius energy drink, they seem to help every morning. I'm going to try a little toast tomorrow with some pb and see how that goes...

    Thanks again y'all... :smile:
    There are a lot of variables, the intensity of the exercise, the duration, the body composition of fat. But it still comes down to goals. As your body changes the way you execute your plans should evolve with it. We all work the same, but are at different stages.
    What is a Celsius drink? Is it like Lucozade/Gatorade?

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