Do you eat before you workout?

alska
alska Posts: 300 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I exercise in the morning, and try not to eat or drink coffee etc before working out. Sometimes that's hard if I go for my 4 mile walk, or go to the YMCA instead of working out at home. I like to wait because eating makes me feel so lazy, and then it gives me time to talk myself out of doing it all together :( But if I wait, I sometimes feel straved n feel I could do a better workout if only I ate before. ugh!!

Do you eat before you workout?
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Replies

  • Kita328
    Kita328 Posts: 370 Member
    I understand both- the not wanting to feel lazy bloated whatever...and running at 5am with no fuel for 4 miles... feeling exhausted when you know that running that far usually doesnt wipe you out!

    My resolution was to eat small amount of high protein. My go to snacks before a morning run are:
    Greek yogurt
    Cottage cheese
    One Hard boiled egg
    and on an off day if I am in a hurry Ill just do one packet of instant oatmeal...that isnt high protein but it gets the job done.

    But key is to eat that as soon as you wake up. Then brush teeth get ready that way there is at least 30 mins before you start running. Never eat to full... ONLY enough to give a boost so you dont feel wiped at the end of the run. then when you come home from running finish your breakfast.

    Hope this helped.
  • sabified
    sabified Posts: 1,035 Member
    No, I don't... While I definitely have more energy if I eat before working out, I have to wait at least 45 mins to digest before hitting the gym.... and then I run into the same issue you have, where I start losing motivation to go and start talking myself out of it.

    What I have done a couple times is to take something with me in a lil ziploc baggy if I know that I'm going to work out harder than I usually do... something easy to just take a couple bites of, usually carby or with sugar for quick energy and something that doesn't sit too heavy in my stomach (ie usually half a banana or some dates, took a home made muffin one time)
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    I eat a small amount (typically a protein bar and maybe some fruit) about an hour before I workout and make sure I am well hydrated also.
  • Edie05
    Edie05 Posts: 10 Member
    I have an egg before I workout/run. I get nauseous if I run on an empty stomach, especially if it's really hot/humid. I wouldn't eat a full meal before a workout/run.
  • JustSomeEm
    JustSomeEm Posts: 20,282 MFP Moderator
    I have coffee before a morning run, because it helps me get rid of whatever might be lurking... if you know what I mean. No food until after a run, though. I don't want to be puking in the bushes. LOL!
  • Dianemarie65
    Dianemarie65 Posts: 20 Member
    If I plan to run that day I will at least have a cup of coffee for an energy boost before I workout. If you plan to do a cardio workout that lasts longer than 60 minutes I would encourage you to have a slice of toast with peanut butter or half banana about a half hour to one hour before your workout. Now some folks can't eat before they run do to GI upset. Each person is different with this.
  • KombuchaCat
    KombuchaCat Posts: 834 Member
    I usually like to eat a little something so I'm not running on empty. Maybe just a handful of nuts, a piece of fruit or a spoonful of coconut butter or nut butter. However I work out in the evenings mostly so I've eaten something before that at some point in the day. When I do bikram in the morning on the weekends I'll do the eat something small before I go.
  • ladyjc13
    ladyjc13 Posts: 2
    I exercise in the morning and then during my lunch hour. For both occassions, I eat after I work-out to burn more calories and to eat less. :) So far, this is working for me. :)
  • MissBabyJane
    MissBabyJane Posts: 538 Member
    Nope. I do my morning workout very early and I don't feel like even drinking water.
  • jfauci
    jfauci Posts: 531 Member
    I don't because I work out from 4-5:15 AM and I think I would hurl if I ate that early in the morning. I usually nibble on some trail mix on my way to work at 7 AM.
  • trainguy917
    trainguy917 Posts: 366 Member
    Depends. If it's a short, 30-40 minute, session, I get straight up and go. I am training for a half marathon, though, and do a long run on the weekend. I definitely eat before that, but it's 1.5-2 hours before, which is why it's on the weekend.
  • ccrdragon
    ccrdragon Posts: 3,374 Member
    most mornings I do my workout on an empty stomach, the most that I ever eat before the workout is a banana and maybe black coffee.

    I also wait until I get to the office after the workout before eating anything - I do drink extra water on the drive to the office tho.., (it's 40 minutes to the office from the gym most mornings).
  • ashabiroo
    ashabiroo Posts: 2 Member
    Usually I have something light before I work out. Sometimes I can go on an empty stomach. I usually work out after work in the evenings.
  • aekaya
    aekaya Posts: 163 Member
    Yep, it gives me way more energy throughout the workout. I usually like to eat something light to "carb up" before a workout, plus a little bit of protein. Something like half a banana with a piece of string cheese, or fruit with cottage cheese.
  • ConnorS879
    ConnorS879 Posts: 47 Member
    I usually have about a 350-400 calorie meal about 60-90 minutes prior to working out
  • DJ7203
    DJ7203 Posts: 497 Member
    I get up around 5:30 am, drink a cup of black coffee & do 30 mins of fasted cardio. Then I eat breakfast & head to the gym to lift weights.
  • danaaae
    danaaae Posts: 13 Member
    If it's a weightlifting day I do not eat first. I get very nauseous and stay that way for hours if I do. If I'm just walking or doing some other form of cardio I can handle a little snack, but for the most part I just wait until after.
  • mamaleftwich
    mamaleftwich Posts: 256 Member
    I don't...my morning starts at 5:00 AM and I do a brisk hour morning walk before work and then eat when I get in to the office, and then on the week-ends or days that I'm off from work I walk much longer and eat when I get home.
  • kshadows
    kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
    I do, only because my only available time for working out/running is after dinner in the evening, so I don't have much of a choice. It doesn't bother me much.
  • laineybz
    laineybz Posts: 704 Member
    Eating after works best for me.
  • cad39too
    cad39too Posts: 874 Member
    Generally no, I normally do a fasted workout in the morning. If I have meetings and have to workout in the afternoon or evening then I have no choice, but I always feel sluggish if I have eaten prior to working out.
  • gobonas99
    gobonas99 Posts: 1,049 Member
    It depends. If I'm working out in the morning (be it swimming, running, weights, etc), I don't usually have anything, except water or my pre-workout drink....the caveat to that is if my morning "workout" is actually a race (running or triathlon), then I do fuel beforehand with a banana or two, my pre-workout drink, maybe part of a granola bar - it depends on how much time there is between when I have to be there and when the race starts (and how long the race is....obviously, I need to fuel more for a triathlon than I do for a 5K run). And also, depending on the distance (and temps), I may fuel during the race or workout as well.

    If I'm working out in the evening, I have obviously eaten throughout the day, but I always make sure there is at least an hour between when I last ate and when I start my workout.
  • MzNeecie
    MzNeecie Posts: 107 Member
    I will eat dry or solid foods if I must eat (i.e apple or some dry cereal or handful of almonds) but I typically don't like food in my stomach when I work out b/c it makes me want to vomit:(. I guess it just depends on the person.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    Depends. XTs or short runs then no. Long runs yes, I will wake up early to have a cup of coffee and a slice of toast with PB about an hour before the run.
  • Rancerox
    Rancerox Posts: 28 Member
    If I'm hungry or feeling a little "depleted," I'll usually have a protein bar or maybe a one-scoop protein shake to keep me fueled. I don't specifically plan a meal before a workout though.
  • hermann341
    hermann341 Posts: 443 Member
    Not unless I can eat at least 2 hours before I exercise. Otherwise, it's strictly water/energy drink/coffee immediately before for hydration. The closest I have come to eating was a protein shake instead of water/energy drink.
  • mrsanders3960
    mrsanders3960 Posts: 1
    I water and carbs 1to 2 hours before workout, and usually carbs and protein with in 30 minutes post work out.
  • craftydoll
    craftydoll Posts: 17 Member
    I usually have oatmeal as a pre-workout meal, 45-60 min before hitting the gym.
  • steran29
    steran29 Posts: 11
    I feel the same way as you! If i eat before or after I get a certain negative feeling lol. Depends what time you work out. If I work out early in the morning I do not eat before working out because if i do I feel like throwing up throughout the workout. If I work out in the afternoon, i make sure I eat about 2 hours before I work out so i'm not too hungry. I eat an apple or a rice cake an hr and a half at MOST and after that take my herbalife shake.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    I prefer not to, I feel sluggish if I do. Plus I work out at 5am, if I eat before that I'll be starving at 4pm with no calories left :cry:

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