Breakfast before or after a workout - Which is better?

BigB0824
BigB0824 Posts: 20 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Currently I am waking up at 6am and going straight to the gym without eating breakfast. I typically do not eat breakfast until I get to work which is around 8:30am.

I am wondering if what I am doing is ok or if I would be better served by eating breakfast before I go to the gym.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks

Replies

  • DR2501
    DR2501 Posts: 661 Member
    It depends on the individual, but what you currently do sounds a lot like me - I wake up at 6.30am to workout and don't eat until around 9am. Works fine for me.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Currently I am waking up at 6am and going straight to the gym without eating breakfast. I typically do not eat breakfast until I get to work which is around 8:30am.

    I am wondering if what I am doing is ok or if I would be better served by eating breakfast before I go to the gym.

    Any thoughts would be appreciated.

    Thanks

    It's fine, and less chance of puking up at the gym.
  • Unknown
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  • BigB0824
    BigB0824 Posts: 20 Member
    Currently I am waking up at 6am and going straight to the gym without eating breakfast. I typically do not eat breakfast until I get to work which is around 8:30am.

    I am wondering if what I am doing is ok or if I would be better served by eating breakfast before I go to the gym.

    Any thoughts would be appreciated.

    Thanks

    It's fine, and less chance of puking up at the gym.

    HAHAHA.. I definately do not want to puke at the gym. That would not be ideal. I am just wondering for energy burning purposes. Am I breaking down muscle versus burning carbs by not eating prior to going to the gym? That is the question in my head. Sounds like it might not be too huge of an issue though.
  • monicapatituccijones
    monicapatituccijones Posts: 68 Member
    Try both and see how you feel. There's no one right way.
  • ElkeKNJ
    ElkeKNJ Posts: 207 Member
    Hi, I am on this diet plan,(only available in Dutch) where they tell you to eat your breakfast within one hour of waking up. Anything later is the same as not having breakfast, your body is then already in hunger mode.
    In addition, they say that if your aim is to lose fat, the best time to excercise is before breakfast.
    So, not a very big window.
    I get up, have half a litre of water, and then immediately do some excercising at home. Dvd's, hometrainer, of going for a walk and I try to get into the gym twice a week at lunchtime (I plan 'meetings' at that time)
    Not sure whether this is helpful in your situation though....
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Up to you

    I would say whichever leads to greater gym performance
  • dgoupil66
    dgoupil66 Posts: 17
    I eat about 200 - 300 calories before the gym in the morning. One slice of whole wheat toast with reduced fat peanut butter and a banana or maybe blueberries for the energy. Post workout I have a protein shake (MET RX) which is another 250 calories. Starts my day right and is working for me.
  • Fuamami
    Fuamami Posts: 38 Member
    How do you feel? Do you have more energy and stamina if you eat first? I know I do, but maybe it doesn't affect your workouts.
  • sheedy17
    sheedy17 Posts: 128
    Ive been told by a few people (one a trainer at my gym) that it is best to NOT eat before going to the gym, as it helps you burn the fat better. I usually down a coffee and go to the gym
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    Whatever you find to work best for you.

    I get up frighteningly early to work out (5AM), so I started out doing it on an empty stomach. I found myself getting nauseous and feeling weak toward the end of my workout. I added a Quest bar right before I started and now I feel fine. I follow up with a protein shake in the car on my way to work and then, once I get to my office, a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. I typically consume almost 800 calories before 9AM. At this point, I'm so used to it that I'd probably starve without it - or pass the hell out, whatever came first. I need the fooooooodz!
  • RHachicho
    RHachicho Posts: 1,115 Member
    I'm not a big fan of fasted high intensity exercise. I think it has a tendency to eat into lean mass rather than fat mass. Tbh the only exercise I do fasted is sometimes I go for an hours walk because low intensity work like that won't do much to lean mass.
  • starznholes
    starznholes Posts: 170 Member
    It really does depend on the individual, but I know for myself....I must eat before an early morning workout. Or I feel awful the rest of the day. Even something small and easy, (banana, piece of toast w/PB, hard boiled egg).
  • numinousnymph
    numinousnymph Posts: 249 Member
    the one time i tried working out in the morning before eating, i nearly fainted after just a few minutes of some warm-up jumping jacks. vision went white, felt weak and clammy for about 5 minutes. now, that was more than likely something to do with me and my physical conditions at the time -- perhaps my blood sugar was too low, perhaps i didn't eat enough the day before. but even now, about 7 years after i did that, i still feel extremely weak and tired if i don't eat, at the most, 4 or so hours before i go to the gym, no matter what time of day it is.
  • shmerek
    shmerek Posts: 963 Member
    I can't eat a breakfast before because I am pretty sure I would just puke it up. The one time I ate before a workout I truly regretted it.

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