Eating before exercise or not?

Most definitely something before you exercise...not a lot though. You may get an upset stomach depending on what you eat..and how much. Make sure you always have some protein before you work out..

My roomie actually throws up after a work out if he doesnt eat before...

I always eat something light yogurt and toast. I find if I don't I get light headed during my exercise.

i plan it perfectly that i eat breakfast before i hit the gym workout for 2 hours, go to class, then have lunch!

Eat a breakfast/nutrition bar........you can get your protein and it wont be filling while you work out. Feeling light headed is never fun early in the morning when you have the whole day ahead of you. I would also suggest chugging a cup of water as soon as you roll out of bed (whether you eat or dont eat before the workout).

I never eat before my workouts,it makes me feel sick.but I do drink water and that seems to be ok.think its a personal thing weather you do or dont.:bigsmile:

Eat something before your workout even if it is a protein bar/drink. After sleeping all night your body is hungry for food, working out in that condition could lead to a loss of muscle instead of fat. I always eat a full breakfast about an hour before working out.

mkinggraham you may be cheating yourself actually...your metabolism doesn't start the day until you start it with something to eat.. You should eat at least something within 20 minutes of waking up to jump start your metabolism for the day.. This may increase your calorie burn while you are working out... just a thought.

Everything I have ever read from exercise experts, be it Bob Harper from Biggest Loser to Billy Blanks, states you should eating something at least 1 hours before you exercise. The reports vary on what but you need to have fuel to do the workout or you will "run out of gas" and may not have as an effective of a workout.

I'm torn on this too, and there is a thread somewhere on this forum where most of the posters seem to suggest the opposite!

I used to work out and then have breakfast, but then I watched a docu on the tv where a GP told someone that their body would be working harder less effectively if they didn't eat before exercise. So I changed my routine and ate breakfast and then worked out about an hour later.

I can't tell any difference in my weight loss pattern - my initial weight loss may have been because I'd gone from sedentary to getting off my butt, rather than my eating times, but today I did some light cardio without eating, then had breakfast, left it an hour and completed my workout.

There are two schools of thought on this. The first being that after sleeping and not eating, we need to break the fast (thus the clever name) we put ourselves through during our slumber. This will give us enough energy to get through our workouts and start our metabolism.

The other is that by not eating anything, especially carbs, our bodies will instead tap our stored fat for energy while we work out. So, since fat loss is a primary goal of most of us, burning fat through exercise would seem to be an ideal option.

So which is "correct"? I'd say BOTH, and here's why. It's no secret that when it comes to burning fat and losing weight, there is no "One Size Fits All" approach. Just as we all look, talk, act and think differently, our bodies also respond differently to different stimuli. So, in turn to say that because Option A worked for this person means that Option B won't work for that person is obtuse and narrow-minded at best.

Now, based on my own personal experience, I spent the better part of the past 9 years lifting weights and doing cardio every morning, 6 days a week on an empty stomach. I was able to burn fat, put on muscle, increase endurance and strength. However, that does not mean that the same approach will work for YOU. Just like anything else, some experimentation is in order to find what works and what doesn't.

Absolutely not before. I throw up during if I eat before exercise.

This thread has been helpful. I usually work out early in the morning before I eat anything. I've tried eating prior to exercise (anything from a hard boiled egg, a protein bar, banana with almond butter...) and I couldn't tell the difference in how I felt or how my body performed.

I've run 5.5 miles on an empty stomach and felt nothing but energized. I usually do some kind of cardio for about 30 min prior to boot camp class 3 days a week, then 45 - 65 minutes of cardio the other 3 days (I take Sunday off). I do drink a protein shake made with unsweetened almond milk, frozen berries and unsweetened cocoa after working out. I also drink before and after my work out.

I guess it really does depend on the individual!