Eating before an early workout?

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afloyd432
afloyd432 Posts: 9 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I get up around 5am to exercise - and I'm not a morning person! I'm awake less than 15 minutes before leaving for the gym. Just enough time to get dressed, etc. I have a protein shake at the gym after my workout and then breakfast (greek yogurt, cereal, etc) when I get into work 1-2 hours later.

Should I be eating at 5 am before my workout?

I can't really stomach the idea of eating that early but wondering if that's something I'm doing wrong. And if I should be eating pre-workout is something as small as 1-2 hard boiled egg whites suffice so I can still eat a bigger breakfast when I get to work?

Thanks!

Replies

  • DrumlineGirl
    DrumlineGirl Posts: 178 Member
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    I think if you're not at all hungry and feel like you have plenty of energy for your workout, don't worry about it.

    I personally am starving the minute I wake up (I've always been this way), so if I plan to workout right away, I eat half a banana. It usually sustains me and then I eat breakfast a little while after the workout.
  • VialOfDreams
    VialOfDreams Posts: 217
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    If you're running or doing high intensity training have a 100-150 calorie pre-workout snack about 30 minutes prior to starting your workout. Like a banana or a small bagel.
  • chris1132
    chris1132 Posts: 58
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    I work out at 5 a.m. every morning and I always keep a stash of hard boiled eggs in my fridge to grab on my way out. It's perfect for about an hour of weights and 40 minutes of cardio. I would say that egg whites alone might not be enough nutrition for an extended morning workout.
  • jcch00
    jcch00 Posts: 57 Member
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    I get up @ 4:30am, use the bathroom, get in my workout gear, and am at the gym by 5am. I do this 3-5x a week. I absolutely HAVE to have something in my stomach within the first hour of waking up or I get sick - seriously. I will actually puke. My friend is a dietitian and she said this is due to my blood sugar levels dropping in the am (I am not even a diabetic. She said this is normal for a lot of people). I don't want a meal that early in the morning, so I cut a Fiber One bar into thirds and eat 1 tiny piece before every early AM workout. This helps hold me over until I do my workout, get home to shower, and have a real breakfast.
  • june_warner
    june_warner Posts: 126 Member
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    If you are getting up and going straight to the gym to workout you don't need to eat! They say you will burn the stored fat in your body instead of the food you just ate. If you do decide to eat something before a workout egg whites are the way to go. Just make sure you are drinking your water right away in the morning because we are dehydrated in the morning. That will also help get your metabolism going too!!! And the protein shake after your workout is a great!!! Sounds like you are doing things the right way!!
  • Buckeyt
    Buckeyt Posts: 473 Member
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    Lots of different views on this.

    Read some interesting bit on this topic lately. If your doing moderatel level cardio you should eat some protein before your workout as you'll burn fat for energy but not begin to metabolize your muscle as you've ingested some protein. For HIIT stuff you'll need Carbs to fuel those higher glycogen demands of your muscles.

    Post workout, Carbs to replace the glycogen you're muscles just used, then some protein about an hour or so later.

    A morning workout on an empty stomach may sound like a way to burn fat, but you've basically just deprived your body all night sleeping so beleive it or not, you body will burn muscle as well as fat for energy during that morning cardio on an empty stomach. So that is why some protein before a light workout is good.
  • alanmonks
    alanmonks Posts: 115 Member
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    I dont eat but i will have a cup of coffer and walk to work 4 to 5 days a week, which takes about 40 minutes. shower in work then I will have eggs, or a banana or chicken with water. that does me. but everyone is totally different and you have to look at how you feel before and after the workout. If you wake up and are not hungry, but feel terrible and find the last part of your workout a struggle then maybe you should have something to keep you going at the last part.
  • halejr23
    halejr23 Posts: 294
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    I would think it would depend on the person. Personally, I have to have something before I work out. I get up at 4:30 so I put a scoop of Chocolate Whey Protein in my coffee and drink that before I work out at 5:00.

    If you do eat something before you workout I believe you want at least a half-hour between consumption and workout (longer if it will be an intense workout - just to be safe!) and liquid gets in to the system faster than solid food - which is why I do the whey in coffee.

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