Preworkout food in the morning

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cioube
cioube Posts: 39 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone !
So one of my new years resolution is to get up at 7 am every day. Lucky me, I work 10mins away and could easily get up at 8.30am but I like to make the most of my day :)

One of my other goals is to workout in the morning. I have done it before and enjoyed it. So I'm starting with one day a week and working my way up to more.

However, waking up at 7 would allow me to hit the gym at 7.30. I've been trying to find out what to eat BEFORE as I don't want to have my full breakfast just before a workout. Some websites say protein, some websites say no protein, some websites say whey shake, some say a banana ...
What do you guys go with ?

Thanks for you help !

Replies

  • dbhagat
    dbhagat Posts: 4 Member
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    Generally speaking you should not be consuming food within 3 hrs of a workout. I do not eat anything prior to the workout ( I go to the gym at 5.15 am) but I do have a recovery drink after the workout.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    dbhagat wrote: »
    Generally speaking you should not be consuming food within 3 hrs of a workout. I do not eat anything prior to the workout ( I go to the gym at 5.15 am) but I do have a recovery drink after the workout.

    Why not? :huh:
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    It's all personal preference so try a few things and see what works for you. For early AM workouts I prefer to be fasted (i.e. having not eaten anything) or just have a coffee. But if you'd like to have something, try something small initially, like a banana or protein shake.
  • lil_lizt
    lil_lizt Posts: 275 Member
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    I have a slice of toast and 2 eggs (scrambled) with a coffee around an hour or so before I go gym. Working out fasted doesn't work for me as I'm just too hungry to focus on anything else lol
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
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    I don't eat anything before but have breakfast immediately after.
  • WhatMeRunning
    WhatMeRunning Posts: 3,538 Member
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    I just have some water when I rise to make sure I am hydrated properly. The only time I have some calories beforehand is if I am doing a really long run that burns a ton of calories, like 10+ miles. And in that case I just have a glass of apple juice or something similar, less that 200 calories overall really. Otherwise I depend on refueling during the workout if I am worried about depleting glycogen, not so much before.
  • cioube
    cioube Posts: 39 Member
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    Ok, I'll give it a try. I don't have protein powder so I'll go for a banana and see how I'm feeling about that.
    One website suggested that if you don't eat you're not going to put your most in the workout, which is why I started to wonder wether I had been doing it right the few times I worked out early morning.

    Thanks for your help !
  • Keensa16
    Keensa16 Posts: 7 Member
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    On days I lift in the morning I try to get a little something in me; I will typically have at least a slice of whole wheat toast and half a scoop of whey protein. You want to make sure you have something to set yourself up for a good workout
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
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    Personal preference. I get extremely nauseous and lightheaded if I eat a heavy meal before the gym. I cannot go on an empty stomach though because I have chronic hypoglycemia.

    I would suggest a banana. It's light, full of nutrients, and "carby".
  • weali
    weali Posts: 37 Member
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    I usually eat a spoonful of peanut butter or a handful of whatever nuts I have at the house and maybe an apple. Just to have enough of something on my stomache so I don't pass out.
  • bd208
    bd208 Posts: 41 Member
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    dbhagat wrote: »
    Generally speaking you should not be consuming food within 3 hrs of a workout. I do not eat anything prior to the workout ( I go to the gym at 5.15 am) but I do have a recovery drink after the workout.
    What? Why not??? I have a pre-workout protein drink to make sure that I have adequate caloric stores for my body to use...then when I finish with my workout, I have a recovery shake when I get home! But like someone said, it's all a matter of personal choice!

  • bkerr30
    bkerr30 Posts: 131 Member
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    I will typically eat a slice of toast or even just st a yogurt. Anything but a banana. Every time I try to eat a banana before working out (even in a smoothie) I barf. Not fun while at the gym :p
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
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    dbhagat wrote: »
    Generally speaking you should not be consuming food within 3 hrs of a workout.

    No.
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
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    A short <1hr morning workout I don't bother with anything. If a bigger session is planned I'll eat something carby.

    Protein for afterwards though.
  • jpaulie
    jpaulie Posts: 917 Member
    edited January 2015
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    my morning workout is just cardio, I do weights later in the day.
    I drink 2 cups coffee and take a liter of water with BCAA and electrolytes to the cross trainer. If I (personally) eat before weights I get tired more quickly.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    banana
  • TriNoob
    TriNoob Posts: 96 Member
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    dbhagat wrote: »
    Generally speaking you should not be consuming food within 3 hrs of a workout. I do not eat anything prior to the workout ( I go to the gym at 5.15 am) but I do have a recovery drink after the workout.

    Guess I should make sure not to consume food during a workout either. That would be a travesty.
  • nikkicarter13
    nikkicarter13 Posts: 231 Member
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    I leave my house at 5:30AM to get to the gym at 6:15AM. I just have a coffee on my way, then eat breakfast when I get to work around 8AM. But do what works for you and track what you eat.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
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    I usually make sure I've had a snack before bed the night before a first-thing gym sesh, as that seems to do the trick. Otherwise, if I wake up starving, I eat a banana, half a quest bar, or have a glass of juice to tide me over.

    Eating a big breakfast after the gym is usually the thing that gets me out of bed, in my gym clothes, and then into my car successfully.

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