Workout before or after breakfast?

kdelost630
kdelost630 Posts: 196 Member
edited September 28 in Fitness and Exercise
I always workout in the morning, but I was wondering if there was any benefit to eating before you workout or not. I usually do, but someone suggested I might burn more calories if I DON'T eat beforehand. Just wondering if anyone knows whether or not this matters in weight loss/muscle building.

Replies

  • lamorte
    lamorte Posts: 27 Member
    Suggestion ...you can eat before as it will give you some sustained energy for your workouts, just make sure to eat at least an hour before hand....fuel up and go ! ...I personally like to do a light snack of fruits , maybe some granola and yougurt before for a boost and then eat breakfast after....Also don't forget to drink at least a cup of water before ( up to 30 mins before ) and during your workouts....
  • FinalOutrage
    FinalOutrage Posts: 77
    You will lose lean muscle if you work out before eating, I know because for the first 3 months of my weight loss I did this. Eating beforehand gives you way more energy to get through your workouts.
  • flimflamfloz
    flimflamfloz Posts: 1,980 Member
    Well, I would definitely do my running sessions before breakfast (otherwise I would feel bloated, plus it is supposed to help burning fat rather than carbs, since you're stomach is empty your body goes to the fat storage).

    Now, for pure weight lifting, I would usually take some protein shake or have something in the stomach before (fruit, cereals) (not too much, but enough to fuel me), as the goal here is not to "lose fat/burn calories" but to build muscles. And I find that if I don't do this I feel very weak during my weight lifting session, and can't push the reps enough (so it is almost consistently a bad session if I don't eat properly before doing my weights).
  • NuttyBrewnette
    NuttyBrewnette Posts: 417 Member
    I just started to experiment with this, this week. I'm usually a non eater before working out. Then I read somewhere that it's better to eat lightly about an hour beforehand. I did that and had more stamina, and increased calorie burn. I did the same activity (spinning) and use a heart rate monitor....I burned about 300+ more calories when I ate first, than I did when I didn't eat.

    I guess the fuel let me give it more/work harder during the work out......

    That's just my experience this week. But I do think I will be eating lightly before workouts from now on.
  • mzenzer
    mzenzer Posts: 503 Member
    That idea is actually pretty dated. Definitely eat before, about an hour, something lean but that will give you the proper fuel. I have a scoop of protein powder and scoop of maltodextrin (carbs) an hour or so before my workout. But then I also eat a normal breakfast within an hour of working out as well. If you think about it regarding not eating before, you have not eaten in probably 8-10 hours overnight, maybe more, since the previous night so you'd be going into your workout literally starving, which is not good.
  • beccarockslife
    beccarockslife Posts: 816 Member
    I think it's a personal preference honestly, some people love to eat first and fuel up, personally I can't do it.
  • beccarockslife
    beccarockslife Posts: 816 Member
    oh and the rumour is that you burn more fat if you don't eat before hand, cause your body has nothing to burn from food.
  • elizalibrary
    elizalibrary Posts: 1
    The only time I have to work out is right after I wake up. Should I go ahead and eat something and go into my workout? Or just deal with the consequences of working out on empty? The only time I have to work out is at 5 in the morning. It's that or no workout at all. :-(
  • DianaPowerUp
    DianaPowerUp Posts: 518 Member
    There have been some studies recently that have "shown" that you get a better burn/more fat burn if you work out before you eat. That said, ultimately it depends on what works best for YOU. I've done it both ways, and for me it depends on what kind of workout I'm going to do (if I need more fuel), and how soon after getting up (the longer it is before I can workout, the more likely I'll have eaten first).
  • hsk11270
    hsk11270 Posts: 48
    One of the first things my trainer suggested to me was to work out first thing in the morning before breakfast and then to eat after but not to wait longer than 2 hrs after waking to eat.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories