Eating before workouts in the morning

icsracer
icsracer Posts: 29 Member
edited September 28 in Fitness and Exercise
Due to my schedule I am going to move my workouts to first thing in the morning. My concern is, that I might not have enough energy to complete the workout since I have not eaten for 8+ hours. Typically I run for about 5 miles. I do not like to eat an hour before I workout. Any suggestions for a healthy way to get a complete workout finished in the morning?

Replies

  • missxlaur
    missxlaur Posts: 286
    reply all please!
  • Jessica5000
    Jessica5000 Posts: 65
    When I do a 30 minute work out dvd in the morning, 6am. I do not eat first as eating that early makes me feel ill. And survived the work out. I eat afterwards. But I'm sure you will find that a lot of people do eat first. If I did eat I would probably have a half of a banana or one babybel cheese. Something that packs a lot of energy but small in size, quick to eat.
  • sammys1girly
    sammys1girly Posts: 1,045 Member
    I'd never make it without something to eat first. How about a banana with some peanut butter, like 1/2 hr before your run??
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
    I prefer working out on an empty stomach in the morning. I don't lack energy. If I eat first, I usually end up feeling like I have to puke. Sometimes I'll have a protein shake in the morning before the workout. It doesn't make me feel so nauseous.
  • maurilax
    maurilax Posts: 51 Member
    I try not to eat before morning cardio workouts, if i have to have something a small piece of fruit or half a protein shake. obviously drinking a couple glasses of water right when you wake up is ideal.
  • j3nic3
    j3nic3 Posts: 220 Member
    I eat a peach, or half a banana right before my workout because I also dont' have the time to digest anything before I start. It works for me.
  • Drunkadelic
    Drunkadelic Posts: 948 Member
    I'm normally starving before my workout in the afternoon after work so I will eat some fruit (a banana, a few grapes, a few strawberries, a pear) before to give me a carby energy boost. It really helps me push extra hard (I will do the same thing if I HAVE to workout in the morning as I'm always starving when I wake up as well).
  • Arizona_JR
    Arizona_JR Posts: 275
    If your diet is sound, and you are replenishing your glycogen stores in the evening, you should have enough fuel in your muscles to get through a 5 mile run, however, if you feel a little sluggish maybe eat a juicy of fruit or drink a Red Bull. It may take some experimentation to find what works for you.
  • Mike523
    Mike523 Posts: 393 Member
    I wake up at 5:30 and immediately eat a banana, and start drinking water. I drink about 16oz of water over the course of 30 minutes and start working out at 6:00. I have experimented with not eating pre-workout, just having coffee, and have tried other foods, and determined that a banana 30 minutes before works best for me. Of course, everyone is different so you should experiment to find what works best for you.
  • kgool
    kgool Posts: 177 Member
    I never eat before a morning workout, unless I go later on the weekends. I got at 5:30-5:45 on weekdays and more like 10AM on weekends.
  • dragonbug300
    dragonbug300 Posts: 760 Member
    It's a myth that eating before a workout is bad. You'll be burning fat, but not the adipose tissue that you want to burn (it'll be burning fat more immediately accessible to muscle... the stuff that makes you look proportional). Thus, if you want to be more energetic and get more out of your morning workout, you should eat a nice healthy breakfast to charge yourself up.

    Source: biology class and a couple of nutrition/weight loss books that I forget the name of.

    Also, back when I lost the most amount of weight in 3 months (~25lbs) I ate breakfast before working out. Every day.
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
    It's a myth that eating before a workout is bad. You'll be burning fat, but not the adipose tissue that you want to burn (it'll be burning fat more immediately accessible to muscle... the stuff that makes you look proportional). Thus, if you want to be more energetic and get more out of your morning workout, you should eat a nice healthy breakfast to charge yourself up.

    Source: biology class and a couple of nutrition/weight loss books that I forget the name of.

    Also, back when I lost the most amount of weight in 3 months (~25lbs) I ate breakfast before working out. Every day.

    CORRECTO MUNDO
  • conway3
    conway3 Posts: 8
    I do the AM cardio routine as well. Usually 60-75 minutes of cycling or running. I usually have something like a sm banana or dry Special K cereral (no milk). I avoid dairy products before working out. Works for me and I get a more intense workout w/o feeling sick.
  • ladybug1620
    ladybug1620 Posts: 1,136 Member
    I work out in the mornings usually, and I never eat before. I don't have a problem with energy at all. I actually cannot stand to work out with anything in my stomach. I feel sluggish when I do.
  • jmula
    jmula Posts: 38
    If you are looking to loose weight you'll just have to step up your cardio, and lower your daily caloric intake. It doesn't really matter what time of day you do it. It works the same.

    http://weighttraining.about.com/b/2008/11/20/burning-fat-with-the-morning-workout.htm

    I will suggest however, that if you are going to do a full workout in the AM, to eat something fairly light. (enough to energize, and support enough energy) to last the workout.
    I work out in the AM also. I usually eat cottage cheese loaded with different types of fresh berries. or I'll have some yogurt and oatmeal. banana, or even peanut butter. (no bread) this will keep you from getting lite headed and nauseous.
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
    I work out in the mornings usually, and I never eat before. I don't have a problem with energy at all. I actually cannot stand to work out with anything in my stomach. I feel sluggish when I do.

    Nothing wrong with a fasted workout as it is known to cause it's own gains in fat loss but prolonged period of time and it will cause adverse affects.
  • janel814
    janel814 Posts: 88
    As many have stated each person is different so you may have to play with it a bit. I get up at 4am each morning and work out on the food reserve from the night before. If you are feeling weak in the mornings you may want to check you over all cal intake, you may be burning more cals than you think accidentally putting your body into starvation so you get hungry first thing in the morning.
  • DonPendergraft
    DonPendergraft Posts: 520 Member
    Depends on your routine. If you are trying to lose body fat, then do NOT take nutrition and run aerobically, meaning keep your heart rate fairly low. Perhaps a cup of Joe for the caffeine and off you go. The percentage of your calories burned from fat will be highest then. I don't take nutrition unless one of these things are true:
    1) The run is more than 3 hours
    2) Speed work/Temp runs/Hills
    3) Race

    Other than that, slow and steady. Drink water, take an S-cap every hour and call it good. By the way, check out Dr. Phil Maffetone's book The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing. I picked up the Kindle version. Highly recommended.

    When you get in, drink a glass of chocolate milk. Really! Perfect combo of carbs/protein. Use skim milk and no HFCS chocolate syrup (Nesquik makes some). Good luck!
  • damonmath
    damonmath Posts: 359 Member
    I eat 1 tbs of Flax seed oil, 1/2 cup oatmeal, 2 scoops whey protein, and my supplements every morning first thing. I workout about an hour later. 30 minutes prior to my workout I down a glass of N.O.

    Without food I can still workout, but I get much better results when I eat first.
  • LilRedRooster
    LilRedRooster Posts: 1,421 Member
    I always eat something first thing when I'm up, but that's because I wake up ravenous, no matter how full I was the night before. (Breastfeeding takes it toll over the course of the night, I tell ya..)

    If I eat before a run in the morning, which lately has been rare, I'll have something like a 1/2 bagel with peanut butter, because that doesn't bounce around in my stomach and make me feel badly. Anything with bread sits pretty well, so I'll try and add a protein like peanut butter to sustain the energy, or I'll got for something like 1/2cup oatmeal with some fruit, but I always avoid dairy, because that NEVER works out, no matter what it is.
  • VickiMitkins
    VickiMitkins Posts: 249 Member
    I've read differing views on this. Some say you must eat before working out, other say working out after fasting burns more calories. I don't know the answer and think everyone's different. I take medicine in the morning that must be on an empty stomach. Since I don't have enough time to take it, wait, eat and then work out, I keep my morning work out lite. A 30-45 min walk, some yoga, etc. My heavy work out is after work a couple of days a week. I find this has worked well for me. The morning walk gives my matabolism a good boost to start the day. I would say that if you must eat, then keep it to a piece of fruit and protien like peanut butter. I think a heavy breakfast will weigh you down.
  • MissThalia
    MissThalia Posts: 2
    Morning work outs rock! I hope you enjoy the change in schedule. There is a lot of discussion about this topic whether or not to eat before a workout and what to eat. Are you looking for fat loss or muscle gain?
  • cupcakecarnivore
    cupcakecarnivore Posts: 267
    I usually just grab a handful of almonds before I go workout in the morning because Im way to tired that early in the morning;) When I get back though, I make a green monster shake!

    1/2 cup soy milk
    1/2 cup green yogurt
    1 banana
    tbsp chia seeds
    handful of spinach
    ---throw some ice along with all this into a blender!

    Sounds so gross....but you can't taste the spinach at all and keeps me full for a really long time!
  • Angeloftheshore
    Angeloftheshore Posts: 227 Member
    I get sick if I eat to close to working out so I eat afterwards. I have never had an energy problem but I am sure ready to eat after lol.
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