Not eating before a workout

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kylee_marie
kylee_marie Posts: 299 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have been trying to get up and go to the gym first thing in the morning before work. That way I have no excuses that i "ran out of time". My question is.... I wake up at 545, am dressed and in the car by 555...at the gym by 615. I do not eat before I go. I have never been a huge breakfast person and being that early, it makes me sick to my stomach to think about food. I work out for an hour-ish, get ready for work and am at the office by 8. I always have breakfast once i get there. I know i have heard that you are supposed to eat right after waking up to "jump start" your metabolism. Will my habits cause any problems? Help please :)

Replies

  • szczepj
    szczepj Posts: 422
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    The jumpstart of the workout should be enough! At least from what I've gathered, and you are eating breakfast just after. :)
  • sari92379
    sari92379 Posts: 4 Member
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    Drink a protein shake on your way to the gym. It's the best way to get your body jumpstarted and you will defintely feel the extra energy boost while working out.
  • innerfashionista
    innerfashionista Posts: 451 Member
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    I don't eat for about an hour-2 hours in the morning. I get up between 5:30 and 6 and don't eat until 7 or 7:30. I just can't eat that early, and I prefer to eat while I'm at work. If you're losing weight doing what you're doing, I wouldn't worry about it.
  • 2bFitNTrim
    2bFitNTrim Posts: 1,209 Member
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    My schedule is practically identical to yours except I go back home, not to work. I hope it's not a problem, because I choose to chow my food once I'm home and cooled down. It's working for me so far. Curious to see what others think though. :smile:
  • JennsLosing
    JennsLosing Posts: 1,026
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    i think you'll be fine.....your jumpstarting by working out first thing in the morning, and your eating soon after your work out. With me however i have to at least put something in my belly before working out, or i get sick during my work out.
  • 27strange
    27strange Posts: 837 Member
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    I don't like eating before working out either. I eat right after workouts, rarely ever before. This is true for morning workouts and evening workouts. Great job getting up and going to the gym first thing in the morning!
  • brknllama
    brknllama Posts: 113 Member
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    you should eat within a couple hours after getting up in the morning so if you eat when you get to work in the morning.... me personally, i get sick if i eat before 10.... and i can't workout if i have any food in my stomach
  • laddyboy
    laddyboy Posts: 1,565 Member
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    No, it will not. When I am leaning I don't eat before my workout. I also take a no calorie or low calorie pre workout supplement to increase my intensity.
    If I'm bulking I will eat something with carbs and protein.
    With nothing in your stomach you will burn up your glycogen stores in the 1st 20 minutes or so and then you will switch to stored fat.
    Just be sure you include both strength training and cardio (in that order) in your workouts and don't go much over 60 minutes so you don't start burning up muscle.
  • Emily4H
    Emily4H Posts: 170
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    depending on the work out, I have a instant breakfast type protien shake - that gets me through boot camp.....
  • laddyboy
    laddyboy Posts: 1,565 Member
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    Oh yeah, also be sure to eat within 1 hr after your workout to refuel and start the recovery process.
  • gothicprophet
    gothicprophet Posts: 189
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    I generally wake up and pretty much jump right into my workouts, then once I'm cooled down I eat something. I've never been much of a morning eater, but I'm trying to get better at that to help my metabolism and energy levels throughout the day.

    To be honest, I modeled my morning schedule after what I did in the Army during Basic Training. Worked then, seems to be working now. :D
  • ANeWcRe8N
    ANeWcRe8N Posts: 1,180 Member
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    When I first started this lifestyle I would wake up and workout before eating anything and It was fine for me.. later on down the road I started to workout after eating since they say your body needs fuel and energy. Well this morning I woke up and went straight to working out without eating anything because I wanted to get it over with before anyone woke up.. bad idea lol. I had noo energy whatsoever. Anyways I would say do what you feel is right for you. :)
  • Rhondast
    Rhondast Posts: 93
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    On the weekends I do hot yoga/pilates at 9:00, and I don't eat breakfast. On the week nights, i do hot yoga/pilates, and there's no way to eat dinner. So I eat throughout the day. Not much on the weekdays, though.
  • Marig0ld
    Marig0ld Posts: 671 Member
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    As long as you feel ok while you're working out, it shouldn't matter.

    Your schedule sounds almost exactly like mine. I'm not hungry as soon as I get up, but I try to eat a piece of fruit or something small before my trainers kick my butt at 6am on Tuesday and Thursdays in a boot-camp style class. It definitely helps me get through it.

    I would recommend eating a little something before just to see if it makes a difference in your workout. Definitely don't do it on a full stomach, though....yuck!
  • carpediet
    carpediet Posts: 3
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    I work out at 5:00 am and don't like to eat much either. I have compromised with a light snack before (bannana, gronola, or smoothie) and a light snack after (one of the same) That gets me a decent breakfast that hold over till lunch.

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ00594_D
  • gjulie
    gjulie Posts: 391
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    I think thats fine as long as you are eating when you do,so you are not going too long without food,if it works it works! I mean if eating is going to make you feel sick its counterproductive!
  • kylee_marie
    kylee_marie Posts: 299 Member
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    No, it will not. When I am leaning I don't eat before my workout. I also take a no calorie or low calorie pre workout supplement to increase my intensity.
    If I'm bulking I will eat something with carbs and protein.
    With nothing in your stomach you will burn up your glycogen stores in the 1st 20 minutes or so and then you will switch to stored fat.
    Just be sure you include both strength training and cardio (in that order) in your workouts and don't go much over 60 minutes so you don't start burning up muscle.

    strength, then cardio...got it! thank you, i didn't know that!. And thank everyone else for all your advice, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing anything that would cause a problem, especially since it is a miracle I have managed to get out of bed that early in the first place, I would hate for it to be for nothing!
  • Spinkel
    Spinkel Posts: 6
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    Last week Dr. Oz said if you work out on an empty stomach, you burn fat instead of had you eaten you'd be burning the fuel in your tank. I say if you can wait and eat afterward, you'll see better results. As long as you don't feel shaky or sick to your stomach, keep on keepin' on! Just make sure what you eat for breakfast is something well rounded (Protein & Fiber rich, for sure). What always makes me feel great and feel full the longest is 1/2 a bagel, 1 egg, 1 slice turkey bacon, 1/2 oz. cheese and 1 cup of blueberries.

    You can pre-make the eggs by boiling a batch on Sunday night for all week, microwave your bacon the night before (it reheats fairly well, or just buy the regular bacon that's precooked), and the rest is easy to ziplock the night before. And, good news: I can give you a bag of bagels every week for free from St. Louis Bread Co. Half a bagel from them is approx. 150 calories depending on the flavor. :)

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