Excercise before breakfast?

Lara_z
Lara_z Posts: 94 Member
edited November 16 in Fitness and Exercise
Is it better to excercise before or after breakfast?
Is it true if you excercise before breakfast, you burn body fat whereas if you excercise after breakfast you burn carbs?

I'm thinking of going to the gym first thing in the morning but not sure whether to go before or after breakfast.

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    the difference is negligible. i workout fasted sometimes if i don't have much time on a morning, but would always eat before a long run.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Do you want or need to eat breakfast before you train? If so, do that.

    If you don't want or need to eat before you train, do that.

    You could potentially be in "fat burning" mode being in a fasted state, but you could also lack the energy to train with the intensity you'd have if you'd eaten prior.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    Makes little to no difference. Try before breakfast and see how you get on?
  • Unknown
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  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    I think it's more of a personal preference thing. If I don't eat before I workout, I crash and burn. But I can't eat a full meal beforehand, either. That just makes me sluggish and nauseous. So I have a snack a bit before, and then my meal after. Do what seems to work best/feel best to you.
  • TonyB0588
    TonyB0588 Posts: 9,520 Member
    I wouldn't be able to do much while hungry. I exercise in the evening after work.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    In the past, all my work outs were early morning in fasted state. More recently, my work outs are mainly evening in fed state but once a week (Wednesday am) I do an early morning work out fasted. I can tell you that for me at least, I see no loss of exercise performance working out early and fasted (although, it can be tough when the alarm goes off at 5:45am!)

    Early morning, I'm up, chug back a shot of cold brewed coffee and my vitamins and then go to the gym.
  • chrislee1628
    chrislee1628 Posts: 305 Member
    I prefer to do it before eating, exercising when full for me is uncomfortable, a lot of the time stomach cramps
  • fitgalpal13
    fitgalpal13 Posts: 9 Member
    Ive been wondering the same and have tried it a few times and I find I get more energy working out fasted, but not sure about the fat burning properties. Has anyone seen the big website muscleforlife? He talks about it in depth there and thats where I learned about it
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    In the heat of the summer, I will take my Saturday long run before breakfast. During the cooler months, I usually wait until after breakfast to do that long run. More the temperature of the day than meal timing.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    edited February 2017
    Fasted cardio won't cause you to lose more body-fat over time in comparison to fed cardio provided other relevant conditions are matched.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4242477/
    http://weightology.net/fat-loss/fasted-cardio-an-undeserved-good-reputation.html/
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,682 Member
    I exercise before and after breakfast. :)
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    Their is no added benefit to one over the other. Preference could be chosen and which is easier to adhere to your goals of exercise.
  • indiacaitlin
    indiacaitlin Posts: 691 Member
    I've worked out before breakfast, and I've worked out after breakfast. Overall I can't say it made much of a difference as to the rate of my weight loss! I prefer to eat before I workout but that is purely preference :smile:
  • andrea4736
    andrea4736 Posts: 211 Member
    I'd throw up if I exercised after I ate.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Lara_z wrote: »
    Is it better to excercise before or after breakfast?
    Is it true if you excercise before breakfast, you burn body fat whereas if you excercise after breakfast you burn carbs?

    I'm thinking of going to the gym first thing in the morning but not sure whether to go before or after breakfast.

    Exercise intensity is the primary driver for the mix of carbs and fat you use during exercise - not whether you are fasted or fed. You have plenty of carbs onboard (glycogen) anyway to get you through a normal workout.

    Do what fits in with your day and helps you perform the best.
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