What do you get before a workout

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Sunline77
Sunline77 Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Probably a pretty well worn question but ideas about what I can eat before a gym workout?
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  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    I don't typically eat before a workout...I'd be puking. I take in adequate nutrition throughout the day. If I ride in the morning, I ride fasted...in the fall and winter I usually ride at lunch or in the evening so if I ride at lunch I will have had breakfast...if I ride in the evening I will have had breakfast and lunch and my afternoon snack. I lift in the evening on Tuesday and Thursday so I've had breakfast and lunch and my afternoon snack and have dinner shortly afterwards.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
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    I never eat right before if I can help it. My usual workout time is early afternoon (2-3 pm)--I eat my normal lunch at 11 am and that's usually sufficient. I might eat a small granola bar, a banana, or a couple Shot Bloks (~100 calories) if I have to push my workout much later than 3. If I'm forced to workout in the morning (on a race day or if I cycle with my husband) I might eat a mini bagel with a bit of jelly and/or a banana to get me going--I aim for less than 300 calories--and then eat a bit more when I'm done.
  • alondrakayy
    alondrakayy Posts: 304 Member
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    I take a protein shake. Mainly because I hate drinking it, so I force myself to do so after work which happens to be when I'm on my way to the gym. Going on an empty stomach is awful IMO so the shake helps.
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
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    Your workout is fueled by food that you have eaten the previous day/many hours before your workout. Adequate nutrition throughout the day will repair and rebuild. There is no "need" for a pre-workout meal. However, any meal you consume shouldn't hinder your workout i.e. - make you feel lethargic, cramping etc.
  • ccrdragon
    ccrdragon Posts: 3,368 Member
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    water or coffee (if I get up early enough to make coffee)... anything else and I puke.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    If I am lifting, it is usually candy.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    i cant eat too much about 2-3 hours before i work out or i feel sick. if i'm just starving and am crunched for time i can tolerate about half a protein bar with water; anything else and i'll probably throw up.
  • Meelisv
    Meelisv Posts: 235 Member
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    Same as most others here - I don't eat anything for at least hour or 2 before workout. And before that it's just my usual meal. Exception is when I sometimes go to gym early in the morning, then I'll eat light breakfast, but even in that case it takes me about an hour from breakfast until I get to gym.
  • Sheisinlove109
    Sheisinlove109 Posts: 516 Member
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    I can't eat anything for 2-3 hours before or I'd get sick. If I do it might be half of a granola bar, a few crackers...just enough to not feel like I have a completely empty stomach. Planning works best for me.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,683 Member
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    It depends on how hard you are working out and what you are doing. I'm a runner, mostly. I do most of my runs in the afternoon. If it's early afternoon, I'll eat a light lunch, wait an hour, then run. If I'm running long (2 hours or more) I'll wait two hours. If I run in the morning, same thing. I eat something, then wait until it's digested, more or less. If I'm running late in the afternoon and I'm feeling hungry or low energy, I'll eat a banana or some juice. They don't upset my stomach but give me a sugar boost.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I'm an outlier it seems. I often eat a full breakfast if I'm working out in the morning--oatmeal, eggs, fruit, and coffee.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    I'm an outlier it seems. I often eat a full breakfast if I'm working out in the morning--oatmeal, eggs, fruit, and coffee.

    OMG! You do exist. I thought I was the only person on MFP that liked a full meal before working out. I'm not picky pre-workout. Any well rounded meal will do. Haven't puked yet. In fact I get horrible hunger pangs and fatigue if I don't eat first. If I'm out over an hour and a half I usually eat a granola bar too.
  • pomegranatecloud
    pomegranatecloud Posts: 812 Member
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    I don't eat anything special. Just my usual meals/snacks. Exercising on an empty stomach makes me feel sick.
  • Luna3386
    Luna3386 Posts: 888 Member
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    If it's been 3+ hours since my last meal i eat apple & pb2. If it's less, nothing
  • icemom011
    icemom011 Posts: 999 Member
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    I don't do very well hungry, i am slower and have less energy, so i usually eat before work out. I love yogurt with mango slices as pre-workout meal, plus some coffee if I'm especially tired that day.
  • getnickripped
    getnickripped Posts: 266 Member
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    never any food just espresso.

    If you got at night, what can you do. I would try to be on 4 hours no food if I could. Longer the better (for me anyway)
  • katnadreau
    katnadreau Posts: 149 Member
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    I work out first thing in the am, I'll have a little water, but nothing other than that.
  • kellyfeb78
    kellyfeb78 Posts: 65 Member
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    Bowl of cereal or some toast, too much food slows me down as does not food
  • firef1y72
    firef1y72 Posts: 1,579 Member
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    If I'm going for an early morning run then I won't eat or drink anything beforehand, if it's an early morning PT session then I'll have a protein bar because they are usually intense. Otherwise I just eat whatever I normally would, trying to make sure there's an hour between eating and working out. I struggle more with eating after, just don't feel like it after an intense workout.
  • missh1967
    missh1967 Posts: 661 Member
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    jennybearlv wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    I'm an outlier it seems. I often eat a full breakfast if I'm working out in the morning--oatmeal, eggs, fruit, and coffee.

    OMG! You do exist. I thought I was the only person on MFP that liked a full meal before working out. I'm not picky pre-workout. Any well rounded meal will do. Haven't puked yet. In fact I get horrible hunger pangs and fatigue if I don't eat first. If I'm out over an hour and a half I usually eat a granola bar too.

    Me too, mostly. For weight lifting, I need a good meal. I have less strength on an empty stomach. For cardio, I like a little something in my belly for energy as well.

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