When is Breakfast?

beahurey
beahurey Posts: 108
edited September 19 in Food and Nutrition
I know breakfast is very important to start your day. However, if you are doing a high intensity workout first thing in the morning, what do you do first? The workout or breakfast? I personally don't like to have a full stomach or even close to full when I am working out. Just wondering what everyone else does! Thanks! :wink:

Replies

  • beahurey
    beahurey Posts: 108
    I know breakfast is very important to start your day. However, if you are doing a high intensity workout first thing in the morning, what do you do first? The workout or breakfast? I personally don't like to have a full stomach or even close to full when I am working out. Just wondering what everyone else does! Thanks! :wink:
  • mamashrub
    mamashrub Posts: 128
    I know breakfast is very important to start your day. However, if you are doing a high intensity workout first thing in the morning, what do you do first? The workout or breakfast? I personally don't like to have a full stomach or even close to full when I am working out. Just wondering what everyone else does! Thanks! :wink:

    I eat after I work out...that way, I'm actually Hungry (I'm not a breakfast person ethier) and also, I believe that if I work out first, my body will burn off those fat stores instead of burning off what I just put in there.
  • livinwell
    livinwell Posts: 47
    I work out first. I agree it is not good to workout on a full stomach. Does anyone know if it is a bad idea to postpone breakfast until after the workout? I think the recommendation is to eat within an hour of waking................:noway:
  • Gremmie62
    Gremmie62 Posts: 1
    My Trainer says to eat something before the workout. A banana or yogurt. I eat a Nutri-Grain bar. Not too much but enough to fuel my workout.
  • kerrilucko
    kerrilucko Posts: 3,852 Member
    I eat after too, I find I get cramps when I eat beforehand, even if I eat lightly and/or wait 30mins before exercising.
  • iamjeffb
    iamjeffb Posts: 22 Member
    You shouldn't eat a 3 course meal then workout, however you should eat something before.

    If you get up and at the gym in 15 min. it's best to put something small in your belly - a small banana etc. It kickstarts your body to burn - there have been several articles about needing something in your belly to fuel your workout.

    If you skip breakfast and do a tough workout, you launch a depleted body into even greater depletion. Say you burn 500 calories during the workout. By the time you eat later that morning, you may have dipped into an energy deficit of 1,600 calories (that is, 1,100 calories burned while you sleep, plus 500 from the workout). Now your body is famished for fuel.

    Just my $0.04 <-- inflation and all... :smile:
  • snorker88
    snorker88 Posts: 179 Member
    I wake up about 630 work out from 715-830 and eat breakfast when I get to work at 9am.. This works for me, but I don't know if its the best thing to do.....
  • TrainerAndrew
    TrainerAndrew Posts: 5
    suggestion....

    If you are doing a high intensity workout first thing in the morning, you have not eaten since 7pm the night prior, and you don't seem to have enough energy to make it through the workout then by all means trying eating something small. Maybe snack cup of yogurt or small banana. Many times I see clients just having a drop in their blood sugar levels because they haven't eaten enough. After the workout have a healthy breakfast - like a White egg omlette with veggies, and some cantelope. Ends up being about 200 calories and is well balanced.

    Andrew
  • MisoSoup79
    MisoSoup79 Posts: 517
    I eat a small bowl of cereal or a breakfast shake about 45 mins before a morning workout (means I have to get up earlier). If I don't, I start to get dizzy during my workout. I think for me it's a blood sugar issue. Right after my workout, I eat a big breakfast. My workouts usually last 1-2 hours, so I just cannot go on a completely empty stomach.

    If you can't handle food, I'd definitely recommend the instant breakfast shakes instead. I've heard that it is very hard on your body to work out first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. But if you're working out later in the day, an empty stomach is fine as long as you've eaten that day, unless you have problems with low blood sugar.
  • TROUBLE2
    TROUBLE2 Posts: 6,660
    Studies have shown that if you eat within an hour of waking up it gives your metabolism a kick in the pants, and you will burn more calories that day than if you would have skipped breakfast..

    I SAY eat first you will need the energy for your workout... it doesnt have to be something HUGE just something.
  • Poison5119
    Poison5119 Posts: 1,460 Member
    If I'm hungry, a workout isn't going to go well for me - I'll be miserable and lose focus very quickly. A light snack 20 minutes prior is not going to harm a thing. and I really don't think your body knows the difference between burning off some fat stores and burning a half a banana at 55 calories.
  • Fitness_Chick
    Fitness_Chick Posts: 6,648 Member
    I find I do much better with pre & post workout protein/carb combo's. I can't imagine having the strength to do weights with no carb'n first:noway:

    But we're all different.:wink: Something typical for me might be 1/2 a Clif bar, an apple and cheese cubes, apple with PB, piece of toast with PB....not ALL those things:tongue: I tend to grab something before I go and then within 30 minutes or so after I finish up at the gym I do another carb/protein
    combo.

    Hope you find what works best for your body:drinker:

    FC:flowerforyou:
  • Fitness_Chick
    Fitness_Chick Posts: 6,648 Member
    Studies have shown that if you eat within an hour of waking up it gives your metabolism a kick in the pants, and you will burn more calories that day than if you would have skipped breakfast..

    I SAY eat first you will need the energy for your workout... it doesnt have to be something HUGE just something.
    This is what I've heard as well :drinker:
  • Sapporo
    Sapporo Posts: 693 Member
    I think it varies from person to person as you see from the responses here. :) Listening to YOUR body is most important. Personally, I work out better if it is cardio first thing in the morning before eating anything, then I have breakfast. How you feel should answer your question.
  • fitchick99
    fitchick99 Posts: 267 Member
    I guess i'm not the norm :ohwell: ....I eat a big a** breakfast (400-450calories) at 5:30am when i wake up, I then go running, take my kids to school, then hit the gym from 8:15am to 11 am....I just got back and ate my snack, a banana, i'll have a pretty decent lunch (250-300calories) then I don't eat again until dinner, where it's nothing, usually a bowl of oatmeal, or grilled chicken salad.....comes in around 200 calories, or less, I then teach a spin class or zumba class at 8 pm. and I eat another snack (usually a high calorie one) I don't like to go to bed hungry..it's an awful feeling...about an hour before I go to bed, I have a ton of energy during the day...and I can always pick out the people in the gym who haven't eaten, they don't work nerly as hard, the intensity isn't there....i'll be the first to admit that i'm a little OCD with the exercise, but it's my job, you really need to eat, studies have shown that most binge eaters are those that choose to skip breakfast, your body can be trained to adapt to breakfast you just let it need to adjust and let it know whose the boss.
  • beahurey
    beahurey Posts: 108
    Thank you all for the valuable information! I am going to try doing each of the ways and see what works! I love this community! Have a great day and weekend all! :love: :flowerforyou:
  • LisaZaugg1976
    LisaZaugg1976 Posts: 1,144 Member
    I worked out then I eat my breakfast.
  • Mireille
    Mireille Posts: 5,134 Member
    I work out at 5am on an empty stomach.

    It works for me! :flowerforyou:
  • RKJR925
    RKJR925 Posts: 254
    protein shake is ideal for an early morning workout. Not too heavy on your stomach and will give you energy
  • beahurey
    beahurey Posts: 108
    Today I ate a yoplus + digestive strawberry workout about 30 minutes before working out and I felt great! I also forgot to take my Hydroxy Max...I just realized it and did a fabulous workout! Thanks all! :flowerforyou: Happy Friday!:happy:
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