Morning Exercisers - Do you eat first?

Oooo...a Peloton! I'm jelly! :-) I exercise first thing in the morning (0545 Spinning class) because otherwise life gets in the way and it doesn't happen. I've always eaten breakfast afterward but used to have a quick yogurt prior, I no longer do that. Can't say as I've noticed a difference one way or the other.

Personally I train lifting free weights. My normal pre workout consumption includes black coffee possibly mixed with whey protein shake either soaked overnight with steel oats or a banana on the side.

This allows me to break my overnight fast with adequate protein including leucine and creatine and some carbs to help fuel my one and a half to three hours session. it's also easily digestible which saves energy allowing optimal performance.

I encourage you to experiment and find what works best for you.

I get up at 3:30 and in the gym by about 4:15, weight lifting. I cannot eat that early. Blech.

Also, once I eat, it's like it starts my "hungry engine." The longer I can delay breakfast, the less I actually eat throughout the day. I can't imagine how hungry I would be throughout the day if I ate at 4:00 a.m. :noway:

I'm in the pool by 8:30 in the morning and I have to eat something before or I feel faint (I'm 64 and didn't have this problem when I was in my 30's) so, I have something light at 7:20, tea with lemon, greek yogurt with half a banana and some honey,or half a mug cake, orovernite oats, to name a few.

I usually train on an empty stomach but only if I have BCAA's. When you don't have food in your system for your body to use for energy, it may use muscle. That's the last thing you want. So look up some good BCAA's if you intend on working out fasted regularly.

I typically workout fasted in the mornings and then eat post run. Only on the weekend, when I'm doing a long run, will I eat something prior to working out.

I will eat overnight oats typically. If I forgot to make them I will have a banana and then eat something after the gym. What success are you looking for? As long as you are in a calorie deficit you will lose no matter when you eat. Also meal timing is a myth.

Meal timing can effect your hungry. I can go along time before eating but after eating " Cathy bar the door".

I usually work out after work but a few days I also run first on my way in, only 2.5-4 miles. I don’t eat before my morning runs and only have coffee first. I do eat within an hour after

I'm good for up to maybe 20 minutes, at medium high intensity, fasted (common example: 2 x (10 minutes on, 2 minutes off) on the rowing machine at HR up to about 80% HR reserve). It's a bit of a struggle, and I kinda hate it, but I can do it. Longer at low intensity (brisk walk, maybe 3.5-4mph, for an hour, say) is OK.

Longer duration intervals or moderately-high steady state (spin class, on-water rowing) is a no-go. I'll crash and burn energy-wise, and have a cr*p workout. Then I'll go home and want to eat all the foods, especially (for some reason) bananas. Bad.

Fortunately, I have the digestive system of a peasant, so I can eat and go hard only minutes later, without the slightest sign of digestive distress. I usually have some kefir, some hot milk, and something (big cracker-y thing called a pop cake, or an Ezekiel pita) with peanut butter on it, 400-500 calories, 24-30g protein. Perfect.

Other people work out fine fasted, and/or get an upset stomach if they eat.

All of this stuff is very personal. I'd recommend trying it, and seeing what works best for you.

It really depends on the workout for me. If it's a short run I might just have some oj. But if I'm doing a long hike then I'm gonna eat something like overnight oats.

I drink a glass of water beforehand and that carries me through my workout. I usually don't eat anything until hours later when I start getting hungry.

My early morning workouts aren't intense or long however.

AnnPT77 wrote: »

I'm good for up to maybe 20 minutes, at medium high intensity, fasted (common example: 2 x (10 minutes on, 2 minutes off) on the rowing machine at HR up to about 80% HR reserve). It's a bit of a struggle, and I kinda hate it, but I can do it. Longer at low intensity (brisk walk, maybe 3.5-4mph, for an hour, say) is OK.

Longer duration intervals or moderately-high steady state (spin class, on-water rowing) is a no-go. I'll crash and burn energy-wise, and have a cr*p workout. Then I'll go home and want to eat all the foods, especially (for some reason) bananas. Bad.

Fortunately, I have the digestive system of a peasant, so I can eat and go hard only minutes later, without the slightest sign of digestive distress. I usually have some kefir, some hot milk, and something (big cracker-y thing called a pop cake, or an Ezekiel pita) with peanut butter on it, 400-500 calories, 24-30g protein. Perfect.

Other people work out fine fasted, and/or get an upset stomach if they eat.

All of this stuff is very personal. I'd recommend trying it, and seeing what works best for you.

I laughed at that characterization. I'm much the same way. I mostly run and cycle and my workouts tend to be an hour to three hours long - so I have to eat. I'll be really careful if I'm going to be doing something of high intensity. In that case I'll try to be sure I ate 45 minutes or an hour earlier.

It depends on the length of the workout. If I'm riding an hour or so I'll just have my coffee and then do the workout, if it's 2 hours or longer I'll have a banana before and then a bottle of Gu Roctane (250 cal) during the ride. Same with running, 10km or under coffee & go, longer I'll eat a banana first and (if it's over 15 km) take a gel or two.