Breakast Before or After Walk?

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sophera21
sophera21 Posts: 4 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone, Jaz here. 38 year old F who searched Google for answers and became confused by the amount of conflicting information. Interested to know others thoughts/facts on morning walks on an empty stomach or after my morning shake :) Thanks.

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  • ccrdragon
    ccrdragon Posts: 3,365 Member
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    Best suggestion would be to try it both ways and see if it makes a difference for you. Some peeps like to eat before exercise and some don't. It's basically personal preference.
  • littlegreenparrot1
    littlegreenparrot1 Posts: 693 Member
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    As ever, it depends...

    I regularly run before work.
    Weekdays I don't eat beforehand, can happily do 6 miles fasted and have breakfast afterwards.

    Weekends = longer runs and more time. So breakfast beforehand, but then probably running 10+ miles.

    I don't get on with lots of food sloshing about, so have to wait at least an hour before doing anything strenuous.

    Experimentation is good.
    (With the proviso that if your walking a long way through remote countryside its worth chucking a biscuit in your pocket in case. Always easier to have it and not want it.)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
    edited September 2021
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    It doesn't really matter, particularly for a walk. I do not like doing more strenuous exercise soon after eating, but that is because it's just uncomfortable. It's really just personal preference...there isn't really any kind of weight loss advantage or anything by walking on an empty stomach. Endurance athletes can benefit from fasted training in that they can train their body to be better fat adapted for energy during long distance events...but really, even there it's only going to make a notable difference for a competitive athlete...not really going to do a whole lot for your average Joe/Jane trying to get fit.

    I walk my dog first thing in the morning around 5:30 AM when I get up. I just grab my coffee thermos and go. I do not eat that early because I'm not hungry that early...I just have my coffee and enjoy my walk with the dog. I usually brown bag my breakfast as well as my lunch and don't eat breakfast until I get to the office.

    But again, it really doesn't matter...for you average Joe, it's majoring in the minors and mostly a matter of personal preference.

    Eating before a walk has zero effect on me...we pretty regularly walk to restaurants in my village and eat lunch or dinner and walk home...most of them are 2 miles there and back from my house, and it's no biggie. Usually feels good to walk after dinner.
  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 878 Member
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    I'd also second doing it both ways and seeing what works for you.

    Personally, I run --- I do this on an empty stomach bc if I have eaten less than like...2-3 hrs before I get some indigestion/belching that is not so fun while running. I do bring a couple gel packs with me to get some fuel right before/during my run...but that's ~200 calories. Nothing like a meal.

    Some people eat before their workout and have no issue. That'll depend but if you're having a 'shake' I can't imagine it would hurt you. But you'll have to try and find out.

    The only thing I would suggest is if you have an actual full meal - definitely don't go straight into a strenuous workout....digesting food properly takes time/attention from your body - so splitting that time/attention and energy with working out hard isn't necessarily ideal.

    But if what you found online said something like, "Work out on a empty stomach so that your body burns your fat stores and not the food you just ate" is *kitten*. Ignore it. LOL.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Did you see the responses on your other created topic?

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/46262946#Comment_46262946
  • sophera21
    sophera21 Posts: 4 Member
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    Thanks everyone for your information! Really appreciate it. I will do some experimenting to see what fits best with me 😊
  • Luv2eatSweets
    Luv2eatSweets Posts: 221 Member
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    I prefer to eat after my walk, otherwise feel a little pukafied.

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