Working out before breakfast - Good or Bad

benztim6876
benztim6876 Posts: 28 Member
edited October 4 in Fitness and Exercise
Since the time change I have moved my workout from the evening after work to first thing in the morning (4:30 am). I usually get up and go across the street to the 24 hour fitness and work out for 30-45 minutes and then afterward usually have a Lean Body Hi Protein drink while driving to work.

Is this bad or good since you I am tapping into reserve energy faster than if I worked out at night. I have noticed that I dont have the excuses why I cant workout in the evening now that I wake up and get it done before work.

I am 20 pounds from ym goal weight and would hate to go backwards because I am not ding something right.
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Replies

  • Luandanielle1979
    Luandanielle1979 Posts: 747 Member
    I would like to know the answer I skip breakfast if im doing a morning workout and then eat later is this the right thing to do or not? x
  • nashkim
    nashkim Posts: 19
    4:30 am - kudos for getting up so early! I have always heard that working out int he am BEFORE eating burns more calories AND boosts your metabolism for the day ahead. Plus it makes you feel good all day!

    Either way - it is never a bad thing to work out - keep up the great work!

    Kim
  • KLo924
    KLo924 Posts: 379 Member
    I'm interested to read what others think, b/c I'm not really sure. However, I do this all the time and it's worked for me so far. If I eat right before I work out I feel gross, and there's no way I'm getting up early enough to eat, let it settle, and then work out all before work :)
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    You'll get a lot of feed back on either side of this, I'm in the midset that it doesn't really matter what you do before, only what you do after. It takes time for your body to break down food, so eating 5 minutes before you workout isn't going to help you through that workout unless you get hungry part way. Personally I get sick when I eat within 1 hour of exercise so when I workout in the morning (like this morning) I just make sure I eat within an hour after.
  • 23ahol
    23ahol Posts: 10
    This is best time of day, Benz. What you are doing gives you the best chance to burn fat and you will feel great all day. Plus, you will be tired at night which leads to good sleep so you can get up and do it again. Great job, stick with it.
  • Dtrmnd86
    Dtrmnd86 Posts: 406 Member
    When I have the motivation, I work out first thing in the morning before breakfast. I've found it so much easier to just get it over with than worry about things (excuses) coming up later in the day. That's how I lost all of my weight and it just seemed like the weight came off quicker. I also found that it helps me keep my eating on track for the rest of the day. But when it comes down to it, everyone is different and what really matters is that you do fit in a workout.
  • jacksamjack
    jacksamjack Posts: 146 Member
    Rightly or wrongly, I too rise early (5.30 - not quite so early as you!!) and do between 30 and 45 minutes of circuit training. I have my breakfast afterwards, about 7am, usually muesli or porridge, then get into work with energy and feeling far less stressed. If you enjoy it, stick with it - that would be my advice!! :flowerforyou:
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
    it depends on a lot of things for a lot of people. personally, i like early morning work outs, but i need to chug a little water and have a granola bar and a banana before i go work out, or else my stomach feels like it's going to digest itself.

    i wake up, pee, eat and drink those things, and by the time i've washed my face and changed and head out the door, i feel great. not full, but not empty either.
  • ddecarr
    ddecarr Posts: 103 Member
    Been doing the early AM workout for months now. Every once in a while I get on a one or two week shift at work where I have to switch to evening workouts. I definitely like the AM better. It feels like a better workout, I feel great when I get into the office and sleep much better than if I workout at night. I don't eat breakfast until 1 to 1-1/2 hours after workout. Been working great for me!!
  • StrengthIDidntKnow
    StrengthIDidntKnow Posts: 543 Member
    I don't really know the right answer but I know what works best for me. I have found that the mornings I wake up and workout I have more energy all day. There is also less of a chance I will skip the workout.
  • LCFulmer
    LCFulmer Posts: 183 Member
    When I workout in the morning I just make sure I have a banana before working out. I do feel better all day when I workout first thing in the morning. It really is up to what your body can handle.
  • ineednapkin
    ineednapkin Posts: 151
    I work out before breakfast and I did pretty much all summer when I was training for my marathons... except for my Saturday long runs where I would have a bowl of oatmeal a half hour before my runs. I never had any problems with it, and it actually worked out well because my stomach gets upset easily if I eat the wrong thing before a workout. :)
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I usually don't eat anything before a morning workout...but a few weeks ago I ate a Power Bar Performance Energy bar before running with my friend and she couldn't keep up with me...haha :)
  • soupreem27
    soupreem27 Posts: 41 Member
    I think it depends on the person. I personally like working out before breakfast because since there are no cals to burn or not a larrge amount to burn ur burning fat right away. Which is a good thing.

    12426109.png
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  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    You will definitely get mixed reviews on this, but fasted training has gotten quite popular as of late. If you can put in a good workout fasted, go for it..

    I also would speculate that even if there were a difference for or against, you can pretty much find someone who has made just about any protocol work well, so in that regard, let personal preference and gym performance dictate how you time these things.

    EDIT: And good for you for getting your *kitten* up that early to train!
  • livontuesday
    livontuesday Posts: 7 Member
    There's nothing wrong with working out first thing in the morning. It's what I do. But one small change that might help you is switching up your post workout drinks. In the past 5-10 years research has changed its mind about a high protein drink being the best thing right after a workout. Instead it's recommended that you drink a "recovery drink" which should actually be higher in CARBS than protein (specifically a ratio of 4:1 carbs:protein) and then an hour or so later you have your high PROTEIN drink. The theory is that carbs are the energy you actually use during your workout so you have to replace them (just like the theory that you sweat and you replace it with water). To make a really simple analogy, the carbs are the river to the muscles that the protein rides on to get there. So your recovery drink should imediately follow the end of your workout, like IMEDIATELY after you've put down the last rep or stepped off the treadmill or whatever, you should be downing the recovery drink and then wait an 1-2 hours for your protein drink. The very simplest recovery drink is actually chocolate milk. Don't worry, you can make it so it's low fat, just use 8 oz skim milk and 2 tbsp Hershey's Chocolate Syrup Lite. Or you can use fruit juice (orange juice is probably best) with like 10 grams of your protein powder. Hope that helped :) ~Heather
  • thewingnut13
    thewingnut13 Posts: 50 Member
    I get up at 530 and workout for about an hour. Then i have a nice breakfast. Been working great for me so far.
  • nadiB
    nadiB Posts: 283 Member
    I work out first thing (not on weekends though....LAZY!:blushing: ) It works best for me, I like to work-out on empty and it makes me feel great with lots of energy for the whole day :happy:
  • ktfitzgerald
    ktfitzgerald Posts: 369 Member
    I workout mornings before breakfast. I doubt that's most optimal for everyone, but it's the best time for me. So I'm going to stick with it.
  • nsimportant
    nsimportant Posts: 170 Member
    Depends on what kind of workout You have in mind.
    High intensity workout take 10g of BCAA supplement before and 10g after the workout if You are not planning to eat for next few hours.
    Everything that keeps your hearth rate up to 135 and doesn't last for more then 1 hour feel free to do it fasted.

    I sometimes train with weights fasted in the morning and just pop in 10g of BCAA so I dont loose muscle.

    And its works 100% because my friend is preparing for IFBB Natural Bodybuilding World Championship and he is working like this for months on 0 carbs and low calories and he didnt screw up his muscle mass.

    And there is Martin Berkhan who runs leangains who also trains fasted and has low body % all year long.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    There's nothing wrong with working out first thing in the morning. It's what I do. But one small change that might help you is switching up your post workout drinks. In the past 5-10 years research has changed its mind about a high protein drink being the best thing right after a workout. Instead it's recommended that you drink a "recovery drink" which should actually be higher in CARBS than protein (specifically a ratio of 4:1 carbs:protein) and then an hour or so later you have your high PROTEIN drink. The theory is that carbs are the energy you actually use during your workout so you have to replace them (just like the theory that you sweat and you replace it with water). To make a really simple analogy, the carbs are the river to the muscles that the protein rides on to get there. So your recovery drink should imediately follow the end of your workout, like IMEDIATELY after you've put down the last rep or stepped off the treadmill or whatever, you should be downing the recovery drink and then wait an 1-2 hours for your protein drink. The very simplest recovery drink is actually chocolate milk. Don't worry, you can make it so it's low fat, just use 8 oz skim milk and 2 tbsp Hershey's Chocolate Syrup Lite. Or you can use fruit juice (orange juice is probably best) with like 10 grams of your protein powder. Hope that helped :) ~Heather

    ^ And even more recent research suggests that you should just focus on hitting your calorie and macronutrient goals by the end of the day, and not even bother worrying about nutrient timing outside of the context of mulitple glycogen depleting events occuring within a short time period. In other words, the above isn't necessary at all.

    Not trying to call you out on your post Heather, just clarifying since you mentioned recent research. The theory in the above "recovery drink" is to rush your system with carbs to rapidly replenish muscle glycogen that was used during the workout...but you don't need to do this at all since your next meal or meals will replenish glycogen.
  • LilMissFoodie
    LilMissFoodie Posts: 612 Member
    I don't think it really matters but I think you should do what you feel is right - ie what haves you feeling strong or well. For me, I hate working out on a full tummy - I get the worst stitches so if I am rolling out of bed into exercise then I won't eat first (I also like looking forward to my brekky while I'm working!). That said, I do feel that if I have time to work out later, ie have breakfast then walk to the gym (45 mins) then work out I do find that I have much more energy than if I hadn't eaten. Also, I would be much too hungry in that situation by the time I got home. So yeah, go with what your body responds to best!
  • Marley112586
    Marley112586 Posts: 168 Member
    I read somewhere ( a fitness mag I think) that you lose 10% more if you exercise before breakfast. I tried it. I don't have enough energy I guess. I can't do half the exercises I can do after breakfast.
  • soupreem27
    soupreem27 Posts: 41 Member
    I read somewhere ( a fitness mag I think) that you lose 10% more if you exercise before breakfast. I tried it. I don't have enough energy I guess. I can't do half the exercises I can do after breakfast.

    I've heard the same thing and that's what I was talking about. It's worked for me as far as fat burning. It helped me to lose a lot of inches which to me is more important than weightloss.

    12426109.png
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  • kyle4jem
    kyle4jem Posts: 1,400 Member
    I think the best time to exercise is when YOU want to.

    Me, I've always been a morning person and I cannot imagine eating more than a banana before going to the gym.

    I couldn't workout after eating... not even an hour afterwards :sick:

    Also, if I workout in the evening, I'm wired and I cannot get to sleep so it's counter-productive.

    But that's just my body telling me what works best for it and as long as I stay focussed I stay motivated.

    Now... I only have one issue:
    ...and then afterward usually have a Lean Body Hi Protein drink while driving to work.
    Don't Drink & Drive!

    Cars are for driving in, not for eating and drinking :noway:

    That said... 20lbs down... you're doing great!:flowerforyou:
  • thorstman2
    thorstman2 Posts: 1
    I workout at 5am. It is the best time to provide all day energy. But you have to eat something before you workout to fuel your body. If you think about it, you haven't eaten since dinner so all those calories are likely consumed. Your body is is deprived and needs something. Otherwise it is like starvation mode. You will have more energy and lose more weight and build more muscle. If your body doesn't have the fuel it needs it will consume muscle. It makes sense to me when my trainer explained it. I didn't like to eat because I thought it would upset my stomach but I was wrong. Even if you just eat a little yogurt with granola and then have something else after your workout. Hope this helps.
  • blueimp
    blueimp Posts: 230 Member
    My trainer suggested that I, at least have a serving of fruit (for the carbs) before a workout. She would prefer breakfast, but that doesn't work with my schedule and commute. I usually have a fruit/rice milk shake with protein powder because it's portable. If I find myself hungry after I get to work, I have protein in some form (today hard boiled egg).
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    Don't Drink & Drive!

    Cars are for driving in, not for eating and drinking :noway:
    They have cup holders for a reason. Sorry you can't do two things at once, but most of us can handle a beverage while driving.
  • yvonnecooper
    yvonnecooper Posts: 23 Member
    DO not skip your breakfast. The research is huge that supports breakfast is a must - no matter when your workout is.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    Even if it were worse (it's not), it's far better to get your workout done when you have time to do it, rather than not getting it done because you're busy.
This discussion has been closed.

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