Question for a.m. exercisers

2

Replies

  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
    I have read and believe that doing cardio before eating can burn fat.
    Different studies and experts will argue; who knows?

    I go by my own results which speak volumes.
    So, I wake up at 5am, workout from 530-630 - 1 hour.
    Then I wait until 7:30 to eat.

    It seems to work well though not some kind of miracle.
    Try it for a few months and see if it produces results for you, then let me know.
    Again, it appears to work for me.

    Good Luck!
  • Donnacoach
    Donnacoach Posts: 540 Member
    I have always eaten after I work out in the mornings and before I work out at night. I give myself at least an hour and
    a half break after eat though.
  • theflyingartist
    theflyingartist Posts: 385 Member
    I wake up around 6:30, and drink a cup or two of tea. It's enough to warm my belly but not overfill it, which will cause vomiting. Also, my digestive system is sluggish in the AM so I avoid eating. If my stomach is rumbling when I wake up (almost always), I find it goes away after 10-15 minutes of cardio.
    P.S. I drink tea from 6:30-7ish, and work out by 7:30. This seems to work out just fine.
  • theginnyray
    theginnyray Posts: 208 Member
    Do what works for you. If you don't need to eat before exercising, don't. If you think you do need to eat before a workout, be willing to try different things and figure out what works for your body.
    I run 3 or 4 mornings a week, I need fuel, so I use energy gels. I don't have enough time to digest food before heading out the door BY 5am. The other mornings where I do a video/bike/other strength stuff, I don't need the energy or caffeine, so I work on an empty stomach. I know a lot of other people swear by their whole wheat toast and peanut butter in the morning. That delicious combo doesn't work for me before a workout, nor does citrus fruits or dairy or any other nuts. This is all learned by trial and error.
  • rydn4h2o
    rydn4h2o Posts: 255
    I have a short window to get my workout in each morning, so I always workout before eating but drink lots of water while doing it. I just don't have the time to eat before then wait for the food to settle
    :happy:
  • conidiring
    conidiring Posts: 230 Member
    I have to eat afterward. I am like you and have thrown up when I've tried to eat before. When I worked out at night I couldn't eat dinner before I worked out either for the same reason. In fact, sometimes lunch would affect an evening workout. So, always after!! for me.

    Edited to add that I do work out early morning now and it makes for a much better day for me!
  • CruzZ8
    CruzZ8 Posts: 71
    My schedule typically allows for me to have a late morning workout, like 10 or 7ish. So I'm not sure how helpful my response is,but what I would do if I'm not super hungry is have a protein shake like half an hour before. I wouldn't be able to eat before my workout. I'll workout or feel too full to go hard at it. Usually, I have a protein shake about 15 minutes after my workout as a meal replacement. It seems to me shakes are the best thing when it comes to "eating" near your workout time.
  • tunktunk5583
    tunktunk5583 Posts: 76 Member
    I'm trying to get into the routine of exercising in the mornings which really isn't something I've ever done before. My question is when do all you morning exercisers find is the best time to eat breakfast? This morning I ate a banana and had a glass of water before working out and then threw it up about 20 minutes after my workout. I thought it would be good to have at least something on my stomach. I'm in relatively decent shape and I've never thrown up after a workout before. Would I be better off eating after exercising? Any opinions would be helpful, thanks!

    To be honest, I work out before I eat anything and eat my breakfast when I get to work (tight timing so I can't eat right after working out). I can't eat anything before working out because I will (like you) yak it up haha. On weekends I'll try to eat something before I go and give it a good 40-a hour before heading to the gym :)
    Also, I've heard it's good to eat soon after working out.
  • Butterfly3730
    Butterfly3730 Posts: 220
    I drink water only most days. The only time I will eat before a workout is when I wake up hungry or I wake up later than usual. Then I will have a whey/hemp protein drink (with water). This works well for me. But I do eat an hour after my workout.
  • hypotrochoid
    hypotrochoid Posts: 842 Member
    Honestly, I don't see how what others do is going to help you here. If you know you'll feel (or be) ill if you eat before exercising, then don't.

    OR if you think it was a fluke, try it again. If it repeats, then it may not be for you. If you don't feel ill, then it was probably a one off and you can proceed from there.

    The world will not end if your banana waits however long it takes you to finish an exercise session.
  • speedyf
    speedyf Posts: 1,571 Member
    I'm up at 6 in the morning, take 1 or 2 coffee and go out running at 8:15. When I get back, usually 45 minutes after, I do a workout session and eat breakfast only after all that. Can't eat anything before, otherwise I feel sick.
  • sippy78
    sippy78 Posts: 17 Member
    I eat a banana and some water 30min before a workout. I do cardio 3time a week and weight train 3 times a week. I just do not have enough energy if I don't eat. I have read that you can train on a empty stomach or have a small snack before. It just depends what works for you. I am also up at 6 and working out at 6:30am.
  • chachita7
    chachita7 Posts: 996 Member
    I do not eat anything prior to working out - have 24oz of water during my exercise. On most days that I have strength training I have a bit of coffee (that of course is when the Mr. sets up the coffee maker, lol, if not i don't have anything either).

    Breakfast happens within an hour after work out.
  • cnkan0119
    cnkan0119 Posts: 113 Member
    The only thing I do before my workout at 5:30ish in the morning is brush my teeth. I am on a tight schedule so I get my workout in, drink a bottle of water, get myself and my 3 year old together and I'm out the door. If necessary I'll grab a banana or something with 100 cals or less but 90% of the time I eat breakfast when I get to work around 8. I've always thought it wasn't a good idea to eat something right before my workout no matter what time of the day.
  • gmrgirl
    gmrgirl Posts: 50 Member
    I don't eat before I workout. I get up at 4:00 am and an in the gym by 5. (I have to commute to my office which is where my Gym is). I can't eat. if I do, I'm like you - I get sick.

    Everyone is different. sometimes different foods or different wake up times work (If I'm up by by 3:30 and hungry, I can handle an english muffin with a little peanut butter and water if I am in the gym by 5) sometimes, you will just find that you cannot eat before you work out.

    If you can't eat PRE workout, definitely fuel up POST workout!
  • tialynn1
    tialynn1 Posts: 884 Member
    In the mornings when I have to go to work early during the week, I eat afterwards. That is because I want to get my workout in before I shower for work and I eat after right before I leave for work. On the weekends, sometimes I eat before I exercise. But, only if I don't plan on exercising until a while later. Depending on time.
  • michmill98
    michmill98 Posts: 83
    After. My routine: get up, take thyroid meds with a full glass of water, C25K (every other day - need to get better about doing something else on the off days), get ready for work, and have breakfast at work (yogurt, fruit, granola bars, or Balance/Luna bars).
  • soontobeskinnysara
    soontobeskinnysara Posts: 177 Member
    I eat breakfast within 20 minutes of waking up, and try to be at the gym about an hour later.
  • amyofftherecord
    amyofftherecord Posts: 64 Member
    I eat afterwards. I think I would get sick if I ate before, or feel weighed down. Much nicer to go bust my *kitten* and then come home to a nice little meal. Even though it's all healthy stuff, it feels like a reward.
  • bmkx0
    bmkx0 Posts: 308
    thanks for this post and all who contributed to it! this helped.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    I think this is a personal preference thing, I split train 6 days a week and get up at 6 a.m. I am a type 2 diabetic and there is no way I could put myself through a workout on a empty stomach. I consume 850 calories (3 pieces of Brownberry Health Nut toast with All Natural Crunchy Peanut butter, a Dan Active yogurt, coffee and 1% Milk) I have never had issues with throwing up but when I first started and wasn't eating right I did have times where my blood sugar got to low and I came close to passing out, so again do what works for you.......
  • kent4j
    kent4j Posts: 391 Member
    I get up, workout, get ready for the day and drive to work. I don't eat until I'm at my desk (often coffee and oatmeal), which is usually 3 hours after I first wake up. It may not be the best habit, but I can't stomach anything before a workout and I don't have enough time immediately afterward.
    This is what I do too.I also read that it burns more fat if you exercise on an empty stomach. Not sure how true that is but heck I'll try anything :)
  • finding_my_way
    finding_my_way Posts: 174 Member
    I typically have a protein shake just after my workout, then breakfast an hour or two later. If I am super hungry then I have a light protein shake prior to working out or a handful of almonds, does the trick for me.
  • jayla513
    jayla513 Posts: 5 Member
    I'm the same. I only do spin classes in the a.m. I wake up at 4:45 and a 100 calorie granola bar of some kind, either a Clif Bar Mini or a Special K cereal bar, while I get ready or on the drive to the gym. I spin from 5:20-ish until 6:30, drinking a full big bottle of water as I do. On the way home I might have a banana or light snack, if anything. I usually get home and pick up my regular routing, having my morning coffee as I get ready for work and when I arrive at my office I have my regular breakfast at around 8:30 (usually about 260 calories).
  • brendajester03
    brendajester03 Posts: 9
    I work out at 5 a.m. every weekday morning and I usually eat either 1/2 cup of cereal at 4:30 or drink a cup of kefir before I go to the gym. Drink cup of coffee on my way there. Don't usually have any problems with that. Gives me energy to work out. Then when I get to work I eat breakfast around 8 or 8:30. I try to eat eggs with fruit but I make sure I have protein. then another snack around 10 or so. I wouldn't work out any other time. Love it!
  • sixisCHANGEDjk
    sixisCHANGEDjk Posts: 243
    Since my AM workout is primarily cardio, I don't drink large amounts of water before. I do have a banana or the such like when I think of it. Sometimes I go without until after the workout. That doesn't usually bother me.
    I'm trying to get into the routine of exercising in the mornings which really isn't something I've ever done before. My question is when do all you morning exercisers find is the best time to eat breakfast? This morning I ate a banana and had a glass of water before working out and then threw it up about 20 minutes after my workout. I thought it would be good to have at least something on my stomach. I'm in relatively decent shape and I've never thrown up after a workout before. Would I be better off eating after exercising? Any opinions would be helpful, thanks!
  • olee67
    olee67 Posts: 208 Member
    I eat a light breakfast prior to working out. I eat a protein and a carb (eggs and oatmeal) for breakfast. I have only thrown up once due to physical activity, but, for what I ate and how close to playing hockey I was when I ate it, I deserved it.

    There is the theory that if you don't have anything in your belly before working out, you'll burn fat easier. On the other hand, if you do eat breakfast, it naturally starts your metabolism and the 200-300 calories you eat for breakfast will be burned during your workout, you will also burn more fat (because your body has a food source for fuel allowing your muscles to work harder), and you will continue to burn fat after you complete your workout because your metabolism started working before you even set foot in the gym.

    The common theory about throwing up due to physical activity has nothing to do with what you eat. For most people, dehydration is the main cause.

    A little article for livestrong.com:
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/433010-throwing-up-after-exercise/
  • DorisR184
    DorisR184 Posts: 471 Member
    I always eat after I work out on my early morning workout days... If for whatever reason, I can't workout until later in the day, I make sure to give myself at least an hour after I eat to start a workout.
  • beckylawrence70
    beckylawrence70 Posts: 752 Member
    I have my coffee when I first wake up, then workout about 30 min later, I eat breakfast at work.....probably 2 hrs after that........
  • Legally_Natural
    Legally_Natural Posts: 101 Member
    I have to eat after I exercise. I like working out in the morning on an empty stomach because I don't feel so heavy when I am doing my cardio.
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