Morning exercise

Samysalsa
Samysalsa Posts: 45
in Fitness and Exercise
Is it better to work out before breakfast/coffee or after?

Replies

  • MrsSamB
    MrsSamB Posts: 143 Member
    Before. Definitely.
  • kr1ssy23
    kr1ssy23 Posts: 270 Member
    I like to after breakfast. When I wake up my metabolism is already slowed down. I need to jump start it with food. I find I have more endurance when I eat anyways.
  • AngieFlames
    AngieFlames Posts: 61 Member
    I workout at night. Why? Because I kinda like sleep. lol. Also, I am usually gone to work by 8am and don't get home until almost 6. Nightly workouts usually work best for me.
    Although, on the weekends I usually workout in the morning to switch it up. And always before I have breakfast.
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
    Is it better to work out before breakfast/coffee or after?

    What is right is whatever is best for you. Try it both ways, and continue to do whatever is best for you.
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
    Is it better to work out before breakfast/coffee or after?

    It depends on the person, really. Theoretically, eating a little before the workout provides some needed energy to complete the exercise routine... Others though report that when they eat anything then try to exercise, they suffer from nausea. The main thing is to get it in and do what works for you!
  • MrsRawwwr
    MrsRawwwr Posts: 166 Member
    I workout before because I have no choice. However, if I wake up hungry, I'll have a piece of dry toast. Otherwise, my workout will suffer.
  • dudleyclan
    dudleyclan Posts: 41 Member
    I like to workout in the morning after I have had breakfast. I find I do better when I workout in the morning. I have a workout buddy I meet at the gym each morning.
  • awaybirdiesweep
    awaybirdiesweep Posts: 3
    I eat bran cereal usually but my boyfriend eats rice crispies, a serving is 1 and 1/4 cup. I have 1/2 cup when I wake up otherwise my stomach will go crazy and I think the carbs are really quick to digest which is good, I work out vigorously for 90 minutes so I think its fine. When I come home I have 1/2 cup bran cereal and herbal tea or a spinach blueberry smoothie. You can't eat protein and fat right before a work out, it diverts blood to digestion too much and then if you're doing strength training carbs and a little protein after helps restore glycogen for the next time.
  • reppinplates
    reppinplates Posts: 30 Member
    I'd recommend atleast have a small carb/protein meal 1-2 hours before going to the gym if you were planning on doing any sort of strength training.

    Low intensity cardio first thing in the morning is alright though and is almost an everyday ritual when I am dieting for a photoshoot or something!
  • Eireann15
    Eireann15 Posts: 124
    I typically work out after breakfast!
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    it doesnt matter. there are arguments for and against either way, just go with the one that works for you

    i strength train fasted pretty much all the time and i have no issues. if i ate before that i'd feel queasy
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
    Anytime you work out is the best time! Truly!
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    There is no right answer.
    Try and see what works best for you.
    My usual routine is to have a coffee and some fruit before exercising, then I'll have porridge or eggs for breakfast afterwards.
  • Sasanna
    Sasanna Posts: 55 Member
    I will eat something small with carbs. Unless I plan to do cardio for over an hour ...then I bring a carb snack. Then protein after( either a shake or banana and almonds ). I Learned my lesson by working out too hard with not enough calories consumed and almost fainted. .....twice. (it took 2 times; im a slow learner ;)
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    Whichever floats your boat. Try both and see, and try different kinds of foods as well (i.e. toast, boiled egg, glass of milk, etc.) to see whether a specific kind of food makes you feel better.

    I rarely exercise in the morning, but when I do I tend to wake up and have toast and cheese or toast and eggs.
  • Becca224
    Becca224 Posts: 36
    I was told by a personal training at the gym that is it better to eat breakfast afterwards, as your still burning off calories and so you will metabolize faster. Also eating a big breakfast before hand will lead to stiches and is not healthy as the food becomes unsettled. However you need to have something before you excercise just to kick start your meatbolism. I usually eat a few grapes or a biscuit, something very small to start your metabolism and eat a meal when i get home. This way I get the most out of my workout and the food I eat afterwards is still metabolised faster as mucles tend to keep burning fat even after we finish excercise.
  • sengseng74
    sengseng74 Posts: 35 Member
    It appears there is a real mixed bag of responses. I wondered about this in the past as well because I was having trouble losing my spare tire even though I was working out every other day after getting home from work (around 8pm).

    Two nutritionists and a physical therapist (friend's wife) explained that working out in the morning on an empty stomach is the best approach to burning fat. The reason is because the body needs to draw fuel during the workout, so with no food in the stomach, it immediately begins drawing from your fatty deposits and available glucose.

    Another benefit to exercising in the morning is that if you are into any high intensity exercises or interval training, you'll get a prolonged "bump" in your resting metabolic rate, such that you end up burning more calories per hour through a portion of the day. Supposedly, the more intense and lengthy your workouts, the longer the "afterglow" of post-workout calorie burn. Google holds a lot of clinical study information on this subject, but a quick and dirty article about this method can be found here:
    http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/anatomyandphysiology/a/rmr.htm

    As Debbe2 points out, "anytime" is the best time! Many people find it very challenging to hold to a routine of exercise, so the fact that you're doing it is a huge advantage no matter what time of the day you can commit to it. You'll just need to decide for yourself how much you want to maximize your fat loss, and that should make the answer clear as to whether you eat first or not.

    Hope that can help in some small way. Good luck!
    Steve

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