breakfast before or after exercise?

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tri81
tri81 Posts: 6 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey

I am newish to MFP and have a lot of weight to lose. I am just wondering if I eat breakfast too late. I normally get up 530/6am. Eating at that time is the last thing I want to do. I then do a 40 minute walk to my bus stop and then sit on a bus for an hour. So by the time I actually get to to work and have my breakfast its just before 9. Is this too late? should I eat before I walk or is waiting till later ok?

Thanks !

Replies

  • tadpole242
    tadpole242 Posts: 507 Member
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    Hey

    I am newish to MFP and have a lot of weight to lose. I am just wondering if I eat breakfast too late. I normally get up 530/6am. Eating at that time is the last thing I want to do. I then do a 40 minute walk to my bus stop and then sit on a bus for an hour. So by the time I actually get to to work and have my breakfast its just before 9. Is this too late? should I eat before I walk or is waiting till later ok?

    Thanks !
    I to have to get up early, and cycle to work, so I split my breakfast, I have a couple of slices of toast, before I set out to cycle the 9 miles to work then round about 9am I'll have my muesli. So I'd say do both, or what works for you.
  • spells1977
    spells1977 Posts: 146 Member
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    I get up early and i can never eat straight away. I feel too sick at the thought of it. So i get up at 6.45am and don't eat breakfast until i get to work at 9.30am after quite a few miles walk and sometimes even an early gym class.

    I find this works for me well. I have tried to eat before i leave for work but i just can't. Plus i'd have to get up earlier and that is just not an option lol
  • Darkwolf864
    Darkwolf864 Posts: 5 Member
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    I'm sure it's better to exercise beforehand, I've definitely read that somewhere - after doesn't help much apparently.
  • LexyDB
    LexyDB Posts: 261
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    I'm sure it's better to exercise beforehand, I've definitely read that somewhere - after doesn't help much apparently.

    You should always eat breakfast before exercising, fasted cardio etc. is a waste of time as you need food to fuel your routine. After sleep you are carbohydrate depleted, this is what your body uses to maintain itself through the 6-8 hours fast it endures and you want to add exercise to this without eating first?

    Good luck with that.
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
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    Hey

    I am newish to MFP and have a lot of weight to lose. I am just wondering if I eat breakfast too late. I normally get up 530/6am. Eating at that time is the last thing I want to do. I then do a 40 minute walk to my bus stop and then sit on a bus for an hour. So by the time I actually get to to work and have my breakfast its just before 9. Is this too late? should I eat before I walk or is waiting till later ok?

    Thanks !

    Go with what works for you.... The most I can consume is a cup of coffee and a cup of water when I wake up. Ive tried to eat when I get up but end up throwing up because my body is not awake yet.

    Every person's needs will be different - and they can change as we adapt to different body compositions and dietary changes/demands.... you might not be capable of eating when you wake up, now. Down the road, that could change...

    I work for a 300+ Provider/Hospital network and our off-campus location has a small cafe ready to make fresh breakfast sandwiches to order with plenty of vegetables, salads, soups, etc... tons of coffee too! WOOOHOOO!!
  • SashThompson
    SashThompson Posts: 130 Member
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    I'm sure it's better to exercise beforehand, I've definitely read that somewhere - after doesn't help much apparently.

    You should always eat breakfast before exercising, fasted cardio etc. is a waste of time as you need food to fuel your routine. After sleep you are carbohydrate depleted, this is what your body uses to maintain itself through the 6-8 hours fast it endures and you want to add exercise to this without eating first?

    Good luck with that.

    The best way to lose weight is to exercise before breakfast because you're burning fat for fuel instead of the food you've just consumed. You won't deplete your body by doing this you'll burn fat for energy and then replenish the energy store by eating breakfast after. You can exercise after breakfast but in doing so all you're doing is burning off what you've just consumed instead of fat stores and I dunno about you but I always feel as though I'm going to vomit if I exercise on a full stomach..
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    You should always eat breakfast before exercising, fasted cardio etc. is a waste of time as you need food to fuel your routine. After sleep you are carbohydrate depleted, this is what your body uses to maintain itself through the 6-8 hours fast it endures and you want to add exercise to this without eating first?

    Good luck with that.

    Wrong......

    http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/15/phys-ed-the-benefits-of-exercising-before-breakfast/

    http://lifehacker.com/5714255/work-out-before-breakfast-for-better-weight-loss

    http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-eat/breakfast-before-or-after-a-workout

    Your body has plenty of glycogen in reserve to fuel a workout (unless you plan on running marathon before breakfast)
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
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    Your body has plenty of glycogen in reserve to fuel a workout (unless you plan on running marathon before breakfast)

    EXACTLY!!!!!!!!
  • Fit_Forever25
    Fit_Forever25 Posts: 313 Member
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    Hey

    I am newish to MFP and have a lot of weight to lose. I am just wondering if I eat breakfast too late. I normally get up 530/6am. Eating at that time is the last thing I want to do. I then do a 40 minute walk to my bus stop and then sit on a bus for an hour. So by the time I actually get to to work and have my breakfast its just before 9. Is this too late? should I eat before I walk or is waiting till later ok?

    Thanks !

    I woke up everyday at 5:30 and eat few almonds 6-10 before hitting the gym and workout for 60-70 minutes and get ready and reach office at 9 and have my protein shake at 9 and then after 30mins (coz we have meeting at 9:00 - 9: 30 everyday) I have my breakfast
    sometimes I eat at 10:00 am as well (when the meeting gets extended) but thats not ideal as I die out of hunger by then..
    I would say your schedule looks fine to me .. unless u feel starvation before 9am
  • johncole90
    johncole90 Posts: 23
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    Its all about you and if you can maintain good energy working out before breakfast. To burn more fat you should workout before you eat as long as you don't wait more than 2 hours to eat after getting up.
  • Killing_Perfection
    Killing_Perfection Posts: 79 Member
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    I believe I read in the Insanity guide that eating one hour before working out is preferable, and that's what I'm sticking to. My biggest motivation is, however, that I simply can't work out as effectively with an empty stomach. Any kind of exercise quickly turns into torture and I don't have the strength I usually have after eating - and that is like a punch in the face for my motivation.

    It might be a matter of preference, but what use is a work-out if I can only give 50%?

    Oh and about that eating early: That just takes some getting used to. I had breakfast at quarter past 5 before when I had to stand up at 5 am, it's just a bit weird at first....
  • dprisco
    dprisco Posts: 2 Member
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    I was not eating breakfast either, but I just started doing classes at a gym and the trainer told me that you need to eat before working out! She said that your body is like a car and your food is like the gas for it! She said if you do not eat then your body thinks you are starving it so it starts to store your fat. She told me to eat...even if it is just one egg, or a piece of toast with some peanut butter on it, or even a half of a power bar. She said something small just to let your body know that you are not starving it and to give you some energy to work out.
    Good luck to you on your weight loss journey! You sound like you are off to a great start!
  • dayroselynn28
    dayroselynn28 Posts: 7 Member
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    You have to eat before you workout because if you eat before you workout you burn fat if you eat after you workout you burn fat and muscle. And we want to keep our muscle.
  • LexyDB
    LexyDB Posts: 261
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    You should always eat breakfast before exercising, fasted cardio etc. is a waste of time as you need food to fuel your routine. After sleep you are carbohydrate depleted, this is what your body uses to maintain itself through the 6-8 hours fast it endures and you want to add exercise to this without eating first?

    Good luck with that.

    Wrong......

    http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/15/phys-ed-the-benefits-of-exercising-before-breakfast/

    http://lifehacker.com/5714255/work-out-before-breakfast-for-better-weight-loss

    http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-eat/breakfast-before-or-after-a-workout

    Your body has plenty of glycogen in reserve to fuel a workout (unless you plan on running marathon before breakfast)

    You're wrong. Catabolism will be the first port of call as it takes time to oxygenate the body before it starts to tap into fat cells for energy.

    If you've eaten a healthy breakfast, such as oats then the body will use that first, giving energy and assisting in the fat burning.

    Don't need to quote references, this is fact from experience and used by countless people I know to lose weight not burn muscle which isn't the point of this exercise. Anyone keeping muscle mass will alway eat before exercise, regardless of the time of day.

    Try doing instead of quoting articles in future.
  • particleastro
    particleastro Posts: 68 Member
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    Fasted cardio and non fasted cardio have almost no difference in calories burned or fat oxidation levels.

    http://blog.predatornutrition.com/2012/02/06/should-you-perform-fasted-cardio/

    Any small differences one way or another are totally overwhelmed by how you feel. I simply cant train unless Im full of food, literally eating as I go into the gym. I do leg day like that, people wonder why Im not sick, but then I cant understand how people can train on an empty stomach.

    Whatever makes you perform best...it makes no difference.
  • particleastro
    particleastro Posts: 68 Member
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    You should always eat breakfast before exercising, fasted cardio etc. is a waste of time as you need food to fuel your routine. After sleep you are carbohydrate depleted, this is what your body uses to maintain itself through the 6-8 hours fast it endures and you want to add exercise to this without eating first?

    Good luck with that.

    Wrong......

    http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/15/phys-ed-the-benefits-of-exercising-before-breakfast/

    http://lifehacker.com/5714255/work-out-before-breakfast-for-better-weight-loss

    http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-eat/breakfast-before-or-after-a-workout

    Your body has plenty of glycogen in reserve to fuel a workout (unless you plan on running marathon before breakfast)

    You're wrong. Catabolism will be the first port of call as it takes time to oxygenate the body before it starts to tap into fat cells for energy.

    If you've eaten a healthy breakfast, such as oats then the body will use that first, giving energy and assisting in the fat burning.

    Don't need to quote references, this is fact from experience and used by countless people I know to lose weight not burn muscle which isn't the point of this exercise. Anyone keeping muscle mass will alway eat before exercise, regardless of the time of day.

    Try doing instead of quoting articles in future.

    ' The thee most dangerous words in medicine, "In my experience"', Mark Crisplin, MD.
  • dprisco
    dprisco Posts: 2 Member
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    I found this on the web: see below: ( I only put part of it) http://www.nvdaily.com/lifestyle/2009/01/food-for-fitness-eat-protein-a.html


    Protein and good carbohydrates are what local fitness professionals say are best.

    Pre-workout

    “We always tell them to eat carbs, but the right carbs, before a workout,” says Sweeney.

    “Anything good, a teaspoon, tablespoon of peanut butter on whole grain bread,” is an option, she says.

    A person’s blood sugar will drop without food, she says.

    “Nothing heavy before they work out,” she says is something people need to remember. Just a small serving of protein with carbs will provide enough fuel for muscles.

    Hard-boiled eggs are a great source of protein and complex carbohydrates, says Larry Farrell
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    You should always eat breakfast before exercising, fasted cardio etc. is a waste of time as you need food to fuel your routine. After sleep you are carbohydrate depleted, this is what your body uses to maintain itself through the 6-8 hours fast it endures and you want to add exercise to this without eating first?

    Good luck with that.

    Wrong......

    http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/15/phys-ed-the-benefits-of-exercising-before-breakfast/

    http://lifehacker.com/5714255/work-out-before-breakfast-for-better-weight-loss

    http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-eat/breakfast-before-or-after-a-workout

    Your body has plenty of glycogen in reserve to fuel a workout (unless you plan on running marathon before breakfast)

    You're wrong. Catabolism will be the first port of call as it takes time to oxygenate the body before it starts to tap into fat cells for energy.

    If you've eaten a healthy breakfast, such as oats then the body will use that first, giving energy and assisting in the fat burning.

    Don't need to quote references, this is fact from experience and used by countless people I know to lose weight not burn muscle which isn't the point of this exercise. Anyone keeping muscle mass will alway eat before exercise, regardless of the time of day.

    Try doing instead of quoting articles in future.

    You're right, the sum of your anecdotal evidence and obvious vast experience as a world class endurance athlete humbles any peer reviewed studies that have been published. Yes, I wouldn't want to confuse you with facts.

    Your whole argument is based on the ludicrous premise that you completely deplete your glycogen stores overnight.

    The plural of anecdote is not data. Your "try doing instead of quoting" is hilarious, I do and I can actually read too. (I've probably averaged 30km / wk running in a fasted state for the last 2 or 3 years but I do eat before my 2hr runs on Sundays)

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