To eat or not to eat before my morning workout

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penpen96
penpen96 Posts: 20 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am not a "get out of bed and eat breakfast" kinda person. I get up, get dressed, grab my pre-packed workout bag and clothes for work and my water bottle ...then off to the gym. Every person i talk with says i should eat something before working out. There have been a few times now that i have felt a little light headed during my workouts. Does anyone have any good ideas to get a little something in before working out in the morning?

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  • PhilyPhresh
    PhilyPhresh Posts: 600 Member
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    If you want something small I would recommend hard boiling eggs at the beginning of the week and just grab one of those when you get up. I of course would recommend eating more! but it will be better than nothing and it will get you a little protein.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    I am not a "get out of bed and eat breakfast" kinda person. I get up, get dressed, grab my pre-packed workout bag and clothes for work and my water bottle ...then off to the gym. Every person i talk with says i should eat something before working out. There have been a few times now that i have felt a little light headed during my workouts. Does anyone have any good ideas to get a little something in before working out in the morning?

    I would experiment freely. Try eating various things before your workout and ALSO try a few workouts without eating anything. Fasted training is perfectly fine to do provided you're still able to adequately nourish yourself over the course of a full day/etc.

    See which you prefer more.
  • penpen96
    penpen96 Posts: 20 Member
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    good idea! i will try the egg thing...its not too much food.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,708 Member
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    It's a trial an error thing. Try different solutions.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
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    Like others said, try different things.

    I personally like to eat about an hour before a HARD workout. This gave me the energy from food but didn't made me sick working out on a full stomach. But at the same time, I used to workout first thing in the morning on empty stomach and that worked well. Maybe you can have something light like a banana or apple or something like that prior to your workout?
  • MTLSFAW
    MTLSFAW Posts: 2 Member
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    I am the same way about eating in the mornings so I get thoes EAS ADVAND EDGE shakes (walmart has the best price) and I'll atleast have one of thoes and they taste good not chalky at all :smile:
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    I don't eat before a morning workout. If you feel light-headed and would rather not eat in the morning, you could consider eating a bit more the night before a workout, or try something light and easy on the stomach like a banana.

    Hardcore running friends get up at 5, eat breakfast, go back to bed then get up to run at 6! :noway:
  • weisegirl1119
    weisegirl1119 Posts: 122 Member
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    I am not a "get out of bed and eat breakfast" kinda person. I get up, get dressed, grab my pre-packed workout bag and clothes for work and my water bottle ...then off to the gym. Every person i talk with says i should eat something before working out. There have been a few times now that i have felt a little light headed during my workouts. Does anyone have any good ideas to get a little something in before working out in the morning?


    I was just wondering if you should eat before your workout or not in the morning?
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
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    Egg = perfect if what you need is protein.
    Banana = decent if what you need is carbs.
    Refrigerator oatmeal = very good if what you need is a little of both. A few spoonfuls of it goes a LONG way, and it's very convenient to eat in the morning.

    Personally, when I bicycle in to work (50 minutes, 14 miles, hills), I scarf down one slice of plain multigrain bread (complex carbs and some sugars) before I head out, which is just about right to get my body going and about what I can face eating that early. Then I have a good dose of refrigerator oatmeal (a decent balance of fats, carbs, and protein) when I arrive as recovery food.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
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    I was just wondering if you should eat before your workout or not in the morning?

    As to whether you should, OP mentioned being occasionally lightheaded. To me, that says either dehydrated or short on calories.

    For you, specifically, it depends on how you feel. Do a few workouts as you are today (whether you are eating or not) and pay close attention to the intensity you can maintain. If eating something allows higher intensity, you might find you're burning off more than your snack's worth of calories in the increased energy you can put into your workouts. If it seems to make no difference, do what feels right.
  • amivox
    amivox Posts: 441 Member
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    If I can't eat a full meal before I work out, I usually try to make sure to have a Triple Threat Energy power bar. It helps a lot and doesn't weigh you down or give you that over full feeling.
  • andreabrightside
    andreabrightside Posts: 46
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    I am a breakfast eater (I can't function without it!), But if I am going for a run or something and I don't want food in my stomach (sometimes it makes me feel blah or nauseous), I have a glass of orange juice (mostly sugar, but it will get burned off anyway) or a smoothie. Even a meal-replacement shake might do the trick.

    Also make sure you're drinking enough water (that could be causing the lightheadedness)
  • Skinnymunkii
    Skinnymunkii Posts: 191 Member
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    I feel just awful if I don't eat a little protein before I work out. I get light-headed and wear out a lot quicker. Each person is different so experiment and see what works for you.
  • penpen96
    penpen96 Posts: 20 Member
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    thanks for all the ideas and suggestions!
  • 916lude
    916lude Posts: 305
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    I don't eat anything in the morning before a workout. Works better for me. But definitely try the overnight oats. Tasty and convenient.

    Something like

    1/2 cup greek fat free yogurt
    1/4 cup milk
    1/2 cup rolled oats

    I add things from banana and peanut butter to blueberries and rasberries. Also a bit of honey sometimes. Make it at night, mix it well, and it will be ready for you in the morning. A couple of bites can help and you can finish it off after the workout.
  • NikoM5
    NikoM5 Posts: 488 Member
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    What kind of workout? Cardio? Weights? Both? Many people can perform cardio on an empty stomach but weight training is more difficult. if you are lifting weights with low blood sugar then you could be seriously missing out on the potential to get more from your training sessions. I lift in the early afternoon with 2 meals under my belt. If I attempted the same workout first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, I'd pass out.
  • erinlea75
    erinlea75 Posts: 47 Member
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    I can't eat first thing in the morning either. But on mornings I work out before work, I force myself.

    I find that 1 hard boiled egg is best. It's small enough to get down, and gives me enough energy to get through the workout. If my trainer warns me we are going to do a particularly hard workout, I force down 2.

    One time I literally was gagging trying to eat it. Then I figured out that I just prefer them warm. Since, I pre-boil a bunch of eggs for the week, I just pop one in the microwave to warm it in the morning.

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