AM workouts/so very hungry - help

N

NRGWoman

Cathlete
I am trying to start working out in the morning. My life is really flexible right now so I have a ton of ability to play with the timing of my workouts. I want to workout in the morning since I feel best in the morning and by afternoon I have lost my mojo. I am having 2 problems with the timing of the workouts. First, I have a med that I am supposed to take when I wake up at least 30 minutes before I eat in the morning. Second, when I wake up I am so hungry I can think of nothing but eating until I, well, eat.

I have been sick with digestive issues for the last year so my eating habits are very dependent on how I am feeling. One of the effects of this digestive problem is that I get sick anytime I eat anything processed or baked goods (isn't that a great side effect). I try to eat when I am hungry (which when I am feeling well is every couple of hours), but I can't eat much before I am full and no longer interested in food. I have a snack before I go to bed every night though I haven't figured out the best snack for me.

So what is a girl to do? Today I got up, took my meds, ate a full breakfast (I was soooo hungry), and now an hour after I got up I am heading down to workout on a full stomach. Not ideal, but a start at least.

I would love any ideas or suggestions. You are all so dedicated to your healthy lives I know you will have great ideas.

TIA for all of your help.

Shayne
 
Hi Shayne!
Since you said you have a lot of flex time as far as when to work out, how about just waiting an hour after you eat in the morning before you exercise? I think waiting a bit will not only help you to not feel sick, but it will also give the nutrients time to distribute themselves throughout your body :)

I also workout in the morning but I have to get up, eat, workout, shower and be to work by 9am (although I haven't been successful with getting to work quite on time, hee - oh the priorities!) I think you should take advantage of the time you have and just wait a bit after eating before working out.

Sorry about your digestive problems, I hope you are feeling better soon!

One more thing, I have low blood sugar so I too must eat a snack before bed... I find that eating something small with lots of protein sustains me through the night and I don't wake up with that ravenous (sp?) feeling.

Best of luck!
-CC :)
 
I hope you feel better soon! Right now I have flexibility with my workouts as well...I just graduated and haven't found a job yet (and am hoping to take a good portion of the summer off!). I get up between 6-7am and eat breakfast. Then, I make DH's lunch for the day and get DD's breakfast (if she's up!). And then about an hour or so after having breakfast I do my workout. It works well for me and will greatly miss it when I start work.
 
Hi Shayne-

I'm so glad to hear you're eating again (I remember you being on a feeding tube, right?). It sounds like you're recovering from your surgeries too. How wonderful! :)
As far as eating goes, I think there is no set rule when it's best to workout after eating. Some people can eat and then exercise with no problem. Also, you can get your body used to exercising with some food in your stomach (I'm not sure if it's a good idea to exercise right after you eat a full meal though). I would see how your body reacts to exercising an hour after breakfast. If you're feeling nauseous, then wait a little longer to workout - or eat earlier if possible. You may be able to have a small snack before you workout and then eat breakfast afterwards.

Just a few thoughts..
Carolyn :)

Edited to fix errors
 
Maybe try to incorporate some more fats and protein in your breakfast so you can feel fuller on less volume. When I come home from work absolutely ravenous, ready to eat everything in the house, I find that a spoonful of peanut butter can really dampen the physical sensation of hunger.
 
I've been having issues with this, also. And I also have to take medication on an empty stomach. I've never not had to go to the bathroom at some point during the night and I always have a jug of water on my night stand so I take my medicine then and then go back to sleep. It's the only time I'm guaranteed to have an empty stomach. I've read a lot of fitness mag editorials where they say you should never exercise on a completely empty stomach ("like trying to run a car with no gas") but my schedule is a lot tighter than yours. My solution has always been to grab a few bites of something (a banana, bit of bread, yogurt) then get right to it. Though, if you have the time I'd wait a half hour after a few nibbles. I'd never work out on a full stomach because exertion could make it all come back up and because it's like dragging around a lead belly, slowing you down. A spoonful of peanut butter sounds like the best solution I've ever heard and which never occurred to me (thank you). That's what I'll do tomorrow morning.
 
Thank you all for your ideas. I think for the time being I will embrace my schedule and wait the hour. Otherwise the PB is a great idea.

Carolyn, yup that was me on the feeding tube. Man was I glad when that came out. Things are looking up, but there is nothing like 5 months curled up on the couch to completely decimate your fitness level. My workouts have been the best they can be, but boy it is frustrating to start over. I am going with the theory that if I am consistent with my workouts I will get stronger over time, seemingly very slowly over time.

Shayne
 
>Thank you all for your ideas. I think for the time being I
>will embrace my schedule and wait the hour. Otherwise the PB
>is a great idea.
>
>Carolyn, yup that was me on the feeding tube. Man was I glad
>when that came out. Things are looking up, but there is
>nothing like 5 months curled up on the couch to completely
>decimate your fitness level. My workouts have been the best
>they can be, but boy it is frustrating to start over. I am
>going with the theory that if I am consistent with my workouts
>I will get stronger over time, seemingly very slowly over
>time.
>
>Shayne

Gosh, you've been through SO MUCH! You must be just ecstatic that you can focus on exercising now, huh? Go slow and steady and you'll be back up to speed in no time (although you probably know that already.) :)

Carolyn
 
A spoonful of
>peanut butter sounds like the best solution I've ever heard
>and which never occurred to me (thank you). That's what I'll
>do tomorrow morning.

Oh goodie! Let us know how it goes. I figured it out by accident one day (I think I had skipped breakfast and lunch, or at least I felt like it). Had the spoonful of pb, and poof. There goes my hunger. It was amazing, and almost disappointing, since I felt like I ruined my supper. Probably any really dense food would work, but peanut butter's so easy, a spoon, the jar, and bam. And of course an extra spoonful for doggie. He comes running when he hears the lid coming off. :9
 
Wow, Shayne, kudos to you for getting back to those workouts! I'm sorry you've had such digestive woes. I can sympathize as several years ago I had a "botched" c-section and subsequent abdominal abscess, intestinal surgery....it sucked! I remember feeling so damn sick and then sick of being sick. I will never forget one day I was headed back to Cleveland Clinic to have another procedure and seeing a woman running. I distinctly remember being so jealous and wondering if I'd *ever* be able to exercise and feel that endorphin rush again. It's a helpless feeling..

Ah, but I digress...anyway, I agree with the others. Either wait a bit longer or eat a smaller power meal. I find a piece of whole grain toast with natural pb and banana works for me prior to working out or running..

And congrats on getting back to Cathe - enjoy and let the healing begin inside and out!

Heidi
 
Heidi

I am glad that things worked out for you. I know exactly what you mean about the runners. When I was really sick DH was driving me to most of my (almost daily) appointments. We live in an area that strongly promotes walking/running and everyone here takes advantage of it. Invariably there would be people out running when we went to our appointments and it made me so wistful. These people appeared to me to have it all, which to me was health and the ability to be active. It is really tough to get back, but I will.

Shayne
 
Shayne --

Yes, wistful is the word. Regarding seeing those runners, I SO wanted to yell out the window "you don't know how lucky you are!" Since then, I've never taken for granted my health. Sometimes you don't know how lucky you are until your health is taken away - let alone potentially facing your own mortality. It changes you, that's for sure.

Good luck, Shayne! Hang in there - you'll get there!

Heidi
 
Shayne,

I also workout in the morning right after I get up. I fix myself a bowl of oatmeal with protien powder, walnuts, and blueberries (or other fruit) and I eat 1/3 of it. After I exercise and shower I microwave the rest and eat it.

Also, I try to space my food intake out over the course of the day so that my blood sugar remains stable and I don't find myself starving. I find that once I get to the point where I'm really hungry, I can't seem to eat enough to reverse the condition.

Anyway, I hope this helps.
 
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