Eating before a workout

LizO66

LizO66

Cathlete
Hey, everyone, I thought I'd ask for some opinions here... my day typically goes like this:

5:45 - wake up; get ready for work
7:00 - leave; drop daughter at school
7:20 - arrive at work; have a cup of coffee
8:30 - drink h20 and eat a hard-boiled egg
11:00 - workout (usually a Cathe; nothing really easy)

My question is, should I eat more before I workout? Sometimes I feel as though I don't have the energy for a good workout and sometimes I feel really pooped; then again, I've read that a fasted workout is more effective. ?? What are everyone's thoughts?

Thanks for your input!!
Liz
 
I think everybody is different. What works for some, won't work for all.

I eat a lot before I work out. Not only that, I eat it right before I work out. If my food digests, I'm hungry again and that hungry feeling makes it hard for me to get in a good workout.

Don't worry about what you've read is best for an effective workout. Do what works for YOU. If you're lagging in energy due to lack of food, what good does that do you?

A cup of coffee and a hard boiled egg wouldn't get me through a half hour! LOL!
 
LizO66 said:
Sometimes I feel as though I don't have the energy for a good workout and sometimes I feel really pooped...
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I think you've answered your question right there: If you don't feel you have the energy to workout, or you feel 'really pooped,' then you need more fuel in you. Some type of smoothie would be easy to absorb and lighter on the digestion. Or have some oatmeal soaking overnight so all you have to do is warm it and add things to it.

Also, you might want to prepare ahead of time by having a higher-carb meal the night before (to make sure you have some glycogen stored for your workout in the morning).

(Yes, some say that working out while fasted burns more fat, BUT it can also make your workout less effective because you put less into it, so may actually not burn as much).
 
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kathryn said:
I think you've answered your question right there: If you don't feel you have the energy to workout, or you feel 'really pooped,' then you need more fuel in you. Some type of smoothie would be easy to absorb and lighter on the digestion. Or have some oatmeal soaking overnight so all you have to do is warm it and add things to it.

Also, you might want to prepare ahead of time by having a higher-carb meal the night before (to make sure you have some glycogen stored for your workout in the morning).

(Yes, some say that working out while fasted burns more fat, BUT it can also make your workout less effective because you put less into it, so may actually not burn as much).
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ITA with everything Kathryn said, as usual. :D

When I workout early in the morning, I don't eat anything because it doesn't sit well in my tummy. But if I plan to work out in the morning and don't get it in until around 9 am (I wake up any time from 6 to quarter to 7) I will eat at the very least a banana 30 minutes pre-workout. If I know that I won't get a workout in until 10 or later, I eat a full breakfast around 8: a smoothie or bowl of oatmeal or toasted sprouted bread w/ peanut butter and sliced 'nanas on top. It is also really important what you eat after you exercise, too. Your body needs that food to be able to operate! I hope that you are able to find something that works for you. :)

Melissa
 
LizO66 said:
Hey, everyone, I thought I'd ask for some opinions here... my day typically goes like this:

5:45 - wake up; get ready for work
7:00 - leave; drop daughter at school
7:20 - arrive at work; have a cup of coffee
8:30 - drink h20 and eat a hard-boiled egg
11:00 - workout (usually a Cathe; nothing really easy)

My question is, should I eat more before I workout? Sometimes I feel as though I don't have the energy for a good workout and sometimes I feel really pooped; then again, I've read that a fasted workout is more effective. ?? What are everyone's thoughts?

Thanks for your input!!
Liz
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Tell me you're eating SOMETHING else in the more than three hours after waking before you eat a measly 70 calories and then work out. Surely you have some kind of breakfast? Forget eating before you work out, you still need to work on eating when you wake up!

Fasting before you work out is only if you work out immediately upon waking (and only if it's a steady-state cardio workout)- not three hours later.

You only eat a grand total of 70 calories in the first 5 hours of your day and you're wondering why you have no energy?

It's 11am here, and by this time today I've already eaten 3 eggs, two pumpernickel rolls, dry-roasted pumpkin seeds and half a power bar (no time to pack a proper snack today). And I'm ready for lunch!!
 
Liz, I agree with everyone else; if you're waking up at 5:45 and not working out until 11, that is a long time to go without a proper bfast. Do you feel hungry at all by the time 11 oclock comes around? I'd suggest eating a full bfast within an hour of waking up with a mix of carbs/fat/protein; you'll probably have way more energy to power through a workout session!

For me, during the week I will workout as soon as I get up, then eat a banana or have a protein shake right afterwards to hold me until I get to work and the I eat my "normal" breakfast. However, if I'm working out after work then I have to stop eating about 2 hrs before my scheduled WO time or else I feel way too full and sluggish.
 
Thanks to you all! My workouts, for a while, were fine, then inconsistent, and now, overall, they seem to be really hard. I've lost weight and firmed up quite a bit, so I suppose that I just don't have the 'reserve' I once had and upping the pre-workout cals may be the way to go!

Thanks again - I'll add some carbs and cals to my morning and see how it goes!

Liz
 
Just wanted to add that the very small amount of extra fat burning that you MAY get from working out while fasting is more than offset by having to skip workouts or end them early or do them at a lesser intensity because you have nothing fueling you.
 
I gotta have fuel. I eat carbs in the morning, like oatmeal and cereal before I work out at 11:00. I eat a big breakfast. Then I eat a low carb lunch to make my body continue to use the reserves for awhile. I have plenty of energy for my workouts.
 
morningstar said:
It's 11am here, and by this time today I've already eaten 3 eggs, two pumpernickel rolls, dry-roasted pumpkin seeds and half a power bar (no time to pack a proper snack today). And I'm ready for lunch!!
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Morningstar, I'm with you, girl! ;)
 
my daily menu

Hello,

I workout hard and often. I have no idea how many calories I take in, but it seems to work since I am not ever really hungry nor do I feel like I overate either. Just one note - I practice a clean eating lifestyle. I do not eat sugar, refined carbs, chemicals, alcohol. I only drink water, about 1 - 3 gallons per day. Maybe more if I am really thirsty. I have hot tea as well. I use stevia for a sweetener. I am a size 4 -6 now so I don't think the calories are an issue.

Here is my daily menu. I pretty much eat the same thing everyday.

4:30 am - Breakfast #1 - 1 scoop 100% whey protein shake, sometimes a cup of tea
5:00 am - weight workout H20 - 1 or 2 bottles
7:00 am - Breakfast # 2 - 1 scoop 100% whey protein shake, 1/2 apple

8:30 am - Breakfast # 3 - 5 egg whites, 1 yolk 1 small orange, 1 power pancake (special recipe) for upper body days and 2 power pancakes on lower body/plyo days, sugar free/chemical free maple syrup, spinach, mushroom or as much as I want of other vegetables, hot tea, H20, vitamins/supplements

10:30 am - Snack # 1 - spinach and handful of nut mix: almonds, pecans, walnuts

12:30 pm - Lunch - 4 oz chicken with either mustard or salsa, 1/2 cup of rice or bulgar with olive oil, lots of green veggies: asparagus, broccoli, green beans, or spinach, vitamins and supplements

3:00 pm - snack # 2 - spinach and 1/2 can tuna or some other protein - small portion like 2 oz

4:15 pm ish - snack # 3 - 1/2 100% whey protein shake

5:45 pm ish - cardio workout, usually HIIT on the treadmill (can't wait for shock cardio!)

7:30 - 8:00 pm - dinner: 4 oz protein (chicken, fish, steak, turkey chili w/beans) lots of green veggies: asparagus, broccoli, green beans, or spinach, vitamins and supplements

On my days off I eat the same thing except I eliminate the protein shakes. Yes it is boring, but it works. I have a ton of energy and I can do all of my workouts without feeling tired or hungry, which is nice.

T-day won't be any different except my mom is making my own "special" dinner haha! I get to have some turkey. I will bring my own bulgar. She is cooking me asparagus and other green vegetables and making my favorite big salad! Yeah!

Hope that helps!
 
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Becky,

I was just curious - why are you taking so many vitamins and supplements? Surely the diet you described could not be deficient in any nutrients?

Corrie
 
Vitamins and supplements

coradora said:
Becky,

I was just curious - why are you taking so many vitamins and supplements? Surely the diet you described could not be deficient in any nutrients?

Corrie
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Hi Corrie,

You would think that I would be ok with all the nutrients in that diet. I don't have any dairy in there though.

I am actually taking them under the advisement of my doctor. I had bloodwork done earlier this year ($$$$) and it turned out that I was slightly deficient in some of the vitamins and minerals. Nothing major or to cause alarm, but with the tough workouts and schedule I follow, he felt that it would be good to give myself the extra boost. I also have an insulin issue so I take some supplements that have helped with that as well.

Since starting the vitamin/supplement regimen, I have noticed that I do have more energy and I feel better than going with food alone. I think it does help me. Also, I do not eat dairy products so I take a Vitamin D and Calcium supplement to help with that in addition to my daily multi-vitamins.

Here is my list:

Sulis multi-vitamins - this is a great product and it really works. I can feel the difference when I do not take it and so can other people I know who use it as well. This product covers pretty much everything. I take a few extra vitamins that are already in here because I need more of those nutrients. I am doing this under the care of my doctor.
Vitamin D
Calcium
Selenium - supports thyroid function

For my insulin issue I take
Biotin (hair issue)
Primrose Oil
Gymnema - helps with insulin

Additionally I take these
Fish Oil
Flax Oil
Chondroitin Glucosamine MSM

I plan to add some ALA (alpha lipoic acid) soon to help with nutrient uptake since this seems to be where my issue lies. It seems that even though I eat clean, my cells don't absorb the all of the nutrients. Who knows why this is. But through many months of experimentation, it seems like I have found a winning combination for now. This might not be good for everyone, but it works for me.
 
Thanks for all that info Becky!

I was not aware that selenium was helpful for thyroid function - I am hypothyroid, so I will look into this supplement.

Corrie
 
You are welcome

coradora said:
Thanks for all that info Becky!

I was not aware that selenium was helpful for thyroid function - I am hypothyroid, so I will look into this supplement.

Corrie
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You are welcome! just be sure to check with your doctor before taking anything - especially if you are already on medicine for a condition.

Good luck!
 
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