Exercise Time

A

adaniels

New Member
I like to get my exercise done in the morning. My question is...how soon after waking up is it safe to exercise, and if I eat a bowl of cereal after waking up, how soon after eating can I exercise. I have heard it is not good to pop out of bed and exercise right away. Any suggestions. The longer I wait in the morning, the more motivation is lost.

Thanks
Amy
 
I think it depends on you. I have been working out within 10 minutes of getting up at 430 a.m. for many years, with no problems. Some people need to eat first, but I have found that I only need to drink water until after I've worked out and showered.

PennyLaney
 
Hi Amy,

I think if you are a real morning person, it's fine to exercise right away as long as you are alert enough to. I get up at 3:40am and am out the door by 4:00 to get in a 6 mile run. I've done this for years and love it. My husband, on the other hand, must have some coffee and shake out the cobwebs before he can even think about moving. As far as the food intake, if you are eating a bowl of cereal and then doing cardio, I would think 30-60 minutes would work, if you are doing weights I've always found I don't need to wait as long after eating, but that's just me. If this is when your enthusiasm is highest, go for it.

Karen
 
I get up and start my workout about 15 minutes later. I literally get up, throw on my workout clothes, get the tv started, pull out weights (if my room wasn't set up the night before) and start. I find that water only is fine for me or if not, I use a half packet of energy gel. Cardio requires more for more than weights in the way of food.

It is all what you can do. Just try it a few different ways and see what works for your body. I think that if you need to eat, to make sure it is something light and that if you need to wait a bit, so be it. I don't think that there is any particular reason to wait between waking and workout out though.

Christine :)
 
I also workout as soon as I get dressed and brush my teeth. This is what works for me so it's what I do.

As others have said, if you find you have problems doing this, then change things up a bit until you find what works for you.

~Marietta

FITXME
 
I, too, start my workout almost as soon as I roll out of bed at 4:45am. It takes about 5 minutes to get my workout clothes on and set up my DVD player and whatnot, but by then, I'm bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready to go. :)
 
I get up a 5:00 and start exercising about 10 mins. later. I don't need to have any food before exercising. I just have water. but this doesn't work for everyone so give it a try and see what works for you. I know all the others have given you the same advice.


kim
 
Wow I thought I was the only one crazy enough to get up before 4 a.m. to get in a workout. I eat a bowl of cereal, drink a glass of water, drink a cup of coffee and then start my workout immediately. I've done it this way for years.

Davida
 
I get up at 2:30 am and I'm working out by 3:00 am. I usually eat a small low-fat yogurt for my stomach (coating purposes mostly) and then workout about 15 minutes after that. I have not had any problems.
 
I get up at 5:00am, brush my teeth and face, change my w/o clothes. Have a few drink of water, then start work out right away for about 3 months. I have no problem with that. I thought I was the only one get up early w/o. Now seeing so many gals doing the same thing, it makes me have no excuses to not doing it.

I have two kids, one is just 12 months. If I miss this window, I can never get any w/o done. I think as long as you don't feel fatigue or distraughted, you should be fine with your schedule.

WantFit
 
I usually get up at 4 am, grab a boomi bar, it's a small fruit and nut bar, some water, chase the cat around for a few minutes, so he'll stay out from under my feet when I'm doing weights or cardio, as I don't want to kick him or smack him with a dumbbell, as he likes to be in the way. I change into my workout clothes and I'm set, I've found that a light bit of food really helps my workout, but I can't eat a whole bowl of ceral, then I'd have to wait 30 minutes or so, before starting if I was to do cardio. t

If your awake alert, and feeling energetic, just make sure you let your food settle before doing your workout and you should be fine. The main thing is not to strain your stomache with something heavy or doing too much right after eating.

Kit
 
You might also play with what kind of workouts you are doing at that time. I am a morning person, but if I am doing a heavy leg workout or something really tough like Boot Camp, I do better if I can move that workout to mid-morning, after I've eaten. I have no problem doing weight work or "regular" cardio early, though. Sometimes a little energy drink helps...

Good luck!
Marie
 
Hi,

I get up at around 5am, have some water and am ready to go. Unless I've been eating really bad (or not enough!) the day before I'm just fine without any food. I notice that I really enjoy a thorough warm-up in the morning especially; if I work out later in the day, I like a really short one... (or might even skip one altogether...;/O!, not that I recommend it). Anyway, just meant that starting out slow enough, listening to your body is important especially when you're still half asleep...;) I have two small children too (1,5 and 3 years), so this i really the only time for me too.

MariaS
 
I guess I'm a "night person", by everyone else's standards, here. LOL

I get up at 7am (that's early for me, too, but I make myself do it). I get showered, dressed, eat a small lite breakfast, and wait a good 30 min before I do any workouts. I always wait at least 30 min after eating before I do any type of sport, also (swimming, tennis, whatever).
 
I'm up at 4AM, but as the morning is the only time I get "my time", I give myself an hour with a cup or two of coffee, the news and a good book. Then by 5AM I'm off and working out. I usually eat breakfast around 8:30/9:00AM - I'm can't eat first thing in the morning.

As everyone says, find what works best for you. If you can roll out of bed and exercise, more power to you! If you need a minute (or 60) to wake up - that's fine too. If you need to eat - figure out how much down time you need, and do that...
 
I'm up at 4AM, but as the morning is the only time I get "my time", I give myself an hour with a cup or two of coffee, the news and a good book. Then by 5AM I'm off and working out. I usually eat breakfast around 8:30/9:00AM - I'm can't eat first thing in the morning.

As everyone says, find what works best for you. If you can roll out of bed and exercise, more power to you! If you need a minute (or 60) to wake up - that's fine too. If you need to eat - figure out how much down time you need, and do that...
 
I get up at 5:00 to 5:15am four days a week to workout. I have some water and change into my workout cloths and I'm off. Two days a week I am up at 4:00-4:15 am (due to work schedule) to work out. For me, the mornings work the best.
 
I'm up at 5am, brush teeth, walk around my apartment a bit, change clothes and by 5:30 I'm working out. This half hour helps my body to wake up. Otherwise it takes longer to get my heart rate up.
 
I get up at 6:00, get my water, put my clothes on, make the bed and I'm ready to go at 6:15. It took me many years to switch to this schedule but now I've been doing it for almost 3 years. I don't eat anything but I do down a glass of water before I get started.

Jo
 
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