What To Eat Before I Workout????

ashaw

ashaw

Cathlete
Hi Cathe,

First of all I just want to say that I love your workouts, I've been a Cathelete since January 2010 and I'm so thankful for the great DVD's you keep making. There are no other dvd instructors out there doing what you're doing. I love Cross Fire and To The Max.

I'm sure my question has come up before, but I would like to know what I should eat before a workout because I get up at 5 AM to workout before I go to work, its not my ideal time, but its the only realistic time I'm gonna be able to do it. I get up at 5 Am, but I get started at about 5:30, because I don't want to get up any earlier than I already have to. I don't have time to eat and digest a meal of oatmeal or cereal, so I just usuallly have one whole wheat whole grain cracker with hummus. I've tried a banana, but its too sweet, I've tried a protein shake, but I can't stand that feeling of the liquid sloshing in my stomach. I used to have a Slim Fast bar and liked those, but they got too expensive.

What is your suggestion for someone who has to get up early, start their workout rather quickly and doesn't want to get up at 4 Am to eat.

Thanks!

Amanda
 
I tried a couple things before I found what finally worked for me. I get up at 4 am and there was no way I was going to get up earlier just to eat something! When I get up I cut up an apple and put a tbsp of peanut butter on the plate. I eat that while I'm getting ready for my workout. Sometimes I finish it, sometimes I don't. But it gives me the energize I need to complete my workout. HTH!
 
Hello Amanda,

I'm interested too in what suggestions Cathe give. I get up at 3:55 AM, starting my workout by 4:15. I've tried a protein shake but found that it made me feel heavy and bloated. I don't have 40 mins to let it digest. So what worked for me is eating a banana with some dark peanut butter spread on it. Since I was out of the dark pb I just ate the banana alone this morning. It's enough substance to give my body some fuel without feeling heavy or bloated. You may also want to try a couple of pieces of slice bread, not toasted, with jam or pb if you do not like bananas or even a packet of oatmeal or tuna.

Good luck in finding what works for you.

Tahitia
 
When I switched to A.M. workouts I struggled to find the perfect amount of food to provide energy without weighing me down. I get up at 5:20 am and start working out by 5:45 am. I first tried a bowl of oatmeal. Ugh, felt like a brick in my stomach. Nausea city! I then tried a protein shake. I couldn't tell if I was working out or surfing; my stomach rolled the entire time! Nausea city x2. I also tried not eating anything, but I couldn't even complete an easy yoga workout! I also tried saltine crackers, wheat thins, bananas, apples (plain and with PB), bread (plain and with PB), etc. Eventually, I found 1/2 of a banana to be idea. A whole banana was too much, but 1/2 banana was just enough. If it's a weight lifting day, I sometimes add a few wheat thins, a small handful of nuts, or a piece of wheat bread (I'm not awake enough to use the toaster, so I literally just eat a piece of plain bread right out of the bag). I also make sure to drink water with my banana to temper the sweetness. Now, I know every person's body is different, so maybe one of the things I tried will work for you. :) It took me several weeks of trying different things to find my perfect combination. Best of luck!
 
I've been working out for years at 5am. I don't eat anything before a morning workout, unless I'm running 10 or more miles. I drink a large cup of water and off I go. Maybe it's just something that my body is used to but I've never had issues with dizziness, ect. I think if I we to eat before I'd have to take a potty break during the workout, not a good thing when your on a run. If it's a long run (10 or more miles) I'll eat half a Lara bar with a big cup of water about 15 minutes before I run.
 
I get up at 4:30am every morning to workout and I don't eat anything. The reason is time constraints. If I want to get in a 55-70 minute workout, there is no time for food before the workout. And second, when I do cardio I do high intensity cardio and any food on my stomach makes me queasy. I have been doing this for more than 10 years without any problems. I used to get worried and nervous when I would read the articles about how you should eat something before you workout, but it just doesn't work for me. And I get through my workouts just fine every morning--even when I did Insanity I didn't run out of gas. In the end, that was the best answer--what worked best for me.

So that's my response--if you can get through your workout w/out food, then refuel afterward. If that doesn't work for you, then maybe one of those small yogurt drinks? Some kefir? Some thing light and quick.
 
I get up at 5am to workout and j do not eat before hand. I do drink 3 cups of water while working out. I don't have any trouble, but I have been doing that for years. I do like the break on the weekend and will eat and have coffee about an hour or so before working out. I find for me it's more about being well rested than eating before hand.
 
I think the bottom line is you need to play around with what works for you. If you are working out for an hour or less, my gut (pun intended) is that you would be okay on an empty stomach. I can work out early for up to an hour without fuel. I don't always, but I can without any difficulty at all.
If you've been working out comfortably without breakfast, keep at it.

On the other hand, if I'm cranking out a 90-minute+ workout, I definitely need to plan it for later in the day when I have some food in me.

Just one woman's opinion ....
 
Eating prior to the workout

I Could not agree more with Bonnie.
I find it difficult to eat early morning 4 or 5am...I have worked-out on a empty stomach for years. Now sometimes I found it is difficult when I am lifting heavy. I am still trying out various option but working out fasting is do-able.

I have recently red an article recommending a "try-out" work out on a part time fasting basis. The idea comes from the fact that when you workout fasting your energy utilised during the workout will come from fat stored first. This does not work for every body. In my opinion for those who have a lot of weight to loose it does work up to some point (peak point). The last 15-20 pound to loose are the most difficult to shift. This strategy may not work in this case. I wish Cathe could share some thoughts on this.

Depending on your goal, if you are lean and want to add more mass in your body, working out on an empty stomach is not a good idea. You need to feed your muscles. A bodybuilder need 5 to six meals (healthy reasonable meal)...this can be critical and need to be followed to the letter in some cases.
The point I am trying to make is it all depend on what you are trying to achieve, Your goal.

All the best,

Nathalie
 
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Hello Everyone,

I don't think Amanda's question, what to eat before working, is not a matter of a choice but a necessity. As someone already pointed out, not everyone is built the same. Therefore, it's simply not an option for someone to choose not to eat before a workout when they are asking what they should/could eat. Amanda made it clear that when she tried working out without eating she couldn't make it through. Personally, I could skip any meal in a day, but breakfast and its also impossible for me to complete a workout on an empty stomach. So putting something on the stomach before a workout is a must and water is the same as nothing to me. Kudos to those who do not have this problem. I wish I could be like you.
 
pre-workout small meal

Tahitia said:
Hello Everyone,

I don't think Amanda's question, what to eat before working, is not a matter of a choice but a necessity. As someone already pointed out, not everyone is built the same. Therefore, it's simply not an option for someone to choose not to eat before a workout when they are asking what they should/could eat. Amanda made it clear that when she tried working out without eating she couldn't make it through. Personally, I could skip any meal in a day, but breakfast and its also impossible for me to complete a workout on an empty stomach. So putting something on the stomach before a workout is a must and water is the same as nothing to me. Kudos to those who do not have this problem. I wish I could be like you.
Click to expand...

To answer to the question:

Boiled egg/egg white omelette, apple, cottage cheese/ fromage frais or a protein shake. I keep it simple and light on for my stomach.

xxx
 
Hi all

Just reading all your posts is inspirational. How did you get into the habit of getting up at 5.00am and working out. I cannot imagine having the energy to do it. Do you have to go to bed really early? Also aren't you tired by say 3.00pm in the afternoon. I'd love to try it just for a week, but I think it would kill me lol.

Laura
 
Pippadog1 said:
Hi all

Just reading all your posts is inspirational. How did you get into the habit of getting up at 5.00am and working out. I cannot imagine having the energy to do it. Do you have to go to bed really early? Also aren't you tired by say 3.00pm in the afternoon. I'd love to try it just for a week, but I think it would kill me lol.

Laura
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I have been doing it for so many years--more than 10 years. But I am also inherently a morning person. I have always had a lot of energy in the mornings. I can't conceive of hitting the snooze button. When I my alarm goes off, I am out of bed. Easy. Also, 75% of the time I wake up before my alarm goes off--so there's some kind of circadian rhythm going on with me.

I didn't always exercise first thing in the morning, though. I used to exercise later in the day and I found, that when I did it later in the day, it was easier to blow a workout off. When I do it first thing in the morning--I never blow a workout off. Never.

I also believe in the power of habit. So many people I meet (my husband included) can't believe I can workout every single day (whereas I can't believe they can't!)--but if you make it a habit, it becomes intrinsic. A part of who you are. I think getting out of bed at 4:30am to sweat has become part of who I am because I made it a habit. And it takes 21 days to create a habit, or so I've read. So try it for 21 days and see what happens!

Sometimes I get on these programs where I do doubles--a second workout every day after work. They always last 1-3 months. When I finish the program there is a part of me that feels "wrong" for a long time without that afternoon workout. Probably because it became habitual.

As for going to bed early--yes! I am in bed before 10pm during the week and before midnight on the weekends (and I get up between 6am-7am Sat & Sun for my workout). It does drive my husband crazy because he is a night owl/snooze button addict who wishes I could stay up late with him every night.
 
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Just reading all your posts is inspirational. How did you get into the habit of getting up at 5.00am and working out. I cannot imagine having the energy to do it. Do you have to go to bed really early? Also aren't you tired by say 3.00pm in the afternoon. I'd love to try it just for a week, but I think it would kill me lol.
Click to expand...

Hey, thanks everyone for you great responses. I'll just have to try and see what works for me. I wish I could afford to keep buying the Slim Fast bars, I really liked those and they seemed to give me fuel without making me feel bloated. I've tried doing cardio, both moderate and high intensity, on an empty stomach and I feel drained at the end, same thing goes for weights.

As for me, my getting up at 5 AM to work out is out of necessity. I'm married, with no children, but because I work full time, early morning is the only realistic time I gonna be able to fit in a workout. I'd love to be able to sleep til 6 AM and start my workout later, but unfortunately because of my job, that's not possible. Also, I just don't think that by the time I get home from work, change clothes, and take the dog out (by then its 5:45), that I'd really be able to focus on my workout without worrying about starting dinner. Also, if my husband decides to invite a friend over at the last minute or just go out to eat, I can't go shut myself in my room and workout for an hour and a half. Also, this may sound crazy, but I can't stand sweating when I'm wearing make-up. When I was single, I used to run every night after work and sweat like crazy in a full make-up and my skin broke out really bad then too.
 
Hi there :)

I'm a ravishing food monster upon waking :p. My wake times have changed throughout the years, and now that I have a small child I'm up by 6:00am (the latest :(), but regardless if I wake at 4:30am or 7am, I need fuel pronto.

I understand about you wanting something light to eat so it won't upset your stomach, but enough fuel to take you through a Cathe workout. Have you tried Special K Bars? They are inexpensive, come in a variety of flavors, not too many calories but a good amount of carbs to get you up and running. If you an handle any type of nut butter in the early AM, slather some on your bar for a little added protein. You should be good to go!!

Hopefully you find something that works for you!

Natasha
 
Amanda,
I no longer get up early to workout, but I did for years. I also need a little something in my stomach to really give it even close to 100%. I found that a handful of nuts and maybe a clementine worked for me. If that was not around, then I would have a few whole grain crackers with peanut butter. I would also wonder if a small yogurt could work for you? I did not personally try that, but it just popped into my mind.

Bananas seem to be a good choice too, but that's the one fruit I don't like, otherwise I would probably have tried that too.

Hope that helps!
Eva
 
Happy Early bird

:D
Pippadog1 said:
Hi all

Just reading all your posts is inspirational. How did you get into the habit of getting up at 5.00am and working out. I cannot imagine having the energy to do it. Do you have to go to bed really early? Also aren't you tired by say 3.00pm in the afternoon. I'd love to try it just for a week, but I think it would kill me lol.

Laura
Click to expand...

Hi Laura,

I will tell a part of my story, how I started working out 5:00 am. When I took a decision of getting active by working out being a lifestyle I was in a very demanding Job. Plus I was in a relationship where I was not having any support for what I wanted to achieve for my health! I was told, by my partner at the time, it was just a common yo yo diet phase I was going through! I was told I was going to give up and put the weight back :mad::mad:! It was a mental challenge. I was determined to show him a "part of what I was made of" :p:p:p

That is how the idea of working out early morning came from. It was " my time" likely for me it was quite an easy decision to make, I must admit, cause I had no children.
Six - seven years now not only I lost the weight, I have managed to keep the weight off for years. I am still loosing inches and getting thinner.I am getting stronger mentally and Physically. I am also a much happier person.

The conclusion is if you truly want to find time and get serious with your workout regimen you will. It either you find excuses or you do it. For me it was a simple decision. When I was coming back home I was exhausted, I was not happy at work. So my workout has to be done first thing in the morning. I have much more energy at 3 pm when I workout in the morning than When I do not.

Working out early is what has helped me be consistent.

Kind Regards Laura,

Nathalie
 
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That is the same reason why I get up at 5 Am to workout. Its the one slice of the day that's just for me. Sometimes its hard to get motivated when my husband is still sleeping :mad: , but when I'm finished, I'm always glad that I did it!

I found some Nature Valley small granola bars in the pantry and I've been having one of those before I workout and its made a difference in how i feel. When I was eating just one whole wheat cracker with hummus, I would start feeling weak by the end of my workout and really hungry. This has helped curb my after workout hunger, give me energy and not make me feel so full that I can't do high intensity or weight work.

Another posted suggested Special K bars...I'm going to check those out the next time I grocery shop and see what's the most nutritious and the best value.

Thanks everyone!
 
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