Workout first thing in the morning.... what about breakfast????

L

luli

Active Member
Cathe,
I am starting a new job in january and will have to modify my training schedule. I believe the best thing would be to workout in the morning, before the day gets crazy. My only problem is that I usually wake up famished and want something to eat ASP. What would you recommend? Should I eat a small breakfast, then workout and not eat again until lunch? spliting my breakfast? What is the best way to maximize the workout results?
I must say I train about an hour to an hour and a haflf most days of the week. Usually a mix of cardio and weights... Right now I'm doing the 4d's november rotation with cardio on the "rest days".
Thanks again and happy holidays!!!!!
LULI
 
I workout on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. This is what works best for me. I can't have anything in my belly when i workout. I would suggest having a banana or a small protein shake in the morning before you start. You don't want to eat too much. This will keep your blood sugar up. Then immediately after your workout, eat your breakfast or as soon as you possibly can.
 
I workout first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach also. I have to make sure that I eat a well-balanced dinner, and eat enough to carry me thru my am workout.

I have read some others say that they eat something like 1/2 banana or something before their workout.
 
I usually eat a small piece of fruit before my am workouts....kiwi is my favorite...that usually holds me over usless it's a workout longer than an hour...Drill Max, Body Max 1 and 2...I try to plan those on my days off so I can eat breakfast an hour before...well that's what works for me...
 
Like you ladies, I, too, workout first thing in the morning during the week (5 a.m.), and always on an empty stomach. On the weekends, I generally have a banana and a cup of decaf coffee first, but either way, I am able to keep pace with whatever Cathe throws my way, including the 90-minute workouts and the heavy weight sessions. After my workouts I head for four egg whites, a bowl of oatmeal and a piece of fruit - right now being those little "cutie" oranges that are in season right now in Northern California. Love those, but I digress...

Have a great day everyone!

Beth
 
I workout after I wake up, and there's no way on earth I could workout without eating first! I usually have a bowl of kashi cereal with a banana in it. But I also have a little time to wait before I start the workout.

Also, I just read in Muscle and Fitness magazine that it's best to have a small meal 1 to 1 1/2 hours before you workout (they suggested a small chicken breast and a medium sweet potato) then eventually to add a piece of fruit and some slow burning carbs like oatmeal before as well. And then afterwards, they said you need to eat about 20 grams of protein and 40 grams of carbs. Unfortunately I cannot remember their reasoning- something to do with protecting your body from the wear and tear of the workout. I think the idea was to keep your body fueled properly to see maximum results. This suggestion was found in an article titled, "All your weight loss problems solved" in this month's issue. Please read it before you take my word for it though!

Alison
 
Thanks to everyone for their feedback... I guess the best way seems to be to try different aproaches and see what works for me...
To be honest I hope I can do it on an empty stomach but we'll see! I'll keep you posted on the results....
Merry christmas
LULI
 
I've always worked out on an empty stomach BUT it's always been a problem. I recently read somewhere that working out without eating first is like trying to drive your car without gasoline. The next morning a fixed a small cup of soy yogurt with blueberries before running on my treadmill. The drawback: Halfway through I REALLY needed to hit the bathroom (not to pee, either) and had to cut my run short. Also, I think what you eat between waking up and working out depends a lot on whether you're doing weight training or cardio. Obviously, you can't have serious food then go for a run while you might be able to if you're lifting weight. I'm glad you brought this up since I'm dealing with this, also. I do know I'll never go back to doing any type of workout on an empty stomach. I always used to get queasy.
 
I also have had this problem so I talked with my nutritionist. He told me to have some oatmeal before doing cardio. Here is what I have been doing and it works great. 1/3 cup oatmeal + ~1/4 scoop whey protein. Mix it together hot...tastes really good. Not too much food, but the oatmeal supplies alot of energy!! Also, this meal is very kind to the digestive system. :)



Kristen
 
I used to workout on an empty stomach and was told you burn muscle when you do that and it is better to have some fuel in your body. I eat 1/2 a banana before my workout now and feel better that way. After my workout I eat a full breakfast. Hope this helps.
 
>I also have had this problem so I talked with my
>nutritionist. He told me to have some oatmeal before doing
>cardio. Here is what I have been doing and it works great.
>1/3 cup oatmeal + ~1/4 scoop whey protein. Mix it together
>hot...tastes really good. Not too much food, but the oatmeal
>supplies alot of energy!! Also, this meal is very kind to the
>digestive system. :)
>
>
>
>Kristen


This is very helpful information I'm going to put to use. Thank you.
 
In my professional mags (I'm a nurse and have my cpt), a ten year study proves that working out on an empty stomach does NOT increase fat loss, so why not squelch your hunger with a bite or two of fruit, and bring along your breakfast - some cottage cheese and apple or something?
 
For those of you who eat a small morning snack before working out, do you work out immediately after eating? I work out at 4:30 a.m. There's no way I could get up early enough to wait even a half hour after eating. So, I go with the empty stomach option.

Shelbygirl
 
I'm with you Shelbygirl. I work out at 5 a.m. and couldn't eat even a banana and then immediately work out. I confess on weekends when I have time for my oatmeal and maybe a half hour before I work out, it's great. But it is definitely not practical for me to do during the week - unfortunately.

Beth
 
>For those of you who eat a small morning snack before working
>out, do you work out immediately after eating? I work out at
>4:30 a.m. There's no way I could get up early enough to wait
>even a half hour after eating. So, I go with the empty
>stomach option.
>
>Shelbygirl

Today, I did GS:Back/Shoulders/Biceps after eating 1c. Nonfat yogurt with 1/3c. Blueberries (yea, I'm trying the food weighing thing...) and had no trouble UNTIL the part where you lay face-down on the bench to raise & lower your lower body. It was touch-and-go for a second. I was fiddling around on some other fitness forum the other day and some weight lifter said you should always eat before weight training ("so you don't burn muscle") but not before cardio. I know, I don't get it, either. I hope when they revamp this site Cathe gets a nutritionist to join up. Won't happen but wouldn't it be great?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top