For AM exercisers what do you eat before hand?

HRCFitness · 10-19-13, 03:13 PM

For those of you that exercise early in the am (like 6:00am)...do you eat anything beforehand? I used to exercise early am and just get up and do exercise without eating anything. I've gotten away from that and now my new habit is to get up, eat breakfast wait a bit and then exercise. But I really need to get back into exercising very first thing in the am. I feel like I have to put something in my system or I just don't have the energy for my workout.
What do you eat and how long do you let it digest for?

Thanks
Elena

Jeanne Marie · 10-19-13, 03:36 PM

I run 4-5 miles at 6:30am every morning.

I get up at 6am and drink a cup of coffee and eat a banana. I don't require any more digesting time than the 20 or so minutes before I get out there. However, I am one that can run on a full stomach. In fact, I do better with food in my stomach. I'm not sure why that is, but it's always been that way for me. The downside is that I don't do well on an empty stomach.

After my run I eat a bowl of cereal and more fruit and then do an hour work out. I don't wait after eating my cereal either.

cherimac · 10-19-13, 03:40 PM

I get up, drink water, and work out. No food. I realize it won't work for everyone. I'm also one who does mostly intermediate w/os. If I did really intense stuff it might not work.

Joni O · 10-19-13, 03:57 PM

I get up at 5AM to work out. I drink water during the workout and eat breakfast at work about 8:00 - mainly protein and fat. I'm not hungry after I work out, so no sense eating. My workouts are intermediate.

firmaholic · 10-19-13, 04:33 PM

When I exercise in the morning I just roll out of bed and work out. I can't think food early in the morning.

Shelbygirl · 10-19-13, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firmaholic

When I exercise in the morning I just roll out of bed and work out. I can't think food early in the morning.

This is what I do...just wake up at 5am and start my workout. I then shower and have coffee on my way to work. No food until 8:30 or so.

shelbygirl

andtckrtoo · 10-19-13, 05:33 PM

I'm up at 4:30 as I need some time to wake up. I drink 2 cups of coffee with cream before working out, but that's it.

alisoncooks · 10-19-13, 05:47 PM

Usually I eat nothing... but I've started popping a prune and drinking some water beforehand. No reason except that I bought a big container of prunes for my kids & they wouldn't eat them. Someone has to eat them...

mspina · 10-19-13, 06:02 PM

It depends on what I'm doing that day for my workout. Anything shorter than an hour, I don't eat anything. If I have a longer bike or run to do, I'll have a sports gel, or if it's a really long bike/run (2-3+ hours) I'll have a LaraBar. I don't specifically wait before starting, just whatever time it takes to finish getting ready. But for traditional home workouts that are about an hour? Nothing - just roll out of bed and get going.

Paine · 10-19-13, 06:05 PM

I usually have coffee before I work out in the morning. If I workout later in the morning and I'm hungry, I might have some oatmeal or a banana before I work out.

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10-19-13, 03:13 PM
HRCFitness Join Date: Jul 2010	For AM exercisers what do you eat before hand? For those of you that exercise early in the am (like 6:00am)...do you eat anything beforehand? I used to exercise early am and just get up and do exercise without eating anything. I've gotten away from that and now my new habit is to get up, eat breakfast wait a bit and then exercise. But I really need to get back into exercising very first thing in the am. I feel like I have to put something in my system or I just don't have the energy for my workout. What do you eat and how long do you let it digest for? Thanks Elena

10-19-13, 03:36 PM
Jeanne Marie Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Atlanta, Ga.	I run 4-5 miles at 6:30am every morning. I get up at 6am and drink a cup of coffee and eat a banana. I don't require any more digesting time than the 20 or so minutes before I get out there. However, I am one that can run on a full stomach. In fact, I do better with food in my stomach. I'm not sure why that is, but it's always been that way for me. The downside is that I don't do well on an empty stomach. After my run I eat a bowl of cereal and more fruit and then do an hour work out. I don't wait after eating my cereal either. __________________ *Jeanne*

10-19-13, 03:40 PM
cherimac Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Georgia	I get up, drink water, and work out. No food. I realize it won't work for everyone. I'm also one who does mostly intermediate w/os. If I did really intense stuff it might not work. __________________ Cheri

10-19-13, 03:57 PM
Joni O VF Supporter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Twin Cities, MN	I get up at 5AM to work out. I drink water during the workout and eat breakfast at work about 8:00 - mainly protein and fat. I'm not hungry after I work out, so no sense eating. My workouts are intermediate.

10-19-13, 04:33 PM
firmaholic Join Date: Mar 2003	When I exercise in the morning I just roll out of bed and work out. I can't think food early in the morning.

10-19-13, 05:33 PM
andtckrtoo Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Island off the NC Coast	I'm up at 4:30 as I need some time to wake up. I drink 2 cups of coffee with cream before working out, but that's it. __________________ Christine Wag more, bark less

10-19-13, 05:47 PM
alisoncooks Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: TarHeel country	Usually I eat nothing... but I've started popping a prune and drinking some water beforehand. No reason except that I bought a big container of prunes for my kids & they wouldn't eat them. Someone has to eat them...

10-19-13, 06:02 PM
mspina Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Boston, MA	It depends on what I'm doing that day for my workout. Anything shorter than an hour, I don't eat anything. If I have a longer bike or run to do, I'll have a sports gel, or if it's a really long bike/run (2-3+ hours) I'll have a LaraBar. I don't specifically wait before starting, just whatever time it takes to finish getting ready. But for traditional home workouts that are about an hour? Nothing - just roll out of bed and get going. __________________ Michelle Random Stuff: Spinervals Team Member Triathlon Coach Avid CrossFitter Former Triathlon Fanatic 2008 Boston Marathon Finisher Cast member in IronGirl StrEndurance workout (released 12/07)

10-19-13, 06:05 PM
Paine VF Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010	I usually have coffee before I work out in the morning. If I workout later in the morning and I'm hungry, I might have some oatmeal or a banana before I work out.