Working out before breakfast

I always work out first thing on an empty stomach - I much prefer it! I’ve been doing this for years so my body is well used to it now. I think there are benefits to working out on an empty stomach so I would persevere if you possibly can. I usually eat breakfast afterwards but sometimes I don’t fancy it.

The only times I’ve ever felt nauseous was after fasting completely the previous day but even then it was ok once I got into it and I ate afterwards.

I run first thing straight out of bed - I can’t even put a pint of water in as it’s uncomfortable to run immediately - so now I drink lots of water the night before so that my body is fully hydrated.

Anything other than a long run or swim (so 20+ miles, 3+ miles) I would do it on an empty stomach. Otherwise porridge.

Banana and three Brazil nuts after working out - on the advice of a dietician.

I always wake up hungry. There’s no way I could work out properly on an empty stomach. Luckily a piece of toast is enough to stave off the rumbling!

I whiz protein powder into my coffee.

I workout 5 days a week and never have breakfast. Sometimes I don't actually exercise til 11am but I still won't have eaten.

I feel much, much stronger when I exercise fasted.

I wake up hungry so always have breakfast before I swim or do yoga at 6.30am. Like a PP I'd feel faint or sick if I didn't eat. I know a lot of runners don't eat before running though.

I have a glass of milk, a banana, greek yogurt and berries stewed in maple syrup. Can't cope with bread or eggs at that time in the morning.

Same as many here, I don't eat a thing and actually feel great for it.

Nothing apart from coffee, unless I'm doing a very long run (more than, say, 3 hours).

If it's only a shorter workout I'm fuelled from the day before.

I just have a coffee, strong and short with some milk, before most sorts of morning workouts e.g. shorter runs, HIIT, resistance training

Before a swim, I have a banana (time to digest it on the journey to the pool!).

Before a run of more than 6 miles,
I’d have a bagel with PB and leave time to digest.

I run intervals in the morning with coffee but no food. They definitely aren’t as fast as if I did them later in the day/in the evening, but I’m useless at exercising in the evening so I accept the compromise.

I think your body needs more than food to be at its peak - time for the muscles to generally warm up and your metabolism to get going. I try to kickstart that with coffee but ultimately it’s still going against nature’s way!

Maybe try a coffee and banana for a kickstart then do a really good, thorough warm up.

I know some running folk say if you’re doing a long run first thing, to go for high GI foods that get to your bloodstream quickly - so white bagel, jam, that sort of thing. Oats will take much longer to get to you as fuel.

Don't have anything surely? You don't really need to fuel a workout in that sense, it will be fuelled by what you ate yesterday and stored energy. I do 16:8 fasting, so first meal at midday and do a HIIT workout in the morning.

I am in the gym by 5am so don't eat beforehand just plenty of water. Afterwards I do scrambled eggs in the microwave or porridge before work. I've just cycled into work this morning on an empty stomach - 17.5 miles - and not had anything except two cups of coffee. Will get a sandwich in a few minutes though to fuel the 20 mile route home!

I think that unless we are some sort of elite athlete or training for a specific event, we put far too much emphasis on food when our bodies actually don't need that much to do what we do! Of course, there are exceptions - I'm just speaking from my own experience and watching people in the gym.

It depends what I'm doing (and I don't often exercise early morning because I'm one of those people who always wakes up hungry and ready for breakfast!). I can comfortably run 5km, 10k at a push without breakfast. Likewise I've done Metafit without breakfast. I've run and cycled to work a few times and usually have a cup of tea and a cereal bar to keep me going then have porridge or overnight oats after my shower.

I've started fitness classes at 6.30am. That's the best time for my schedule . I usually have a banana as it's quick and easy and I feel nauseous doing classes and drinking water on a totally empty stomach.

My alarms goes off at 5:00 am and I work out before breakfast. I just have a water bottle with a High5 Zero hydration tab in it. Have my usual breakfast of weetabix and a cup of coffee as soon as I'm finished.

I try to get my exercise, hiit class or a run, out of the way early (before 9 depending on school run) and don't eat until about 11.30/12 when I usually have scrambled eggs or similar. Might have a cup of tea when I'm done.

Like PPs I exercise as soon as I wake up and generally just have a small glass of water. When I get back from my run or whatever I then have a good breakfast

Work out before eating obviously?

I mainly go to the gym at 7am and fall out of bed as late as possible. I eat afterwards, like others, something fairly protein heavy. Sometimes I fell a bit hungry before I go but I rarely notice it mid gym. Only times I do is where I've done evening exercise and not eaten after that

Have a decent carby rally the night before. If I'm going for a long run, maybe a spoonful of overnight oats then eat the test afterwards.

Black coffee