Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Exercise

Chat to other fitness enthusiasts on our Exercise forum.

Original poster

Working out before breakfast

31 replies

BrimfulOfBaba · 17/09/2021 08:42

If you exercise first thing in the morning before having your first proper meal, what do you take/eat to fuel your workout without making you sick?

I've realised with my schedule, I need to work out soon after waking at 6am. I don't want to wake up earlier than that, and I need to be ready for work at 8.45 so don't have time for a proper breakfast to digest. Would a pre-workout supplement or a smoothie etc help with giving me energy for a HIT circuit?

OP posts:
TakeYourFinalPosition · 17/09/2021 08:45

I work out as soon as I wake up three days a week… but I don’t eat before it, I just do the workout with water; then take a smoothie/breakfast to work.

I tried a pre workout mix once but it made me feel sick on an empty stomach.

PurpleDaisies · 17/09/2021 08:46

It’s tricky-I am exactly the same. For me, toast (rye bread is my favourite) works best but that’s partly because I can’t get on with smoothies. Sometimes I’ll have a banana.

Ozanj · 17/09/2021 08:48

I don’t eat before my workouts no matter the time I do them, I fuel them with protein afterwards. Usually a tin of tuna with some sweetcorn mixed in; or a protein shake with milk and some berries.

PalacesOfMontezuma · 17/09/2021 08:49

My optimum is working out first thing (anywhere between 6 and 9) on an empty stomach.

LavenderAskew · 17/09/2021 08:49

I don't eat anything before - just get out of bed and head off (well I get dressed!). I don't feel inclined to eat, so I just have water and have my breakfast afterwards.

If you feel you need something then, especially if you feel you need the energy. TImes I've gone to the gym after eating during the day I might have eaten before and doesn't make me sick.

chickensandbees · 17/09/2021 08:50

I don't eat before my workout, just get up, run and then have breakfast when I am back.

KittenKong · 17/09/2021 08:51

Black coffee

xsquared · 17/09/2021 08:58

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.

larrythelizard · 17/09/2021 09:15

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

thisplaceisweird · 17/09/2021 09:19

Work out before eating obviously?

Hendalle · 17/09/2021 09:22

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 Smile

Pucarbuile · 17/09/2021 10:15

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.

PlugUgly1980 · 17/09/2021 10:32

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.

xsquared · 17/09/2021 11:02

@xsquared

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.
Not rally, meal obviously! Grin
SparkyBlue · 17/09/2021 11:06

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.

emmathedilemma · 17/09/2021 11:14

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.

blobby10 · 17/09/2021 11:26

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.

TreeSmuggler · 17/09/2021 11:32

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.

Original poster
BrimfulOfBaba · 17/09/2021 11:57

@thisplaceisweird and @TreeSmuggler - I wasn't clear in my OP - when I work out before eating anything I don't have the energy I do for my evening workouts. I don't feel as though I can work out as hard as I know I can when fuelled - my endurance isn't as good and I can't lift as heavy. I was wondering what recommendations there were.

Thanks for the suggestions! I might trial some of these options over the next week - having just coffee one morning, half a slice of toast/spoonful of porridge etc. And compare to just water!

OP posts:
OrangeSunset · 17/09/2021 13:13

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.

fellrunner85 · 17/09/2021 13:20

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.

Original poster
BrimfulOfBaba · 17/09/2021 16:05

@OrangeSunset thanks! That makes a lot of sense. Coffee and banana before a warmup sounds sensible.

OP posts:
soberfabulous · 17/09/2021 16:42

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

JaninaDuszejko · 17/09/2021 17:09

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.

devildeepbluesea · 17/09/2021 17:11

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.