What to Eat Before Your Morning Workout
Morning exercise has a ton of benefits in the first place: it wakes you up, sets you up for success even before you fully start your day, and ensures you don’t forget to work out later. But there is a problem with the breakfast.
Do you need breakfast before your workout?
No, but it helps. Some people find that exercising on an empty stomach is more difficult than what they have already eaten before. It depends on the person, the training, and, to some extent, whether you are used to exercising on an empty stomach, though.
For an easy workout, such as a light jog or short workout, you may not notice the difference between a workout with and without breakfast. In this case, do what you like best. But expect breakfast to help:
- Cardio or high-intensity training, such as running fast or really high-intensity interval training.
- Long workouts, especially over 90 minutes.
- Any workout that makes you unusually tired, including heavy strength training.
If you have enough time in the morning, you can wake up, eat your regular breakfast, and then start exercising after about an hour. This routine works for many people, but some of us try to hit the road or to the gym as soon as possible after waking up. In this case, your choice of food matters more.
What’s the best thing to eat?
Carbohydrates provide quick energy, especially if you eat them in a form that your body can quickly process. These are mainly sugars and starches that are digested the fastest when not combined with a lot of fat, protein, or fiber.
In other words, it is different from what usually looks like a healthy meal. After training, you will have time to digest something a little slower. But if you need to eat right before your workout, choose mostly carbohydrates. Here are some traditional options:
- Toast
- Banana
- Oatmeal or oatmeal
You don’t have to eat only carbs if you don’t want to. Feel free to add some peanut butter to your toast if you like, or use yogurt, which contains both carbohydrates and protein. Experiment to see what comes out best between carbohydrates and delicious.
What if I don’t want to eat carbs?
It’s up to you, but make sure you are aware of the potential impact on your workout. If you’re on a keto or low-carb diet, it might make sense to consume some of the few carbs you eat right before your workout. And if you’re using intermittent fasting as part of your weight loss strategy, you’ll need to balance the pros and cons of eating breakfast before exercise. Again, a small snack can help you get more energy for your workout without breaking your diet.
Sometimes people train on purpose because it “burns fat”, but this is true only formally. If I want to keep more money in my bank account, I can pay for something in cash instead of using a debit card. But in the end, all of my money is still my money, no matter how I made the individual purchase. Choosing one payment method over another doesn’t make me richer.
Likewise, “burning fat” while exercising does not affect the amount of fat in your body at the end of the day. You can burn 200 calories of carbs in your breakfast or 200 calories of fat and then eat 200 more calories. What matters is the overall calorie balance, not the metabolic details of what substrate mitochondria bite into during exercise.
What if I can’t eat in the morning?
There are several solutions to this problem. First, you can skip breakfast; some people prefer to exercise on an empty stomach because it is easier and they accept a little fatigue. You may also want to wake up earlier to digest your food, or simply reschedule your workout later in the day.
But usually there is something to eat if you feel like it. Drinks are often easier to digest than foods, so try skim milk or almond milk and consider using sweetened milk (like chocolate milk) or adding something like honey for extra carbs. I used to think the “shake” should be a large smoothie full of fruit, ice, protein powder and peanut butter, but these days I recommend just one cup of chocolate almond milk, with or without whey powder, before training. to start your daytime protein.
If you really can’t eat before exercise, can you eat during exercise? For long workouts, nutrition during exercise is beneficial. This usually means workouts longer than 90 minutes, but there is no law prohibiting taking breakfast with you for a shorter workout. If you run, grab some of the gel packs that marathon runners and endurance cyclists use when racing. If you go up, mix the cocktail and bring it with you to drink between sets.
In the end, the best breakfast is one that you only discover firsthand. Don’t be afraid to try new things: if you are currently exercising without breakfast, a few toasts beforehand can make a difference day and night. Experiment and see what works for you.
Updated 4/9/2021: to the sentence “If you really can’t eat before your workout, can you eat during it?”