So, am I supposed to eat breakfast before or after walking on the treadmill?

[Christy B]

This is new to me -- I am fitness challenged. I'm going to start walking on the treadmill first thing every morning. Scratch that -- second thing -- first thing is a big glass of water followed by a cup of coffee. Then, hopefully, I'll be awake enough to walk on the treadmill.

 

So, if I eat first, I'll probably have more energy, but if I don't eat first, won't I burn more fat? And that, my friends, is the whole point right there.

 

Enlighten me, oh fit ones.

[Carrie12345]

You should not exercise without eating before AND after.

I used to.

And I never made much progress, so there you go!

[Christy B]

You should not exercise without eating before AND after.

I used to.

And I never made much progress, so there you go!

 

Wait, I need to eat something before I exercise AND something after I exercise?! That's, like, twice as much as I'm eating now! (Actually, I think that's three times as much as I'm eating now, because I don't eat breakfast.)

 

Okay, you have to tell me how/why this works. (And I already assume that by "eating" you don't mean a donut, right?)

[JudoMom]

I eat after. I drink about 1/2-3/4 cup of coffee before I get around to exercising. I then prefer to shower and get ready before I eat breakfast (it seems when I started a couple of years ago that I heard you should wait 30 minutes after you finish exercising to eat). Then I have a bowl of Kashi shredded wheat cereal and more coffee.

[Carrie12345]

Lol. Not twice as much, but smaller amounts each time. And not donuts. :D

 

My understanding is that your metabolism doesn't kick in in the morning until you get some fuel in there. Exercise isn't just about the time you put in while exercising, but revving up your metabolism for the rest of the day. To keep it going in general *and to optimize the effects of exercise, you have to make sure you stay properly fueled. Not enough fuel, and your metabolism is going to slow down, making the exercise less effective.

 

I have NEVER been a breakfast kind of person, but I'm finally getting into the habit of at least having a Soy Joy bar or something with my coffee. My Jillian Michaels DVDs are sitting in my PO box, according to Amazon, so Monday begins my new Soy Joy, torture, scrambled egg whites routine. :lol:

[Christy B]

You should not exercise without eating before AND after.

I used to.

And I never made much progress, so there you go!

 

Oh, I found this article that explains it rather well, but I would still like to hear about your first-hand experience!

[lulubelle]

Really depends on you and how you feel. I would try not eating. And, exactly how much time you have before you walk. Some tend to get a stomach ache if eating before exercise. Plus, you probably want at least 30 min. before exercise to eat something light.

 

You will actually burn more fat if you don't eat and exercise within a reasonable time from waking.

 

I like to eat something if I am going to the gym and won't be back in the house for about 3 hours (weights, cardio, shower there and then run some errands).

[Christy B]

Hm, I can definitely see it both ways. I *think* after doing more research, that the only time you really should eat before exercising is if you're exercising first thing in the morning (which is the plan).

 

But it still makes sense to me that exercising without eating will burn more fat . . . I guess I will have to experiment and see what works for me. Rats, no easy answers!

 

Thanks for the advice, I'm off to walk!

[Tami]

I always eat something (especially carbs) before a workout. If you are going to expect your body to perform, it needs fuel. Skipping breakfast will guarantee that your body will have to pull fuel from somewhere in the body - and this is as likely lean muscle tissue as fat.

 

I usually grab a glass of milk and a banana or slice of wheat toast. I generally drink 2 cups of water upon awakening as well. Early breakfast and water drinking get the metabolism going right away. Post workout, I will have protein and some carbs: eggs and oatmeal, or a protein bar and milk.

 

Check out sparkpeople.com for tons of free resources. There is also a TWTM SparkPeople group that has lots of new and returning exercisers.

 

Good luck!

[unsinkable]

Oh, I found this article that explains it rather well, but I would still like to hear about your first-hand experience!

 

OK, I skimmed the article. It sounds like she is talking about a person who isn't trying to lose weight. Would the advice be different if you want to lose weight?

 

She also wrote that you might binge after a workout. To me, that is not a reason to eat before working out, simply b/c you MIGHT binge.

 

I'd do what feels best for your body. Try it both ways. See how you feel.

 

I can take a moderate walk (2 miles) before eating breakfast and I feel fine. If I push myself (say, jump up in the am and start heavy cleaning) I have felt light-headed and naueous.

 

BTW, I very rarely do this! I might do it to get the house ready for a party or holiday.

[unsinkable]

Really depends on you and how you feel. I would try not eating. And, exactly how much time you have before you walk. Some tend to get a stomach ache if eating before exercise. Plus, you probably want at least 30 min. before exercise to eat something light.

 

You will actually burn more fat if you don't eat and exercise within a reasonable time from waking.

 

I like to eat something if I am going to the gym and won't be back in the house for about 3 hours (weights, cardio, shower there and then run some errands).

 

I must have been typing while you wrote this. Didn't mean to sound like a copy cat!

 

(We're planning a trip to Boston in April!)

[Happy]

I'm a morning person who loves breakfast. :D I also love to exercise in the mornings. As a general rule, I'll have a cup of hot chocolate (my hot beverage of choice) or some water or juice, then walk.

If I eat, it will be toast or oatmeal, then read the paper, THEN walk. So I guess I wait 20 minutes or so before walking.

 

Try a few different ways and see which works best for you. The idea of all this is to create a new lifestyle for yourself. Finding what works best means you'll still be doing it a year or four from today.

 

Happy walking!!!!

[unsinkable]

I always eat something (especially carbs) before a workout. If you are going to expect your body to perform, it needs fuel. Skipping breakfast will guarantee that your body will have to pull fuel from somewhere in the body - and this is as likely lean muscle tissue as fat.

I usually grab a glass of milk and a banana or slice of wheat toast. I generally drink 2 cups of water upon awakening as well. Early breakfast and water drinking get the metabolism going right away. Post workout, I will have protein and some carbs: eggs and oatmeal, or a protein bar and milk.

 

Check out sparkpeople.com for tons of free resources. There is also a TWTM SparkPeople group that has lots of new and returning exercisers.

 

Good luck!

 

I thought that fat was burned first?!?

[Mom0012]

I remember watching a weight loss "expert" years ago saying that you would get much more out of your exercise program if you did it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. I think the idea was that rather than burning up the calories you had just eaten, you would be burning stored fat. Whether this is true or not, I do not know. I also know that when I'm dieting, I need to eat something before working out in the morning or I will not have the energy I need to really exercise.

 

Lisa

[OnTheBrink]

I read that you're supposed to eat within an hour of rising in the morning, to get your metabolism going. I used to eat after exercise, but with the time it took to do the workout, showering, dressing, etc, it was almost like I was skipping breakfast completely. So, this week, I've done breakfast first, wait half an hour, then exercise. I'll see if it makes a difference in my weight loss.

[Sharon in SC]

This is new to me -- I am fitness challenged. I'm going to start walking on the treadmill first thing every morning. Scratch that -- second thing -- first thing is a big glass of water followed by a cup of coffee. Then, hopefully, I'll be awake enough to walk on the treadmill.

 

So, if I eat first, I'll probably have more energy, but if I don't eat first, won't I burn more fat? And that, my friends, is the whole point right there.

 

Enlighten me, oh fit ones.

 

If your schedule suits and your goal is weight loss, it is better to wait at least one hour after exercising to eat. :)

[hihoboneo]

Remember that food is fuel for your body. Just like you wouldn't go on a road trip without gas in your car, you wouldn't want to exercise without food in your body. I usually eat both protein and carbs before a workout, and eat a little more protein after, with plenty of water before, during and after.

I notice a difference in energy if i don't eat enough before i exercise. One hour before is a good rule of thumb.

Bonnie

[Mommyof4ks]

I eat something with protein before exercise, and then cereal or something after. I don't know if it helps, but it gets me going, and I get enough calories in at breakfast so I do not graze all day long. Grazing is good if you eat apples and carrots, but I tend to go for chocolate and cookies.:D

[Elaine]

You should eat before you work out, a protein shake is a good idea. The others are right, you need to eat in the morning to get your metabolism going. After sleeping, your body goes into starvation mode and begins eating away at your muscle. So if you exercise without eating, you are not really burning fat, you are burning muscle.

 

This has been a hard pill for me to swallow, I am not a morning eater. I basically force myself so that my workout is not in vain.:001_smile:

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Definitely eat breakfast!

 

My dh spent 21 years in the Air Force, and was required to pass yearly physical exertion tests. One year, he just couldn't pass that stupid test. He was quite fit. He rode his bicycle almost every day, sometimes 50-70 miles at a time. But, he'd get on that stupid stationary bike at the base, with the monitors hooked up to his heart and breath rate, and he would bomb the test.

 

Finally, the tech or doctor doing the exam asked him if he ate breakfast. When dh said "No", they suggested he eat a good breakfast the next time, and they scheduled it for about 3 days later. Needless to say, he passed it with flying colors. He obviously hadn't gone from "wimpy" to "fit" in three days. Eating breakfast made ALL the difference.

 

Eat breakfast. Wait a little while if you tend to get stitches in your side from exercising on a full stomach. But, definitely eat breakfast. It will make a difference in how you perform.

 

ETA: If you eat a bit of carbs before working out, you will be "jump-starting" your body, and you will perform better. Perhaps you'll be able to walk 3 miles instead of 2, or go 5mph instead of 3. It may seem counterintuitive to put calories in when you're trying to work them off, but your body is a machine that needs fuel in order to work properly. If you haven't added fuel in over 15 hours, you need to stoke that fire to get things going. Then, you'll be able to work harder without feeling faint or dizzy or weak. In the long run, you will do more for your health by giving your body the fuel it needs in order to work harder. Your heart and lungs will thank you, along with all your muscles, and your waistline. It's more than just calories out>calories in. It's about total health. I'm rambling. I hope this makes sense.

Edited February 14, 2009 by Suzanne in ABQ

[lynn]

When I worked out first thing in the morning I'd have a banana or a handful of raisens and water.