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What to eat before an early morning workout?

post #1 of 34
6/9/10 at 6:13pm
Thread Starter 
Summer's getting into full swing, so I'm looking to bike as soon as I can after I wake up, before breakfast. It hits triple digits regularly, so the sooner I can get out, the better.

What should I eat in the morning for quick but sustainable energy? I'm usually riding for somewhere between half an hour to an hour (not including warmup). I'd like to stick to natural food, but I'd be open to a bar or drink / powder mix, too.
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post #2 of 34
6/9/10 at 6:52pm
You aren't doing centuries. I don't know your abilities, but I don't think cycling for an hour or under requires advance nutrition.
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post #3 of 34
6/9/10 at 8:15pm
I agree with Why. If you are really concerned about it, be sure to eat a good dinner or a light snack before bed so you have some calories to draw energy from in the morning, or just eat something light before you go out like a banana. The only way you are going to learn what is good for you is going out and trying it, your body might not react well with some foods.
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post #4 of 34
6/9/10 at 8:28pm
To OP: the most important thing is find out what works for you, as airblaster said. Personally, I don't like the feeling of an empty stomach, but I don't enjoy feeling bloated either. I find a banana works best, sometimes maybe a dry piece of toast or a small piece of chocolate. Experiment, since there is no magic to it in the end.

Quote:
Originally Posted by bkstone View Post
It is a bad idea to workout before breakfast. Your body is literally drained out of nutrition after sleeping a whole night without food. Eat a good breakfast with protein, vitamins, etc and drink some water. Wait a hour so your body can digest and put the food into your system and then workout.

Working out without first proper nutrition can cause you to faint during the workout or worse.

get out
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post #5 of 34
6/9/10 at 8:31pm
I've never really had a problem eating bigger meals before bike rides, unless you'll be out for a couple of hours (sudden poops can really put a damper on a good ride!). I would do more than a banana, and throw in at least some yogurt and granola, and DEFINITELY always bring along a Clif bar or something of the sort for mid-ride energy just in case you feel weak.

Of course, don't be afraid to play it by ear. If you're comfortable with a banana and water through the ride, that's best. If you're barely able to make it home after an hour because of lack of energy, grab some more thorough food, and be sure to give it time to settle. Your rides aren't too long, so unless you're doing Stage 5 riding for the entire .5/1 hour I wouldn't stress out too much about particular diet strategy, as long as you're getting your fill after the ride so the body can fuel the post-workout healing.

Good luck!
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post #6 of 34
6/9/10 at 9:07pm
I work out pretty early in the morning, too early to eat breakfast first, but I hit a wall pretty quick on a totally empty stomach. After tinkering around, I've settled on a banana, 12 oz. of milk, and half a Vivarin tablet. I call it Bana-NA-Xplode.
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post #7 of 34
6/9/10 at 9:13pm
If you are biking to lose weight, nothing. If you are biking to maintain, a cup of whole milk with coffee in it. If you are biking to train, as much as you need.
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post #8 of 34
6/9/10 at 9:26pm
I used to ride 2 hours before breakfast on nothing but a cup of coffee. Note that you'll have to stop to take a piss at some point.
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post #9 of 34
6/9/10 at 11:21pm
I work out really early in the morning as well, a few hours before breakfast. I eat a Cliff Bar (Oatmeal Raisin or Peanut Butter) and drink 32 oz of water in the car on the way to the gym. The Cliff Bar has about 250 calories and gives me enough to get through my workout and get ready for my day.
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post #10 of 34
6/10/10 at 7:15am
If you skip breakfast and do a tough workout, you launch a depleted body into even greater depletion. Say you burn 500 calories during the workout. By the time you eat later that morning, you may have dipped into an energy deficit of 1,600 calories (that is, 1,100 calories burned while you sleep, plus 500 from the workout). Now your body is famished for fuel. However, you may not feel hungry in this state because your body has shifted to starvation mode to preserve its resources. Diminished hunger is one of the side effects. But a lack of stomach rumblings doesn't mean your body doesn't need fuel"”it does. In fact, at some point it will demand more fuel"”you'll likely binge and go into a huge energy surplus to compensate. This ends up being a roller-coaster calorie ride for your body.
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post #11 of 34
6/10/10 at 8:17am
Allow me to retort:



Depletion workouts do not cause eating binges.
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post #12 of 34
6/10/10 at 12:52pm
If you eat an orange right before you work out you will burn more calories.
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post #13 of 34
6/10/10 at 1:03pm
If you dont eat before you workout, you will burn the most fat.

Your body will have no energy to burn because there is no fuel in your system left over from the night before. So depending on your goals I would think about that.

Just make sure to have a nice big breakfast afterwards, lots of protein and grain carbs (grits, oatmeal)
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post #14 of 34
6/10/10 at 1:15pm
Your body will have plenty of stored carbs for 30-60 minutes of cycling. You are not 'drained' or 'depleted' when you wake up; it's not as if you burn crazy amounts of energy while sleeping. Most mornings, I run 5 miles before breakfast on just a cup of coffee. Running in the morning on an empty stomach, I find that I'm fine for anything up to about 80 minutes. I can go longer than that, but I feel hungry towards the end.
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post #15 of 34
6/10/10 at 2:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bkstone View Post
It is a bad idea to workout before breakfast. Your body is literally drained out of nutrition after sleeping a whole night without food. Eat a good breakfast with protein, vitamins, etc and drink some water. Wait a hour so your body can digest and put the food into your system and then workout.

Working out without first proper nutrition can cause you to faint during the workout or worse.

LMAO you're a fuc**** idiot
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