What To Eat Before A 5am Workout – Many successful people make morning exercise a regular part of their work routine to energize and prepare for a busy day at work. It’s a great way to fit some essential self-care into your day, so no matter what happens, you’ve done yourself a favor by supporting your overall health and well-being. Studies also support the benefits of exercise for the mind and body.
While morning and evening workouts are also good, for many busy people the morning is their best time. My nutrition clients who greet the sun with their sneakers on say it’s because it feels good to get it out of the way and help them get into a can-do mindset so they can tackle whatever the day throws at you. Throw them away. It also eliminates the problem of trying to fit exercise time in with other after-work or time-consuming commitments whose schedules are unpredictable.
What To Eat Before A 5am Workout
A common question about morning exercise is: Should I eat before? If so, what to eat?
What To Eat Before A Morning Workout: 18 Snack And Breakfast Options To Try
Barbara J., a certified personal trainer and registered dietitian at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Chin said it was relevant. “Activities of lower intensity or for fun rather than performance outcomes may not require pre-meals, but are still recommended.” However, for more intense activities such as cardio (think running, cycling or swimming), strength training or exercise such as gymnastics, dance or martial arts, prior nutritional training is essential, he said.
If you’re not getting enough nutrition, she explains, “your body will probably slow down and tire more quickly. “You won’t be able to exercise as fast or as long, and you won’t be able to lift as much weight or do as many repetitions.”
“Our bodies need glucose for energy,” says Long Island, New York-based dietitian Lynsey Ziegelbaugh, who works with athletes of all ages. Carbohydrates eaten before exercise give us that glucose. If we exercise in a fasted state, glucose is not available to our muscles. This can lead to feeling weak, dizzy or light-headed.” He added that staying hydrated is also important.
What to eat before a workout depends on the type of workout, your weight, and how much you’ve eaten before. In general, if you want to eat easily digestible carbohydrates, if you’re eating less than an hour before training, you’ll want to go slow on foods high in fiber, protein, and fat, as these foods slow digestion and cause GI upset.
What Do You Eat Before Or After A Big Workout?
Many trainers, dietitians, and sports nutritionists divide carbohydrates into grams based on how much you eat before training. “For strength [or] endurance training, the best time to eat is one hour before exercise, with at least 30-40 grams of carbohydrates and 10-20 grams of protein,” Chin explains. “For cardiovascular [or] endurance exercise, the timing is more flexible, but the shape of those meals will vary depending on the type of meal.” He breaks it down for his clients like this:
To give you some practical examples of what these breakdowns can look like, consider these dietitian-approved pre-workout snacks:
Greek yogurt and strawberries are high in protein and fiber an hour or more before exercise [+].
All that being said, if you have a pre-workout snack that doesn’t fit these guidelines, the most important thing is that it works for you and helps you reach your goals.
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Ziegelbaum encourages her clients to try different things. “Eating before a workout requires trial and error, and I recommend experimenting with different pre-workout snacks and even getting up a little earlier to eat. A banana right before your workout can improve your morning workout performance. “Whether you’re squeezing in a few miles before work or are a morning person, getting those endorphins pumping is a great way to start the day.
Knowing which foods fuel your body best can make that early run more enjoyable, and leave you feeling energized and ready for the day.
Often, the best way to fuel up for a big morning run is to eat a good dinner the night before.
It’s not complicated. In fact, most of your regular home-cooked meals are worth the money.
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Of course you want to eat until you’re full, but be careful not to get too full! Craving yourself for food can harm the quality of your sleep, meaning you wake up sleepless and in no mood to run.
Most runners can run for up to an hour on an empty stomach without depleting their energy levels, especially if they ate a good dinner the night before.
Some runners may need pre-run fuel to keep them going, while other elite runners can run longer for a quick workout due to their economy.
If you choose to eat before breakfast, you must have digested your food well.
Ways To Fuel An Early Morning Workout
You’re not hungry or full, you want to feel your stomach is settled, and you want to have enough energy to get the most out of your run.
This balancing act may seem like an art form, but it’s simple if you follow these basic rules:
Most people drink coffee, and the majority (83%) of coffee drinkers enjoy a cup in the morning, and coffee is the foundation of many of our mornings.
For those of you who can’t even imagine getting up in the morning without a cup of coffee – we have good news!
I Hope You Eat Before Exercise
Besides all the deliciousness, coffee is a stimulant, which means it speeds up the firing of signals from the brain to the body.
Coffee has also been found to decrease your perceived exertion, which means your exercise will feel easier and, therefore, you can go harder.
Dr. Amber O’Brien of the Mango Clinic says a lot may not be necessary. “One cup of coffee is enough to prepare for production. Just one cup of coffee will increase your speed and endurance.
But be careful! If you’re sensitive to the effects of caffeine, a cup of joe in the morning can give you liver, or worse, gastrointestinal problems.
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Piling on food can make you feel heavy and uncomfortable – so think of a meal as a snack rather than a full meal.
Make easy-to-digest foods a priority – no one gets up hours before their morning run and sits down to digest their breakfast.
“Eat a low-carb, low-fiber, low-fat diet,” says registered dietitian Mackenzie Burgess. “It’s easy on the stomach and allows for quick digestion before training.”
For those runners who really struggle to get food in the morning, a sports drink or energy gel is a great pre-run option.
What To Eat Before A Workout
Slow and easy miles with a low perceived exertion (RPE) require less energy and are easier to break up, or stomach, than higher RPE hills.
If your morning run is a light jog of less than an hour, then skip it on an empty stomach.
But if you want to push yourself for your morning run, consistency is important. Choose a breakfast or snack as described above.
It’s great for keeping our gut healthy, but high-fiber foods are hard to digest.
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This means that if you eat a high-fiber breakfast before a run, you may feel bloated, heavy, and generally uncomfortable.
Because of this, it’s common for runners to call for fiber on big race days.
Of course, if any of these foods work well for you – great! Consider yourself a fiber monster and keep doing what you’re doing!
Fat takes a while to digest, and you end up with high-carb foods sitting in your stomach for a long time, leaving you feeling heavy and uncomfortable.
The Best Pre And Post Workout Breakfasts For Every Exercise Practice
Carbohydrates are a great fuel source before a run, but too much sugar can cause a spike in blood sugar, followed by a carb crash.
This means not stuffing your face with sugary sweets beforehand. It’s not okay to eat four candy canes, six chocolate chip cookies, or put 10 sugars in your coffee.
Looking for more inspiration? Check out this great and affordable energy bar recipe for breakfast!
Maria Andrews is a runner, adventure enthusiast, and UESCA-certified Ultramarathon coach. When she’s not hiking in the woods or planning adventures, she’s with her nearest and dearest, cooking up a storm, or working on marathon guide’s sister site, yogajala.com.
The Best Foods Eat Before A Morning Workout, According To A Dietitian
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