Many people prefer not to eat anything in the morning before exercising. This is not a good idea because eating before workout will provide you with energy to complete your session with full power. You ate last night and it has been several hours since you have not eaten anything again. Your body will not have enough energy to perform optimally. Therefore, it is important to eat before morning workout.
Your body is like a car and it needs fuel to run smoothly. When you eat food, your body uses glucose to make glycogen that acts as a type of carbohydrate and fuels your muscles and body. It is important to have enough glycogen to perform your workout with intensity. Keep reading to learn what to eat before morning workout to provide your body with enough energy.
Eating Before Morning Workout: Goal-Specific
People who exercise in the morning do it with an idea to complete their training session with full energy because their body has had enough rest through the night. If you do not eat anything before you exercise in the morning, you are more likely to feel sluggish and drag through your routine.
Generally, for keeping-fit level of exercise, your pre-workout snack should be consisting mainly of carbohydrates with a bit of protein, accounting for less than 200 calories in total. Also, the food you choose should be easy to digest, such as a banana with yogurt.
In order to get an idea about what to eat before morning workout, you need to first establish your goal of exercising. For that there are two basic categories: weight loss and performance.
- Weight loss
If you exercise because you want to lose weight, you may start your day with a scoop of whey protein. Alternatively, you can take 10g of branched chain amino acids about half an hour before you exercise. The amino acids in the protein provide your muscles with power to complete strenuous workout – they will also prevent serious muscle breakdown. Other food choices also include a small bowl of whole-grain cereals with skim milk or a nutrition bar.
- Performance
When your aim is not to lose weight but to perform optimally throughout your workout, you should consider adding additional carbohydrates to your pre-workout meal. A sports drink with the amino acids or protein or 25g of carbs in the form of coconut water will do the trick. It will slightly increase your blood sugar level to provide you with power to complete your workout with intensity. Also, you can have a sandwich of whole-grain bread with lean protein and roasted vegetables.
Whether you are exercising to lose weight, optimize performance or keep fit, you should drink plenty of fluid before exercise. Keeping your body hydrated is essential. It is natural to feel dehydrated in the morning, so it is a good idea to drink at least 6-8 ounces before you hit the gym. You may also continue to drink water throughout your workout. You can even opt for a sports drink if you have a lighter pre-workout meal.
Suggestions for What to Eat Before Morning Workout
Smoothie
Take 6oz of Greek yogurt, a cup of raspberries, and half cup each of non-fat milk and ice cubes. Mix all the ingredients and you have a perfect smoothie ready. It energizes your body and helps lose weight because yogurt contains probiotics that improve digestion. Raspberries provide you with a good amount of fiber – a cup of raspberries has 8g of fiber and 60 calories. You will also get 24g of protein, 28g of carbs, and 206 calories from this pre-workout fueling.
Protein Shake
Take a cup of unsweetened almond milk, half piece of banana, a scoop of soy protein powder, and ¼ cup of strawberries. Mix them all and you have your protein shake before workout. It provides you with 18g of protein that help build lean muscles and have 5g of fiber that improves digestion. It also provides you with potassium that helps regulate electrolyte balance. You will get 205 calories from this protein shake.
Low-Fat Cheese + Whole Wheat Pita + Orange
When you want to know what to eat before morning workout,you can always prepare a meal with low-fat cheese. You canhave an ounce of low-fat cheese, an orange, and whole-wheat pita before your workout. Calcium and protein in the cheese will help build strong bones and muscles, whereas a whole-wheat pita keeps you full and provides you with energy throughout your workout. Orange has vitamin C that helps maintain insulin levels and improves your metabolism. It has 188 calories, 11g of protein, 4g of fiber, and 27g of carbs.
Whole Wheat English Muffin with Egg Whites
You need protein when you want to engage in strenuous exercise, and that is exactly what you get when you top your whole wheat English muffin with 4 egg whites. Eggs are loaded with protein and provide you with enough amino acids to help your body repair muscle tissues. The breakfast will provide you with 198 calories, 19g of protein, 1g of fat, 5g of fiber, and 1g of saturated fat.
Chickpeas
This can be one of the very best pre-workout snacks because it involves no cooking. You just need to eat 1/4-1/3 cup of chickpeas, but you can also use lemon juice for seasoning. It provides you with 30g of carbs, 10g of protein, and 9g of fiber.
Whole Grain Toast
People asking what to eat before morning workoutwill benefit a lot from whole grains like brown rice and quinoa. You will also get fiber and carbs that will keep you energized throughout your workout. Use some jam for topping to increase the number of carbs you get.
Maca
The Peruvian root maca is an increasingly popular choice as a pre-workout food. It serves as a natural supplement and improves stamina and energy. Many soccer players in South America eat maca before games to improve performance. You can add it to your yogurt or smoothie.