What to eat before an early morning workout for quick energy. The best foods that won’t bother your stomach.
Finding the time for fitness isn’t always easy, and working out in the morning may be your only option. But the combination of wanting to soak up every minute or sleep and not feeling hungry in the morning may lead you to skip the pre-workout meal in the morning.
Not only does food give you energy for exercise, but it also jumpstarts your metabolism. This article will touch upon the best foods to eat before an early morning workout, why it’s important to eat before a workout and what foods to avoid in the morning.
Should you eat before a morning workout?
The body stores carbs in the liver and muscles–this is called glycogen. These carbs, as well as the ones you eat, are the primary fuel source for a workout.
After fasting for 8+ hours while asleep, your glycogen stores are basically depleted. And if you don’t eat anything, that means you’ll be running on empty (literally). The end result is super low energy during a workout.
I know what you’re thinking… “I’m already waking up at the crack of dawn to workout, and I really don’t feel like eating that early.” Maybe it’s 5 or 6am, and food just doesn’t seem appealing. Or maybe you’re concerned that you’ll eat the wrong things and get a side stitch or stomach ache.
But you can rest assured that choosing the right pre-workout snack or meal in the morning can only help you. It does take some trial and error to find out what’s the right food for your body early in the morning, but it’s worth it once you figure it out.
Does working out on an empty stomach burn fat?
Working out on an empty stomach (aka fasted workout) is a heavily debated topic in health magazines and on social media lately. Those that work out fasted swear by the benefits, while most Registered Dietitians don’t recommend it.
It’s well known that the body uses stored carbohydrates, known as glycogen, and dietary carbs as the primary fuel source for exercise. But what happens if you starve the body of carbs?
The body turns to fat stores to break them down for energy.
That sounds awesome, right?! Well… breaking down fat is harder on the body and takes more energy than using carbs. There is some merit to this, as some research suggests that working out in a fasted state may reduce body fat percentage.
That said, there is also research to show that working out in a fasted state will decrease overall performance, which can affect muscle gain.
Since fasted workouts use fat as the primary fuel source for energy, it’s natural to assume that they will help with weight loss.
But a fasted workout alone is not enough to help you lose weight. You need a mixture of a well-balanced diet, a calorie deficit and exercise in order to lose weight. [Related: 6 Healthy Tips For Runners To Lose Weight]
Some research even suggests that fasting before a workout can make you hungrier later in the day, which can lead to overeating.
Can I do a short workout on an empty stomach?
If you’re working out for less than 60 minutes, you may think that fasting before a workout is not a big deal.
If you want to workout fasted and you feel fine doing so, then go for it! Just keep in mind that although you feel good, you may feel even better if you were to eat a little something.
Sometimes, eating enough the night before may increase glycogen stores so that you might have enough fuel for a morning workout. That means eating a large dinner with plenty of carbs, protein and fats, which will sustain you in the morning.
This all comes down to trial and error. If you feel like working out on an empty stomach works better for you, then that might be the case! But if you don’t eat before a workout, make sure you eat some recovery foods immediately after. This will prevent you from overeating later in the day. [Related: 10+ Best Recovery Foods For Vegetarian Athletes].
Take the guesswork out of fueling with a FREE 7-Day Vegetarian Athlete Meal Plan!
What to eat 30-60 minutes before a morning workout?
If you’re waking up early for the gym, there’s a good chance you are eating about 30-60 minutes before a workout. In that case, opt for a food or drink that is mostly made up of simple carbohydrates. These are easy to digest and won’t sit in your stomach and cause GI distress.
You really need to experiment with the amount of food you eat before an early morning workout. My suggestion is to choose one thing on this list and see how it makes you feel. If you feel hungry, add another option. If you have stomach issues, eat half of that one thing.
Below are 10 easy grab and go options that require little to no preparation on busy mornings.
1. Banana
Some of my clients call bananas “potassium sticks” because they are packed with this important electrolyte. That said, they are also rich in easy to digest simple sugars.
Plus, bananas won’t bother your stomach. As a matter of fact, they are recommended to people who recently had a stomach virus as a tolerable food. If you feel like you can eat a little more, put a tablespoon of nut butter on your banana.
Recipes with banana:
2. Dry cereal
Cereal is packed with carbs, which is what you’re body needs before an early morning workout. Look for ones that are lower in fiber and added sugar.
Some of my favorites are plain Cheerios, Chex, Puffins and Life Cereal. Grab a few handfuls before a workout and shovel them into your mouth. There’s no need for milk, which may cause some GI trouble if eaten too soon before a workout.
3. Granola
Although granola is often thought of as a healthy food, it’s actually just some oats covered in sweeteners. That’s really what your body needs before a workout. Oats are a healthy carb that can be digested quickly. And a little sugar doesn’t hurt right before exercise.
Granola recipes:
4. Apple sauce
Apple sauce is a mixture of pureed apples, spices and sometimes a hint of sweetener. Since the apples are usually peeled before making the sauce, it’s low in fiber and high in digestible carbs.
If you’re feeling adventurous, try some apple butter instead. It’s made in the slow cooker, so you can set it and forget it!
5. Dates
I love dates so much. They are so naturally sweet, delicious and nutritious. And they work really well in low-sugar desserts. Whenever I feel like I need a little extra fuel before a workout, I pop 2 or 3 dates in my mouth and enjoy their sweet taste and quick-acting carbs.
Dates are also the perfect base for simple energy balls. These Peanut Butter Pretzel Date Energy Balls have the right combo of carbs for a pre-workout snack.
6. Dried Fruit
There are other dried fruits that work just as well as dates for pre-workout fuel. For example, raisins, dried apricots, dried mango, dried apples, dried watermelon and dried pineapple. I recommend looking for options that don’t have any added sugar, since the dried fruit is naturally sweet enough on its own.
Recipes with dried fruit:
7. Honey or Maple Syrup
Speaking of sugar, some people feel like they can’t eat anything in the morning, so they prefer to take a spoonful of honey or maple syrup. Since these options are essentially just sugar, they provide some quick acting fuel that will give you energy for about 20-30 minutes.
If you’re working out for longer than 30-minutes, you may need to stop to eat something. Try a banana!
Recipes with honey and/or maple syrup:
8. Homemade Sports Drink
Many sports drinks on the market contain unnecessary additives, colors and flavors, but you can make your own at home with just three key components–fluid, electrolytes and carbs. The carbs in sports drinks help provide energy for exercise, and this is a great option for people who can’t stomach real food in the morning.
[Related: 3 Homemade Sport Drink Recipes and What Makes A Sport Drink?]
9. White toast
White toast is lacking in the protein and fiber department, which means it won’t keep you full for long. That said, because it’s pretty much just carbs, white toast is easy to digest and provides quick acting energy. If you like the taste of something starchy in the morning, opt for a slice of white toast.
10. Potato
If you have some leftover white or sweet potatoes from the night before, stick them in the microwave and eat for breakfast. Potatoes are full of incredible starchy fuel that is easy to digest. [ Related: 11 Healthy Carbs For Athletes]
Potato recipe:
What not to eat before a morning workout
Now that you know the best simple breakfasts to eat before a workout, here are some suggestions for what not to eat before an early morning gym session:
- Avoid fatty foods, like sausage, bacon and cheese (or plant-based versions of these). Fat sits in the stomach for a long period of time and causes indigestion during a workout.
- Do not eat spicy foods that will cause heartburn, reflux or burping.
- Stay away from foods with a lot of fiber, like beans, cruciferous vegetables or any other veggies that cause you gas.
- Only drink coffee if you do so regularly and it does not cause your stomach distress.
- Do not eat anything too heavy, like a buttery croissant or fried donut. Although these may seem small, they have a lot of fat and calories.
Very helpful article.
I am trying banana + dates + raisins from tomorrow.
From next week, I will try adding peanut butter as well.
Regarding, Homemade Sports Drink! For fluid I can have almond milk; for carbs I can have banana, dates and/or raisins. What about electrolytes? Any suggestion.
Thanks and Regards
I should try this! Recommendations are easy to prepare and remember. And reminds me to eat first before going to an exercise in the morning.
Couple of mouthfuls of dry toasted muesli… Done, now 6am gym session here I come. 💪
Get after it!