Should I Eat Before a Morning Workout?
Many people are uncertain about whether they should eat breakfast before a morning workout. Some people opt not to because they think it will make them feel too full before hopping on the treadmill. Others believe that fasted workouts enhance fat burning — a widely held misconception. However, getting in a quick bite before is key to maintaining energy levels and preserving muscle to maximize training efficiency. Let’s take a look at the science behind this.
The Role of a Pre-Workout Breakfast
Consuming a small breakfast before your workout can provide your muscles with immediate energy that they wouldn’t normally have after an overnight fast. This is particularly crucial for longer workouts (exceeding one hour), where food intake is necessary to prevent the depletion of the body’s glycogen (energy) stores.
Our bodies have baseline energy requirements; however, when we start moving more and more strenuously, the need for energy (and quick energy) becomes more and more necessary. Our body uses glucose as the preferred energy source because it is broken down and metabolized the quickest. You may be familiar with this term and associate it with “blood glucose”. That is the first place it goes before being transported into our cells, where it is then used for energy (thanks to the hormone, insulin).
Glycogen, the body’s storage form of glucose, varies in quantity among individuals but typically totals around 500g in muscles and 80g in the liver. These reserves are used as energy during periods of moderate to intense physical activity or fasting when blood glucose levels do not meet all of our energy needs. While muscle glycogen is the primary source of energy during intense exercise, blood glucose becomes an increasingly important source of energy as muscle glycogen stores deplete. If you exercise before eating, you have not yet replenished your blood glucose energy and may be at a greater risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). This is because the liver glycogen is essentially depleted after a 15-hour overnight fast. While a short workout, such as a walk or brief cardio session, may not necessitate a pre-workout meal, extended exercise of approximately 60-80 minutes can significantly deplete glycogen stores. Eating beforehand helps reduce early fatigue, dizziness, nausea, and the risk of injury, thereby enhancing workout performance.
What Should I Eat Before a Workout and When?
A pre-workout breakfast should be rich in carbohydrates and low in fat and fiber to facilitate easy digestion. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose in the body and, therefore, are the preferred source of energy because they provide quick energy (not only to the body but to the brain as well!). The quantity and timing of food depend on the workout’s duration:
For a shorter duration workout (less than 60 minutes):
Eat 30 minutes to 1 hour before the workout.
Examples:
Fruit (such as an apple, banana, or small bowl of melon)
Piece of toast or ½ bagel with peanut butter
Applesauce cup or pouch
Bowl of low-fiber cereal and milk
For a longer duration workout (more than 60 minutes):
Eat 1 to 2 hours before the workout.
Examples:
Bagel with banana and peanut butter or jam or low-fat cream cheese
Oatmeal bowl with peanut butter and dried fruit
Low-fiber cereal with milk
Fruit smoothie with milk and fruit
Scrambled eggs with toast
What Should I Eat After a Workout and When?
It is essential to restore glycogen stores after exercise to replenish the energy lost and provide energy for the remainder of the day. Combining carbohydrates and protein will give your body energy and stimulate more muscle-building after exercise. Aim to get about 1 serving of protein in the hour following your workout, along with your carbohydrate source. Protein is also best utilized by the body when it’s spread throughout the day (every 3-5 hours), so it’s important to have protein with every meal when training. Here are some examples of meals to have following a workout:
Cheese omelet with toast
Protein shake and a banana
Grilled chicken with rice and vegetables
Quesadilla with meat or beans and veggies
When talking about fueling for workouts, it’s also important to be mindful of the language we use around movement. Exercise doesn’t have to be about burning calories or “earning” food. It’s about supporting your body in ways that feel good and sustainable. Whether you’re walking your dog, heading to a morning yoga class, or training for a race, movement is more effective and enjoyable when your body is nourished and energized. Thinking of food as fuel, rather than as something to restrict or compensate for, helps build a healthier and more positive relationship with both eating and exercise.
At CV Wellbeing, our dietitians specialize in helping you explore nutrition and movement in a way that aligns with your body’s needs, free of diet culture and one-size-fits-all rules. If you’re curious about how to better fuel your workouts or want support in building a balanced relationship with food and movement, we’d love to connect with you. Reach out today to schedule a session.
