1) Break the fast! When you wake, your body is in a fasted state, “starvation mode”, and will hang on tightly to calories (slow your metabolism) until you “break the fast” by eating, thus SPEEDING up your METABOLISM!
2) Your MUSCLES and TUMMY will FEEL better -- once you’ve found what works for you!
3) You will have more ENERGY to exercise harder -- HIGHER INTENSITY!
Now it’s a chain reaction starting with HIGHER INTENSITY EXERCISE...
4) Your post-exercise metabolism will increase more -- you’ll BURN MORE CALORIES for the the next 10-12 hours! ...because the level of increase is dependent on exercise intensity.
5) Your FITNESS will improve more than working at a lower intensity -- obvious, but still great!
6) Increased fitness will allow you to exercise EVEN HARDER next time, or make similar exercise seem EASIER!
7) Finally, if your mode of exercise requires ALERTNESS (outside, alone in the dark) or CONCENTRATION (basketball at the gym), you will definitely experience improvements in these areas with some eats!
I like to eat, SO any time it would be BETTER for me to eat, than not to, is pretty awesome!
WHAT to eat? Anything! CARBOHYDRATES are mainly what you want! Perhaps with a little protein. 100-300 calories is about right for most people.
...Normally (any non-exercise-related time really), I recommend a well-rounded combination of carbs including fiber, protein, and healthy fat.
Here are some EXAMPLES:
WHEN? Well, right away! If you can wait any amount of time to exercise, your tummy might appreciate it!
Now go for it! I’m sure you have something on hand that will work!
TELL ME IN A COMMENT! Do you eat breakfast before morning exercise? What do you eat? Have you ever tried and it didn’t go well?
Here are some EXAMPLES:
- Banana or other fruit, 100% fruit juice
- Whole wheat toast, PB&J sandwich, oatmeal, cereal, whole wheat crackers
- Non-fat milk, yogurt, kefir
- Larabar, Laraballs!, granola bar, sports bar
- Non-breakfast-y foods work too: pizza, rice, beans, hummus, pasta, leftovers
WHEN? Well, right away! If you can wait any amount of time to exercise, your tummy might appreciate it!
Now go for it! I’m sure you have something on hand that will work!
TELL ME IN A COMMENT! Do you eat breakfast before morning exercise? What do you eat? Have you ever tried and it didn’t go well?
