Have you ever wondered what you should eat before a morning workout?
Some people exercise on an empty stomach and only fuel up after a morning workout.
Others (including me) prefer to fuel up before and after a morning workout.
If you plan to eat before a morning workout, timing is an important factor for what and how much to eat.
When you do an early morning workout within one hour of waking up, have a smaller and/or liquid meal before the workout.
For example, I always drink a small smoothie before our weekday 6:30 am ASC workouts. It contains 8 ounces of water, one scoop of unflavored whey protein powder, a banana, some cinnamon, and some spirulina.
This pre-workout smoothie is about 200 calories, has about 20 grams of protein, and is easily digested.
Bonus tip: Make the smoothie the night before and store it in your fridge overnight, so it’s cold and waiting for you when you wake up. That way, you have one less thing to do in the morning.
If you are doing a workout more than one hour after waking up, you could opt for a larger pre-workout meal.
For example, I always eat an omelet with some fresh fruit and oatmeal before our 9:00 a.m. ASC Fast workouts on Saturdays.
I eat breakfast on Saturdays between 7:00 and 7:30 am and then have 90-120 minutes to digest before we start the workout at 9:00 a.m.
Whatever you choose for your pre-workout meal, make sure you drink at least 16 ounces of water before a morning workout, and drink even more when it’s very hot outside.
About the Author
Pete Leibman is a well-being and peak performance expert and the Founder of Arlington Sports Conditioning (ASC). Over the last 15+ years, Pete has helped thousands of people get faster, stronger, and fitter. Pete is the author of two books and more than 300 articles. His work has been featured through Fox, CBS, Fortune, Business Insider, and many others.
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