Working out in the morning is one of the very best habits you can develop. Doing it in the morning will help regulate your appetite, boost your metabolism, and make you feel better about yourself. However, you may have several questions about making your morning workout more effective and productive. One common question is about what to eat before a morning workout to have enough energy throughout your exercise session. Keep reading to find out more about it.

Why Should You Eat Something Before a Morning Workout?

While it may seem tempting to get up and go straight to the gym, you should eat something before you start your morning workout. It is true that you will burn more calories and fat when you exercise on an empty stomach – that is mainly because glycogen levels are low after you wake up in the morning, so your body starts burning fat for energy. This sounds great, but in reality, you usually do not have enough stored fats and glycogen to fuel your workout in the morning.

The problem is that your body may not have enough fat to burn to provide you with energy for your morning workout, and that is when it starts using muscle tissue to fuel your workout. Your body may even break down your existing muscles and leave you hungry, which may as well lead to over-eating in the day. This will affect your workout performance, so it is important to eat something before exercise. But what can you eat before a morning workout? Also, it is equally important to understand that the size of your meal matters. Your body takes about 45 minutes to digest the food you eat, so you should eat something at least an hour before you start your workout, and of course, avoid massive meals.

What to Eat Before a Morning Workout

Here are some essential principles and morning workout food options to avoid making you feel heavy during workout.

1. Basic Principles to Remember

You should always follow the basic principles when determining what to eat the first thing in the morning.

• Be sure to drink at least a liter within the first hour of waking up in the morning. Keeping your body hydrated is of immense importance if you want to exercise in the morning.
• Eat something that does not take long to digest. Avoid anything with high fat or fiber content.
• Eat something that offers you a combination of carbs and protein.
• You may avoid eating anything in the morning if you are interested in fasted cardio. Still, it is important to drink plenty of water before your cardio session and eat something immediately after finishing your session.

Here are some suggestions for people who want to know what to eat before a morning workout:

2. Chickpeas

No cooking is involved in this pre-workout snack. All you have to do is eat1/4 to 1/3 cup of chickpeas – add some lemon juice to it for taste. You will get about 30g of carbs, 10g of protein, and 9g of fiber from a quarter cup of chickpeas.

3. Egg Whites

You can eat egg whites before your workout. You should avoid egg yolks because they contain fat, which may make you feel sluggish and bloated during your workout. You get about 4g of protein with no fat from a single egg white.

4. Dried Fruit

Enjoy dried fruit if you do not have much time before your workout. Simple carb in dried fruit provides you with instant energy. Eat about a quarter cup of apricots, dried berries, or pineapple to fuel your workouts.

5. Whole Grain Toast

Whole grains like brown rice and quinoa contain fiber and fast-acting simple carbs, which provide you with sustained energy throughout your workout session.

6. Greek Yogurt

Thanks to its rich protein content, you can always eat it before your workout in the morning. It contains less raw sugar as compared to regular yogurt and is easy on your stomach. You can also opt for cottage cheese if you are looking for a high-protein dairy option.

7. Steel-Cut Oats with Berries

If you ask what to eat before a morning workout, try this pre-workout breakfast. The steel-cut oats contain loads of carbs, which help keep you full during your workout, whereas the berries provide you with antioxidants to deal with workout-induced stressors on the body.

8. Bananas

You get high-quality complex carb from bananas. You get enough carbs from bananas to stay energetic throughout your workout, and you get potassium as well that prevent muscle cramps during exercise.

9. Apple Slices and Peanut Butter

It is a popular choice for gym-goers because you can make it any time you like. Do not eat much if you are going to do yoga. For other exercises, you can eat a larger portion of apple slices dipped in peanut butter for carbs and protein.

10. Fruit Smoothies

You can enjoy smoothies before you start your workout in the morning. Smoothies will keep you hydrated and provide you with enough carbs as well. While smoothies are good, you should avoid any sugary additives and include some protein to make them more effective.

11. Coffee and Milk

Instead of eating, you may consider sipping your pre-workout snack by opting for coffee with milk. A cup of milk with a cup of coffee will provide you with carbs and protein for sustained energy – you also get a kick from the caffeine in coffee to complete your workout with more energy.