WHAT TO EAT BEFORE A MORNING WORKOUT?

So, you’ve decided to up your workout routine by getting an early start. You probably don’t want to start your new routine with a full-flown breakfast, but you will need sustenance to complete the best workout possible. So, whether your morning workout begins at 4 a.m. or 7:00 a.m. or later in the morning, here are so tips on what to eat for optimal nutrition as well as results.

EATING VS. FASTING AS PART OF YOUR MORNING ROUTINE

You may find when your morning workout is super early, 4:00 a.m. or so, you may not be hungry at all. A few people have more effective morning workouts while still fasting. For most people, there are only a few foods that enhance their workout, providing the needed energy and helping with post-workout fatigue. Check out our recommendations below for some pre-workout snacks to get you going.

WHY EAT BEFORE YOUR MORNING WORKOUT?

Eating (fueling) before your morning workout helps energize you and keeps you from dragging your way through the workout. Eating the right breakfast means less muscle breakdown and serves to enhance the quality and intensity of your workout. The best option is a smaller meal (more of a snack) unless you are rising early enough to eat a full breakfast, wait 90 minutes to digest sufficiently, and then work out.

For you, this may mean getting up even earlier, but instead, you could simply have smaller portions than you would choose in a normal, non-workout day breakfast. In doing so, you decrease the time needed to digest.

Pre-Workout Breakfast Snacks

If you are among the earliest of risers in the morning, you’ll want a breakfast that is quick and easy – to prepare and eat! The goal here is to get the right balance of protein and carbs in small quantities to fuel your workout and boost your energy. Try eating these super easy options before your early morning workout:

• A hardboiled egg with a piece of toast
• A spoonful  of your favorite nut butter and ½ banana
• A teaspoon of cream cheese, goat cheese, or another favorite on a mini bagel
• Dried fruit (1/4 cup)
• Power bar with protein

If your workout comes a bit later (no judgment here – sleep is important for your health too!) then consider some of these recipes: 

HEALTHY, DELICIOUS BREAKFAST RECIPES [Boost Energy & Control Hunger]

OATMEAL

Serve yourself steel-cut oats and add a twist to it! 

Yummy, healthy toppings to add to your oatmeal:

• Chia seeds
• Hemp hearts
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Almond butter

PUMPKIN SPICE OATMEAL (SERVES 4)

Start the day right with this healthy dish. Add to your slow cooker:

• 1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats
• 7 oz. canned pumpkin
• 1/8 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/8 tsp salt

Then stir in:

• 3 cups water
• 1 cups unsweetened coconut milk
• ½ tbsp vanilla extract

Cover and cook on low for five hours. Remove lid and let stand for 15-20 minutes. Serve as is or with maple syrup, dried berries, and healthy nuts.

BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE BOWL

Load your breakfast bowl with delicious items such as coconut shavings, berries, seeds, nuts, and more! 

Here’s one of our favorite recipes:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of frozen strawberries and/or mixed berries
• 1 frozen banana and ½ banana at room temperature 
• 1-2 cups of your choice of milk, almond milk, soy milk, or other (Depending on how creamy you like it)
• Handful of healthy raw, unsalted nuts and seed toppings such as walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, pomegranate seeds (and any others of your liking)
• Handful of raw coconut shavings
• Goji berries

Directions:

• Blend all of your frozen fruit and almond milk and pour into a smoothie bowl
• Top your bowl with a sliced banana (room temperature) and any other fruits, nuts, seeds, coconut shavings
• Drizzle with peanut butter, honey, or agave to add a little extra flavor! (optional) 

AVOCADO TOAST

Ingredients:

• 1-2 slices of whole-grain bread
• 1 avocado
• Half a lemon
• Salt, pepper, or “everything seasoning” which has a mix of a few different salts and spices

Directions:

• Toast whole-grain bread 
• In a bowl, smash your avocado by pressing your fork to mash it against the sides
• Once your bread is toasted, top with your smashed avocado, squeeze your lemon over the avocado and add salt, pepper or an everything seasoning to taste!

Additional toppings to add a little more to your avo toast:

• tomato
• egg
• lox
• red onions (pickled onions or raw)
• hummus

SPINACH & BERRY SMOOTHIE

 Start your day on a colorful note and even eat your breakfast on the go! A smoothie can be loaded with all the nutrients to keep you going until your next meal. 

Easy 5-Ingredient Smoothie:

1. Almond milk
2. Spinach
3. Strawberries
4. Raspberries
5. Banana

Pro tip: Add protein powder (of your choice) to keep yourself full and satisfied for longer

OMELET

Create yourself a delicious egg-white omelet and start your day with power and energy! 

Ingredients:

• 2-4 Eggs
• ½ cup of Mushrooms
• Turkey (1 piece of deli meat or about a 1/4 cup of rotisserie)
• 1 cup of Spinach
• ½ or 1 ripe avocado

Directions:

• Cut your mushrooms into halves/fourths (depending on how big you like your mushrooms)
• Break apart or cut your turkey into small pieces
• Spray your pan with olive oil, avocado oil or coconut oil and adjust the heat to medium
• Add your egg whites into the pan 
• Add your mushrooms, spinach, and turkey pieces and let cook on medium or a little less than medium heat
• Slice your avocado
• Once your omelette is ready, slip it out of the pan, fold in half with a spatula and top with your sliced your avocado 

RECIPES TO TRY WITH YOUR OVER RIPENED BANANAS

The majority of over ripened fruit end up in our compost bins, but there are a couple of fruits that create delicious snacks once they reach that stage. Bananas are one of the best fruits for these snacks because the concentrations of sugar intensify and the taste is at its peak. So with that thought in mind, here are the top recipes to try with overripe bananas:

• Banana nicecream: Did you know that you can make decadent, creamy ice cream out of bananas? All you need to do is freeze a few ripe bananas and blend them with a splash of almond milk (or your choice of milk) until they reach a dreamy texture.
• Banana bread pancakes: mix mashed bananas, small pieces of pecans, and add baking powder to give the end result a bit of fluffiness. Then add two eggs, oats, and nutmeg to the mixture. These pancakes will make you feel like you’re having breakfast at a 5-star restaurant.
• Moist and chewy banana oatmeal breakfast cookies: for something tasty and healthy to snack, on these cookies are great. To start, mix together mashed bananas, vanilla extract, egg, sugar, brown sugar, and butter. Then add cornstarch, cloves, baking soda, cinnamon, and flour. Stir in oats and place onto a baking tray in an oven pre-heated at 350 degrees. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Strawberry banana colada smoothie: use a blender to mix together coconut milk and bananas until a smooth texture is achieved. Then add spinach and continue to blend. Then add coconut ice cream, Greek yogurt, pineapple, and strawberries to the blender. Blend it all together until a consistent color and texture is achieved.

MAKE THE BEST CHOICE FOR YOU

No one knows your body like you – from food to sleep to exercise – make the choice that works best for you. Doing so will help you stay motivated and energetic for your morning workout. And, we’re always ready to help, so please feel free to contact us – NW Women’s Fitness Club for advice on what to eat before your next morning workout with our Nutrition Program.