Q: I am a morning exerciser but not a morning eater. It is the last thing I want to do when I wake up. I have heard if I skip breakfast, I am doing my metabolism a disservice. Since I need to lose 10 pounds, I don’t want to sabotage my workouts.
– Ann Miller, Lancaster, Pa.
A: If you stop eating at about 7 p.m. and work out at 6 a.m., you have been fasting for 11 hours. This means your blood glucose (the body’s preferred fuel) is already low; add exercise and this level will go even lower. Since every cell depends on glucose for energy, exercising on an empty tank could hinder performance.
You might tire more quickly, working out at a lower level and becoming dizzy, getting headaches and feeling nauseous. The upside to giving your body a little pre-exercise fuel is better strength and a quicker post-exercise recovery, and more enjoyable, intense and satisfying workouts.
After hours of fasting, the body needs to top off the glycogen stores and have a little something to wake up the metabolism. Pre-exercise fueling does not have to mean a full English breakfast. A small, 100-
200-calorie snack high in carbs is adequate. Some options:
A banana, orange, handful of raisins or berries
A granola bar
Eight to 10 ounces of a sports drink
A fruit smoothie made with yogurt, fruit and honey (commercial smoothies are available in the dairy case)
Oatmeal or muesli
A piece of whole-grain bread with some cream cheese or peanut butter.
After your workout, a second, larger breakfast is in order, particularly one that includes some protein. Egg, lean meat, cottage cheese, a piece of cheese, dried fruit, nuts and yogurt all are good post-exercise foods that will restore your depleted resources. Also, be sure you are properly hydrated pre- and post-workout.
Some exercise proponents believe that working out first thing in the morning on an empty stomach increases the utilization of fat stores. This may work, but only for people who can maintain a high-intensity effort for at least 20 minutes of their exercise session.
If you have to cut the workout short or cut back on the intensity due to hunger, lack of energy or exhaustion, little “fat burning” will occur. If this is your experience, a little pre-exercise fuel will go a long way toward your weight-loss goals.
Since eating food before exercise is a new experience for you, be sure to start slowly with small amounts to let your body adjust to the new regimen.
Write to Body Language, The Denver Post, 1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202, or LJBalance@aol.com.
