Eating before my early AM workout

[MIGrlNTPA]

I hit the gym around 5:30am 5 days a week. It was suggested that I eat something before working out. Can anyone give me some quick meal ideas for 5:00am (when I have NO appetite)? After my workouts, I'll have oatmeal. Should I eat that before the workout and eat something else after??? Please advise. Thanks

[threenorns]

oatmeal (so long as it's the Real Deal and not those little packets) is an excellent pre-workout meal - add some toasted almonds and milk

you could also do fruit spread on whole-grain toast with a glass of milk

a fruit cup (mixed chunks of apple, banana, berries, and something tropical) with yoghurt

a boiled egg with toast and orange juice

etc.

[MIGrlNTPA]

oatmeal (so long as it's the Real Deal and not those little packets) is an excellent pre-workout meal - add some toasted almonds and milk

OH NO!!! What's wrong with the little packets. I swore by them.

Gosh Threenorns thanks for a all the great advice

[nate]

i used to eat toast with vegemite, but its way to high in sodium, so i switched to penut butter :>

[threenorns]

Originally Posted by MIGrlNTPA

oatmeal (so long as it's the Real Deal and not those little packets) is an excellent pre-workout meal - add some toasted almonds and milk

OH NO!!! What's wrong with the little packets. I swore by them.

Gosh Threenorns thanks for a all the great advice

lol - they're 45% sugar: way too many simple carbs. eating a lot of simple, processed carbs spikes your insulin, which encourages fat to deposit on your stomach.

[Lady C]

Even a Tiger's milk bar before a workout is better than nothing.

The little packets are fine as long as the only ingredient is "rolled oats'.

[Merrida]

This is interesting info....I thought that the packets of "instant oatmeal" were not as good as the oatmeal which takes longer to cook, because,...what made them "instant" was the processing and removal of the very fiber which takes all that time over the stove to heat up and soften.

My rule of thumb re: oatmeal was: The longer it takes to cook, the better.

I love Scottish Oats (chewy) -- because a serving size is more voluminous, the texture is heaven in the mouth (not pasty), and there's nothing else in there, no flavoring or sweeteners.

Even "plain" packets w/o sweetener, the kind you just add boiling water to,....seem so different, so soft, so mushy.

Lady C,....was I misinterpreting that information?

Now you've got me thinking,....where did I read that about trying to be sure to use the "long cooking oats" vs. the "instant packets." Hmm......brain strain now!

[Lady C]

Technically, the 'instant' stuff is not as good as the longer cooking stuff. The big difference between 'instant' packets of oats and the longer cooking is how much they are processed or rolled. Instant oats are smaller so they can cook with adding hot h20 and sitting for a bit. The longer cooking ones are only rolled slightly so they need to be cooked longer to soften. They technically don't remove the fiber unless it is removed with the smaller stuff during the processing.

What my point was if it didn't have all that added sugar it wasn't too bad for starters. Later as the taste buds and desires change the longer cooking stuff is what most people gravitate to liking.

[scud]

How much time before your workouts do you guys take ur pre-workout meal.

[pseudonym]

I usually eat about 30-45 minutes prior. I try and eat until I feel sick at all meals so if I really go overboard I wait a bit longer but usually a half hour is plenty of time (to be sure I am not going to lose any of my precious calories in an unfortunate gym hurling incident).

[threenorns]

half-hour to an hour, usually, especially if i'm doing squats, deadlifts, or similar bendy-overy type exercises - hate it when stomach contents get forced back up into my esophagus.

[Firehawk]

I suggest as your morning meal 30-40g of simple carbs, a few complex carbs, and good protein intake.