Thinking of switching to the morning...

[Uthinkso]

Right now I train after work three days a week. I'm going to be starting back in school come this fall, and was thinking of moving training to the mornings.

My two big questions are of course, what about diet, normally I have three meals in before I train now, will I get best results training on an empty stomach?

What effects will I see, strength wise and is there any advantage or disadvantage here.

 

[Hammerlynn]

I do morning cardio on an empty stomach but if I'm doing weights I have a scoop of protein before I go. I normally do weights at lunch so I've got two meals in before I go.

 

[goob]

I've always felt that workouts in the evening are far superior to morning workouts. I just don't have the strength first thing in the morning.
My evening workouts are x2 as effective.
If you think about it, you would have 3-5 meals worth of energy if you workout at night, but running on empty in the morning.
Also, in the evening, you've been moving about all day, joints, muscles etc will be stretched and mobile. You don't have this in the morning.

 

[vortrit]

I have the same problem somewhat. I work out at night but I am growing out of the 24 hour gym that I go to. I have another gym membership to a gym that has a far better setting for packing on the mass and right now I am going there one day a week. I am going to school too so it's hard to do since I work nights. I think I may have to start in the morning everyday next year though.

 

[Uthinkso]

I've always felt that workouts in the evening are far superior to morning workouts. I just don't have the strength first thing in the morning.
My evening workouts are x2 as effective.
If you think about it, you would have 3-5 meals worth of energy if you workout at night, but running on empty in the morning.
Also, in the evening, you've been moving about all day, joints, muscles etc will be stretched and mobile. You don't have this in the morning.

This is my line of thinking exactly. I would have to change my diet around a ton. I stack extra protein and carbs on my weight training days for extra energy. I rely on those meals pre-workout to get me that energy I need. Sure a shake in the morning will give ma bit of protein, but that hardly compares to three balanced meals. I think I may just have to work around things a bit.

 

[P-funk]

I can't believe that people still do cardio on an empty stomach.

 

[Quixote]

Empty stomach or not, doing cardio or not, we always need some energy sourses floating in our system.
Otherwise catabolic cannibalism will eat us alive inside out.

A banana does wonders in the morning.

About working out in the morning, my job may suffer the consequences afterward. Other than that I do not think of any reason not to.

 

[Hammerlynn]

I can't believe that people still do cardio on an empty stomach.

I do because I get sick if I eat. When I'm going on a long run though I get up an hour to hour and a half to eat though. My AM cardio is not more than 30-45 min. Still bad?

 

[Uthinkso]

I can't believe that people still do cardio on an empty stomach.

I don't know otherwise, so please tell me. Why is this bad???

 

[MCx2]

I've always felt that workouts in the evening are far superior to morning workouts. I just don't have the strength first thing in the morning.
My evening workouts are x2 as effective.
If you think about it, you would have 3-5 meals worth of energy if you workout at night, but running on empty in the morning.
Also, in the evening, you've been moving about all day, joints, muscles etc will be stretched and mobile. You don't have this in the morning.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[fufu]

I used to workout all the time in the morning. You adapt to it.

 

[KelJu]

I've always felt that workouts in the evening are far superior to morning workouts. I just don't have the strength first thing in the morning.
My evening workouts are x2 as effective.
If you think about it, you would have 3-5 meals worth of energy if you workout at night, but running on empty in the morning.
Also, in the evening, you've been moving about all day, joints, muscles etc will be stretched and mobile. You don't have this in the morning.

I am the opposite. I am strongest in the morning. Also, there is a physiological reason why morning workouts are better, or at least they are better for me. When you first wake-up, if you got plenty of sleep, you will have a mass abu8ndence of neurotransmitters that make you feel happy, healthy, and with a high wellbeing. I need all of those to workout to my max potential. I am a dopamine addict. I love the feeling of waking up after having slept about 8 to 10 hours. If I don't lag around and I get to the gym within an hour of waking up and eating breakfast, my lifts are much stronger than they would have been otherwise.

If I lift at night after work, my lifts usually suck balls.

 

[goob]

I used to workout all the time in the morning. You adapt to it.

Yeah, but not everyone has mad fu-manchu super skills......

 

[AKIRA]

The only times I didnt like working out in the morning is if I ate too much or nothing at all.

I started drinking half a protein shake (with milk) before I went. 1-2 slices of whole grain toast too.

I used to drink a full protein mix before I went to the gym in the morning for years. Always made me feel bloated. Until I cut down my caloric intake before lifting, I never had a good morning workout.

 

[fufu]

Yeah, but not everyone has mad fu-manchu super skills......

lawl, fu-manchu...

but seriously. I used to train in the morning all the time, I got used it. Then when I get back to school I train in the afternoon. Reently during spring break I trained in the morning and felt like I was gonna puke every workout, I was sucking wind. If I stuck with it I would have gotten better.

 

[AKIRA]

lawl, fu-manchu...

but seriously. I used to train in the morning all the time, I got used it. Then when I get back to school I train in the afternoon. Reently during spring break I trained in the morning and felt like I was gonna puke every workout, I was sucking wind. If I stuck with it I would have gotten better.

Considering tha latter, you should feel grateful.

 

[fufu]

Considering tha latter, you should feel grateful.

don't make me use that "roll eyes" emoticon!

 

[P-funk]

I don't know otherwise, so please tell me. Why is this bad???

do a search for it here. I have hashed this one out many a time.