Finding the time to fit in a good workout in your day can be a workout in and of itself. Between work, school, taking kids to after school activities, making dinner, and binge-watching your favorite show, you can spread yourself thin. But exercise is important and you shouldn’t deny yourself the opportunity to be fit and healthy.
If you are an early riser, you may be able to squeeze in a morning workout. It isn’t easy for everyone to wake up at 6 a.m. and making breakfast that early takes time and energy as well. There will always be a debate on whether or not you should eat before or after you exercise. People have their own philosophies on this, but we are here to tell you that it is better to eat before you work out.
Working out on an empty stomach can result in low blood sugar and dizziness. People will argue that you can burn more fat when you exercise before eating. While there is truth to that, you also burn muscle mass when you deprive the body of fuel before exercising. Additionally, if you exercise on an empty stomach, you may lack the energy reserves to burn sufficient calories. Then the workout isn’t productive or beneficial.
When you exercise, the body uses sugar from cells for energy. If you don’t eat before you work out, the body burns through those sugars very quickly and begins burning fatty acids from fat stores in a process called lipolysis. This sounds good, but those who don’t eat before a workout don’t have the same stamina as those who eat before a workout. This means that you actually don’t burn all that much fat.
If you can’t get through a workout without a breakfast boost, make a fresh fruit & vegetable smoothie with vegan protein powder and raw almond butter. If you struggle with getting up in the morning, then it may be beneficial to prepare your breakfast the night before a morning workout. Smoothies are a great way to get a boatload of nutrients in your body to start the day. Acai bowls with granola or smoothie bowls are also great breakfast options before exercising.
When you have fuel to get you through your morning workout, you’ll find that you exercise more efficiently. You won’t be lazily going through the exercises; rather, you’ll be attacking your workouts with more energy and you will feel like a new person in the process. Start your day off right with a meal and a workout routine!
