Workout immediately after waking up ?

[SamFisherN]

Hi guys, My first post here

Intro: 26 yr old with 136lbs weight, looking for bulking up.

I recently switched to a new hectic work schedule, so I have decided to start working out in the morning to stay consistent.

Note: I have equipment and weights at home.
Here's my plan as of now:
1. Wake up
2. Eat a banana
3. Cycle / Treadmill
4. Weight training of two muscle groups
5. Shower
6. Post-workout food

Can any experienced members who lift in the morning help me out with the following doubt?

How long after just waking up and eating a banana should I wait before I start cycling/treadmill? (For the heart to be ready for the exercise & enough carbs to enter the bloodstream?)

I hear people saying the body needs to first fully wake up. Then food be taken and again wait till it is digested and only then start any form of workout and weight training.

For a busy schedule with least possible amount of time to be wasted in the morning, what do you all suggest?

[OldFartTom]

If you warm up the muscles and limber up (very quick stretching to warm up, not long hold stretching to increase flexibility) then start as soon as you want. Don't try to make it complicated.

[health4life24]

Just get up and workout don’t make it complicated.

[SuffolkPunch]

Just get up and workout don’t make it complicated.

^This

Nothing wrong with training without eating - so if the banana doesn't sit will in your stomach when you start training, it would be better to save until after. Your body isn't that sensitive to micromanaging food intake.

[SamFisherN]

Yeah, Didn't think of complicating things, but I heard working out on an empty stomach breaks up muscle as it is used as a protein source.
Which is against my goals of bulking up.
Hmm. Maybe this thread is more suited for nutrition forum.

[SuffolkPunch]

Yeah, Didn't think of complicating things, but I heard working out on an empty stomach breaks up muscle as it is used as a protein source.
Which is against my goals of bulking up.
Hmm. Maybe this thread is more suited for nutrition forum.

No need, you'll get the same answer there. Your body doesn't lose muscle because of training fasted, especially not if you eat straight after. It takes a sustained calorie deficit and/or chronic lack of overall protein intake to cause that.

Again, your body is not that sensitive to timing.

[Squid24]

I wake up at 4am...drink some water and start my workout by 4:30 am...no food in me until after I shower.

Everyone is different

[SamFisherN]

It takes a sustained calorie deficit and/or chronic lack of overall protein intake to cause that.

Again, your body is not that sensitive to timing.

@Suffolk Okay understood.
Thank you for clarifying.

[SamFisherN]

I wake up at 4am...drink some water and start my workout by 4:30 am...no food in me until after I shower.

Everyone is different

@Squid24 So that means a half hour time frame between when you wake up to when you start warm up for your exercises. Good to know a time gap.

How much time of cardio do you do before weight training?

When do you sleep? :P That's quite early.

[Squid24]

@Squid24 So that means a half hour time frame between when you wake up to when you start warm up for your exercises. Good to know a time gap.

How much time of cardio do you do before weight training?

When do you sleep? :P That's quite early.

I go to bed between 9-10pm.

No cardio before workouts, just warm-up sets.

The half hour gap is for me to totally wake up...lol

[health4life24]

I’m up at 3 am and working out by 330-335 am.

[WapanCakes]

Plenty of people lift fasted. If you don't feel any issue doing so, you can workout.

[etet1919]

No need, you'll get the same answer there. Your body doesn't lose muscle because of training fasted, especially not if you eat straight after. It takes a sustained calorie deficit and/or chronic lack of overall protein intake to cause that.

Again, your body is not that sensitive to timing.

How can anyone workout with INTENSITY (sorry,lol), power, energy, etc. without real food in their system an hour (or two) before weights? It seems counter productive to me, but I know some people do it? Thanks in advance, SP!

[SuffolkPunch]

How can anyone workout with INTENSITY (sorry,lol), power, energy, etc. without real food in their system an hour (or two) before weights? It seems counter productive to me, but I know some people do it? Thanks in advance, SP!

If your glycogen levels are topped out, there is enough in there for way way more than most people would do in the gym. If you were doing multiple endurance training sessions per day then I'd worry about ramming carbs in - but the 2-300 calories you burn lifting weights is easily coped with.

More often than not, feelings of energy are brought on by hormonal or psychological factors rather than actual glycogen availability IMO. The raised catecholomines (stress hormones) during a fasted state are actually a little like taking a preworkout for some people.

[etet1919]

If your glycogen levels are topped out, there is enough in there for way way more than most people would do in the gym. If you were doing multiple endurance training sessions per day then I'd worry about ramming carbs in - but the 2-300 calories you burn lifting weights is easily coped with.

More often than not, feelings of energy are brought on by hormonal or psychological factors rather than actual glycogen availability IMO. The raised catecholomines (stress hormones) during a fasted state are actually a little like taking a preworkout for some people.

Got your points. So, in other words, people train this way to "burn more stored fat"? On spread.

[Bob1950]

Morning workouts are good for me too. I feel more energy all day.

[etet1919]

Morning workouts are good for me too. I feel more energy all day.

Yeah, but do you lift heavy weights and do high intensity cardio in a "fasted state"? I'm not being sarcastic.

[SuffolkPunch]

Got your points. So, in other words, people train this way to "burn more stored fat"? On spread.

No, just for convenience. You won't burn more (net) fat unless you actually consume less in total for that day.

[health4life24]

How can anyone workout with INTENSITY (sorry,lol), power, energy, etc. without real food in their system an hour (or two) before weights? It seems counter productive to me, but I know some people do it? Thanks in advance, SP!

Because everyone is different. Your body has energy from the food you ate the day before. Remember, food has to be digested

[etet1919]

No, just for convenience. You won't burn more (net) fat unless you actually consume less in total for that day.

I have to spread some more rep around today....attitude isn't enough? JK!!!!

[etet1919]

Because everyone is different. Your body has energy from the food you ate the day before. Remember, food has to be digested

Believe me, I thought I had heard it all (in some cases seen it all) regarding everyone being different until I came on here....LOL...JK!!!!!! I truly am curious because I know for a fact I could never do what I do in the gym, almost every day, and NOT eat beforehand. And I have a very healthy appetite for my size. However, I would agree that staying hydrated is non-negotiable!!!

[Squid24]

For me, it's more about, I have too much sh!t going on after work....so I workout fasted and my weights are not bad for my age and injuries

[USMCSemperFi03]

I work out every morning right after I wake up. I wake up at 5am and am stretching by 5:15am. I drink a big glass of water and some BCAAs before and during my workout. I also drink a whey protein shake after my workout. I've had no issues with working out this way and feel I have plenty of strength. I wouldn't be able to workout otherwise as I have too much going on after work. I say do what works best for you.

[health4life24]

Believe me, I thought I had heard it all (in some cases seen it all) regarding everyone being different until I came on here....LOL...JK!!!!!! I truly am curious because I know for a fact I could never do what I do in the gym, almost every day, and NOT eat beforehand. And I have a very healthy appetite for my size. However, I would agree that staying hydrated is non-negotiable!!!

I used to eat too but when you gotta train at 330 am that doesn’t leave you with much time to eat before unless you wanna get up at like 230 lol so fasted it is

[etet1919]

I used to eat too but when you gotta train at 330 am that doesn’t leave you with much time to eat before unless you wanna get up at like 230 lol so fasted it is

All of your posts are so "on target." I believe that if you are disciplined enough to wake up every morning at 2:30 AM, you COULD PROBABLY find it within yourself to get up 10-15 minutes earlier to eat some complete protein source and a little bowl of cereal with lots of complex carbs.....unless you're downing a whey protein isolate shake instead? I'm not telling anybody what to do, not at all!! I'm genuinely surprised that some (maybe a lot?) of people who workout in the morning don't eat breakfast. I live for breakfast and my morning coffee.

[Squid24]

I live for breakfast and my morning coffee.

Me too, just after my workout....and I eat a lot.....all day sometimes

[Curmudgeon7]

These days I wake up at 5 and personally I don't feel great walking to the gym right after. I prefer to wait for an hour or so in order to warm up my body a bit. Usually when I workout right after waking up, I feel stiffness in my muscles even after warmup sets. So, I wake up, make some coffee and a fruit salad (normally just bananas, oranges and apples), plan my day and it ends up taking an hour or so until 06:30. I don't do any cardio.

[etet1919]

Me too, just after my workout....and I eat a lot.....all day sometimes

I'm that way also...I eat every few hours. I'm not sure if it's always because I'm truly hungry though. I think I don't stay hydrated enough...and that's why I just discovered I misread health4life's training hours. I might have told him to get up earlier than 2:30 AM to eat some cereal or bananas (I had to stay on topic). Sorry health4life.

[SamFisherN]

All of your posts are so "on target." I believe that if you are disciplined enough to wake up every morning at 2:30 AM, you COULD PROBABLY find it within yourself to get up 10-15 minutes earlier to eat some complete protein source and a little bowl of cereal with lots of complex carbs.....unless you're downing a whey protein isolate shake instead? I'm not telling anybody what to do, not at all!! I'm genuinely surprised that some (maybe a lot?) of people who workout in the morning don't eat breakfast. I live for breakfast and my morning coffee.

I too had the same thought. But food won't digest that quick. Atleast for me.
If I hit a gym just after 30min of food, my stomach gets weird. All gassy. Ugh..
If it's after an hour, I feel a lot of energy. I totally agree food helps.
BUT, sleep is important too for evey person. Waking one more hour early to eat will be counter productive.

Your timings of morning workout, gaps between wake up and food, between food and workout please?

[solphilos]

For the past 4 years my training has started 20 minutes after waking. Its not ideal, but I'm still progressing and consistency the important thing. Lift smart and lift when you can, don't worry about being ideal unless you have that luxury.
It is hard sometimes, but love the grind and you'll get used to it.

Also I never eat before lifting, just load up on protein and carbs at a late dinner and its all good first thing in the morning.