Good early morning routine

Random

I'm thinking of heading to the gym in the mornings before work. Up for half 6.. yah .. sounds daunting but it may have to be done. (anyone who knows me and is reading this thread is now laughing histerically... glad to oblige! )

I'm looking for advice on where to start really? Primary goal is weight loss.

I've really not been to a gym in ages and I'm beyond unfit.

So where do I start? I do wanna make an impact.

Should I have a decent breakfast before I go or when I finish?
I enjoy swimming, how's an hour of that? Should I do more?


Thanks for any advice lads.

siochain

Some of the gyms do early morning spinning classes which are excellent for loosing weight. This combined with no breakfast the body burns its fat stores so you will burn up more that doing the class later in the day. If you alternate 1 hour of cardio then one of weights the next morning for the 5 working days you will be an effective calorie burning machine.
Even though it’s hard to get out of bed a morning workout sets you up for the day both mentally and physically.

Go for it…

Gillo

siochain wrote: »

Some of the gyms do early morning spinning classes which are excellent for loosing weight. This combined with no breakfast the body burns its fat stores so you will burn up more that doing the class later in the day.

Surely, starving yourself for eight hours and then going to the gym is definetly not a good idea, if fact I'd go so far as to say it's stupid (thats not meant as an attack at you). I go the the gym in the morning before work, but eat a bowl of porridge before hand, I can't imagine not eating before hand- actually I can it'd be light headed, dizzy and problly climaxed by fainting.

I remember seeing a study a few months ago that, found that people who eat breakfast generally weigh less and find it easier to lose weight than those who skip it, I'll try finding a link to it and post it later.

If I am wrong, can someone point me to the relevant research, please??

rubadub

The following is from a good book, "feed the muscle burn the fat" from here
http://www.burnthefat.com/

Any time of day that suits your schedule is a good time for cardio. The important
thing is that you just do it. However, many bodybuilders and fitness models believe that
early morning fasted cardio burns more body fat. Although this is still controversial, the
evidence is strong and there are many reasons to consider doing cardio first thing in the
morning on an empty stomach. The argument in favor of fasted early morning cardio goes
something like this:
1. After an overnight 8-12 hour fast, your body's stores of glycogen are depleted and you
burn more fat when glycogen is low.
2. Eating causes a release of insulin. Insulin interferes with the mobilization of body fat.
Less insulin is present in the morning; so more body fat is burned when cardio is done in
the morning.
3. There is less carbohydrate (glucose) in the bloodstream when you wake up after an
overnight fast. With less glucose available, you burn more fat.
4. If you eat immediately before a workout, you have to burn off what you just ate first
before tapping into stored body fat (and insulin is elevated after a meal.)
5. When you do cardio in the morning, your metabolism stays elevated for a period of
time after the workout is over. If you do cardio in the evening, you burn calories during
the session, but you fail to take advantage of the "afterburn" effect because your
metabolic rate drops dramatically as soon as you go to sleep.
6. Morning cardio gives you a feeling of accomplishment and makes you feel great all day
by releasing mood-enhancing endorphins.
7. Morning cardio "energizes" you and "wakes you up."
8. Morning cardio may help regulate your appetite for the rest of the day.
9. Your body’s circadian rhythm adjusts to your morning routine, making it easier to
wake up at the same time every day.
10. You’ll be less likely to "blow off" your workout when it’s out of the way early (like
when you’re exhausted after work or when friends ask you to join them at the pub for
happy hour).
11. You can always "make time" for exercise by setting your alarm earlier in the morning.

I remember seeing a study a few months ago that, found that people who eat breakfast generally weigh less and find it easier to lose weight than those who skip it, I'll try finding a link to it and post it later.

That is true, but people doing fasted cardio would make up a tiny percentage of those people who eat no breakfast. And after the fasted cardio you do eat breakfast. When they talk of "people who eat no breakfast", it take it as people who do not eat until 11 or later, several hours after waking.

If you are lifting weights you will not be able to lift to your best ability.

Curvy Vixen

I was told by my personal trainer to have a small bowl of porridge. Unfortunately I would rather eat my toenails than porridge and also, because I get up at 4.45 to go to the gym I find it too early to eat anything. We compromised on me eating a large banana whilst driving to the gym, so even that would be better than nothing...

As for advice on a workout I think that spinning is a great idea but also if you can afford it get a personal trainer...not the one that gyms offer (no offence to anyone reading this!) but even if you had one for once a week for half hour just for 6 weeks, you'll get a good grounding and some great advice towards getting the goals you want.

Good luck!

matrixroyal

I'm slightly confused because some posts here refer to exercise actually burning fat while running on empty ( low glycogen stores ) while others maintain that exercise will break down muscle for energy if your glycogen stores are low.

Obviously one is very desirable while the other is disastrous.

So which is it ? Or does it depend on the type of exercise ?

Killgore Trout

Bowl of weetabix and a homemade fruit "smoothie"* before I leave the house in the morning. I would be ill and I wouldn't perform well swimming for an hour (or doing weights, for that matter) on an empty stomach. If i'm running real late a couple of fig rolls That said i'd do my half hour cycle to work on an empty stomach no bother on non gym mornings.

I'd say it depends on you, intensity, duration, exercise. I'd be wary of starting out exercising on an empty stomcah - and wait till you get some experience and fitness.

*Smoothie made prevoiusly, frozen and left out to defrost the night before, before anyone thinks i'm peeling fruit and blending it before i leave the house in the morning. Also smoothie in quotes as depending on the fruit used it can be more of a "roughie"

This is interesting.
I usually get up and hit the gym for 7.30am but I find it very hard to eat beforehand. I feel sick if I eat and get on a treadmill so I have a pint of water beforehand and that's it.

I always eat porridge and a banana within half an hour of finishing at the gym though and on the mornings I don't run I eat a good breakfast.

So what do I do?

siochain

Gillo wrote: »

Surely, starving yourself for eight hours and then going to the gym is definetly not a good idea, if fact I'd go so far as to say it's stupid (thats not meant as an attack at you). I go the the gym in the morning before work, but eat a bowl of porridge before hand, I can't imagine not eating before hand- actually I can it'd be light headed, dizzy and problly climaxed by fainting.

I remember seeing a study a few months ago that, found that people who eat breakfast generally weigh less and find it easier to lose weight than those who skip it, I'll try finding a link to it and post it later.

If I am wrong, can someone point me to the relevant research, please??

It really a case of what works for you,

Morning before cardio no breakfast just lots of water, straight after shower banana & whey protein, half an hour later bowl of fruit salad, bowl of porridge and two eggs (eggs not ever morning). All done before 9am.

Morning before weights banana and whey protein. Preferably I would do weights in the afternoon but sometimes the morning is the only option.

All I can say is it works for me, experiment and see what suits you best, main thing hit gym when ever you can.

rubadub

Deleted User wrote: »

This is interesting.
I usually get up and hit the gym for 7.30am but I find it very hard to eat beforehand. I feel sick if I eat and get on a treadmill so I have a pint of water beforehand and that's it.

I always eat porridge and a banana within half an hour of finishing at the gym though and on the mornings I don't run I eat a good breakfast.

So what do I do?

Stick with what is working, nothing wrong with what you are doing. I cycle in the morning on an empty stomach sometimes.

Others here are saying they would be faint dizzy etc on an empty stomach, but you have no such problems.

DAVE_K

I'm slightly confused because some posts here refer to exercise actually burning fat while running on empty ( low glycogen stores ) while others maintain that exercise will break down muscle for energy if your glycogen stores are low.

Obviously one is very desirable while the other is disastrous.

So which is it ? Or does it depend on the type of exercise ?

It depends on your heart rate....in around 110 - 120 bpm (fat burning zone) burns fat off. Above that you're body starts to glycogen/muscle.

What I find works for me is a 8 to 10 k run before breakfast trying to keep heart rate in around 110 - 120 bpm.

siochain

DAVE_K wrote: »

It depends on your heart rate....in around 110 - 120 bpm (fat burning zone) burns fat off. Above that you're body starts to glycogen/muscle.

What I find works for me is a 8 to 10 k run before breakfast trying to keep heart rate in around 110 - 120 bpm.

I'm open to correction but if traning in the morning on a empty stomach any zone is going to be fat burning zone as this a time of day when the least amount of glycogen is in the blood\muscle.

NicheG

I would have thought that food (irrepsective of what it might be and the quantity consumed) in the morning 30-45 mins before cardio specifically is a complete no no. IMO having food in the stomach while running on treadmill is probably the worst feeling in the world. Every stride you take; you almost feel the need to throw up. I would have thought that regular sips of water or a sports drink are enough fuel you would need to maintain a good early morning cardio session.

Weights on the other hand; I could not even envisage how someone could not eat before they undertake a good 30-60min weights session.

Random

Not a very active person if I'm honest so I'd imagine jumping right into an early morning spinning class on an empty stomach might be a bit of a shock to my system ?

DAVE_K

I'm open to correction but if traning in the morning on a empty stomach any zone is going to be fat burning zone as this a time of day when the least amount of glycogen is in the blood\muscle.

The liver's backup stores of glycogen (approx 2000 calories worth) will be hit in the higher BPM zones.
Also the higher heart rate will trigger the release of cortisol.....which will cause the body to go catabolic so your muscle starts to get hit and your fat stores are held onto.

Lila

Not a very active person if I'm honest so I'd imagine jumping right into an early morning spinning class on an empty stomach might be a bit of a shock to my system ?

Yes, I'd be a little cautious initially. If you're you're unfit at the moment and launch straight into a 6.30am spin class it could turn you right off! Spinning can be pretty hardcore at the best of times but in your case it might be too much. Perhaps get yourself into the AM gym routine first with some lighter cardio - running or cycling - and then try the spin class.

I tend to mainly do short runs and core work at 6.30am and leave the weights and longer runs 'til the evening. You really need to figure out what works for you so just start easy and up it as you progress. Similarly, you're figure out what, if any, breakfast suits you as start.

bob04

siochain wrote: »

Some of the gyms do early morning spinning classes which are excellent for loosing weight. This combined with no breakfast the body burns its fat stores so you will burn up more that doing the class later in the day. If you alternate 1 hour of cardio then one of weights the next morning for the 5 working days you will be an effective calorie burning machine.
Even though it’s hard to get out of bed a morning workout sets you up for the day both mentally and physically.

Go for it…

IF you do not eat before a though cardio routine like spinning, you are more likely to burn muscle instead of bodyfat for energy

You need to do steady rate cardio at 50-70% of max heart rate (figures could be wrong) for cardio on "empty"

Basically a light jog where you would be able to hold a conversation with the person jogging next to u!

bob04

DAVE_K wrote: »

It depends on your heart rate....in around 110 - 120 bpm (fat burning zone) burns fat off. Above that you're body starts to glycogen/muscle.

What I find works for me is a 8 to 10 k run before breakfast trying to keep heart rate in around 110 - 120 bpm.

Dave has this spot on

siochain

Look, we can all find arguments on the net for what gets used up first, glycogen, fat, muscle etc. FACT is you will burn more calories during and throughout the day after an AM workout.

Please note as quoted from the OP ‘Primary goal is weight loss’.

http://www.fitstep.com/Library/Questions/Questions/Cardio/Spinning.htm
quote

Fat Burning:
1. Do your spinning class on a fasting state. What this means is that you should not eat or drink anything with calories for several hours before your class. The absolute best example of this is first thing in the morning. You can burn about 300% more fat if you do your cardio first thing in the morning before eating or drinking anything (except water). If your class is later in the day, be sure to have your closest meal before it at least 2 to 3 hours prior to the class.
What the fasting state does for you is put you in a condition of low blood sugar. If your body doesn't have much blood sugar (carbohydrates) to fuel your exercise, it will dip into your fat stores much sooner. Be aware, however, that you may not feel as though you have as much energy to train when you first start doing this, especially if you are used to eating right before.
2. Do not eat anything right away after the spinning class. Your body will continue to burn fat after the class because you have cranked up your metabolism. Wait about an hour, then eat protein and carbs to help fuel your recovery.

The above quote is good if your trying to loose weight but the advise would not be good for a serious completive athlete trying to optimize their training session and maximize their recovery.

Also this article ‘The Fasted Cardio Roundtable’ is interesting

Please note this is from a bodybuilder’s perspective http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=835725

This article sums up pretty much what was said in most posts above.

From my own experience intense AM cardio helps Fat fall off and with the right diet retain muscle.

Horses for courses, what works for some may not work for others as we all have different body types, body composition, genetics, etc. The great thing about training is testing all the methods and seeing what works for you.

rubadub

siochain wrote: »

FACT is you will burn more calories during and throughout the day after an AM workout.

I do both a lot of the time. Like this morning I did 3sets of 5reps weighted chins. I had not eaten. Later on I will go home and do more. It is a good kickstart to the day and I like the idea of being in a sort of PWO mode pretty much constantly.

siochain wrote: »

Please note as quoted from the OP ‘Primary goal is weight loss’.

They did. Many really mean FAT loss by that, as most here will know.

To the OP- if you are lifting your weight loss might not be that great, but your fat loss will. I am still hovering around 12 stone and have been for a very long time, yet I am still getting thinner and stronger. Losing fat and gaining muscle at the same rate.

Take measurements of waist, bicep, thigh, chest etc. Take photos. Get your bodyfat% checked if you can. Weight alone is a poor tracking method for lifters.