No matter whether due to time constraints or because you don’t have an appetite in the morning – breakfast is often skipped.
If you think that you save calories this way and want to reinforce this effect with a morning run, you are wrong. Skipping breakfast can actually be counterproductive when it comes to losing weight.
Reading tip
If you don’t eat anything before exercising, you will slow down your weight loss
If you skip breakfast, you don’t consume any calories. Saving calories should actually help you lose weight – shouldn’t it?
Unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple. You should not do intensive exercise on an empty stomach. The body needs energy to achieve full performance during training. After getting up, the body’s glycogen stores are empty. Anyone who then puts additional strain on the body must expect hypoglycemia. This manifests itself, for example, in the form of weakness, dizziness or nausea.
Performance can only be achieved with energy
Without available energy, the body has to rely on fat to provide enough energy. The catch is that energy production from fats is much slower than that from carbohydrates. Performance-enhancing training with hard loads is therefore not possible.
It becomes problematic when the body has to rely on muscle protein to generate energy. Because then the muscle mass can decrease and that in turn is a hindrance for people who want to lose weight.
It becomes particularly dangerous when you do HIT-style runs, such as interval or tempo runs. This requires a lot of energy and is an advanced training method even with breakfast.
Tip: You should also eat a small snack after running to replenish your energy reserves.
Reading tip
What you can eat before running
Of course, eating a high-fat, difficult-to-digest meal before running is just as counterproductive. Your breakfast doesn’t have to be rich, just a banana or a muesli bar will support your body while running.
Make sure your meal contains carbohydrates and is easy to digest. Stop serving your body and find out which meal best supports your body during your morning jog.
Under no circumstances should you forget to drink enough water before the run. Especially after the night, the body is dehydrated and needs fluids. Try to drink a glass of water as soon as you get up and drink half a liter of water at least an hour before your run.
Even if you don’t have much time in the morning, you should take a few minutes to eat breakfast and digest. If you feel dizzy while running, you may not have eaten enough. Listen to your body and take it easy. Next time try to eat a little more. Slowly approach your individual running routine.
If you still decide to run on an empty stomach, choose a relaxed run at a moderate pace.
Reading tips
