Early morning pre-workout snack

[lionsroar]

For those of you who work out early in the morning, what are your go-to pre-workout snacks? I wake up at 5:00 and am in the gym by 5:30 so I can get my workout in before work. I have only been working out since January, but have increased my workout steadily. Until now, I've only had coffee on my way to the gym, but I'm thinking it's time to add some nutritional energy to maximize my workout. I only add 2 tablespoons of half and half to my coffee, so there is no added sugar. Right now, I do 30 minutes on the ARC trainer followed by 15 minutes of weight training three times a week. I do a 30 minute circuit training once a week, and then I end the week with 15 minutes on the ARC followed by 30-40 minutes of weight training. These are pretty intense workouts for me. Gluten is not an option for me. I'm thinking of adding a small - medium banana to my pre-workout routine. I usually follow my workout with a mix of protein and carbs- Greek yogurt and strawberries, chia pudding, refrigerator oats made with fruit and Greek yogurt, etc. I need quick, easy, and effective options. Any suggestions? What do you eat before your early morning workouts?

[GershonSurge]

Oatmeal and a banana before.

At least 200 calories with 80% carbs after.

[lionsroar]

Thank you!

[pchemprincess]

Cold brew coffee with almond milk and a banana.  Sometimes, just a protein shake (AdvantEdge).

[lionsroar]

Thank you, pchemprincess. That sounds very similar to what I've been doing this week, only my early morning coffee is hot. It might be the placebo effect, but I have burned more calories and have noticed increased endurance since I added the banana and quit relying on coffee alone to fuel that workout.  🙂

[Bhuvana]

I go with coffee and steel cut oats(with little raisin and almonds) before my long run on Sundays. Typically I go for an hour and half to two hours. So this really helps. I always have coffee before any work out. Caffeine helps to keep going and also improves my endurance.

btw: Steel cut oats. You have to cook this previous night. 

[lionsroar]

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@Bhuvana wrote:

I go with coffee and steel cut oats(with little raisin and almonds) before my long run on Sundays. Typically I go for an hour and half to two hours. So this really helps. I always have coffee before any work out. Caffeine helps to keep going and also improves my endurance.

btw: Steel cut oats. You have to cook this previous night. 

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Thank you. I love steel cut oats. In the winter I will often make up a big batch on Sundays and then refrigerate them in individual containers to last most of the week. 🙂

[pchemprincess]

I forgot to add that if I know I'm going to be in the gym longer than 30 minutes, I'll take a protein bar or similar in my gym bag; I'll eat maybe half or less. I can't eat a lot before a workout and after 30 minutes I start to feel tired if I don't get a small sugar boost.