Exercise Without Eating...
 

The only way I can ride my bike is in the morning. My wife works evenings and I watch our kids. My usual routine is to get up and have a big glass of water. Then I head out the door and ride for 40 minutes to an hour.

Is this okay? Riding on an empty stomach. I am 5 feet 9 inches and weigh about 240. My early goal is to lose about 20 pounds before the middle of August.

Some people will say that it's best to exercise on an empty stomach. I prefer to eat first. How is your energy level during the ride?

I think it is, generally, at good idea to get a little something in your tummy, if for no other reason than to prime the fat burning pump. A piece of whole wheat toast, or one of the lower calorie energy bars for 100 to 200 calories should work.

OK, if that is the case, how long should I wait after this mini breakfast? There is no way I can eat and then bike. I will be tossing cookies during the ride.

IDK how true it is but I've read from a number of sources that for best calorie burn one should eat around 30 minutes or so prior to exercise. I generally have my lunch finished around 11:15 to 11:30 for my noon time jog and that seems to work OK. Of course, YMMV!

Regards,
Michael

Yes, you should be eating something small (mostly carbs) about a half hour before you exercise.

The conventional wisdom is to eat something small about half an hour before you exercise.

But it really comes down to you. Do you feel lethargic or low energy on your ride? Do you get over-hungry after a ride and eat too much? If not, then keep doing what you are doing. If it works for you the way you do it now, then don't change it.

When I run in the mornings, sometimes I just have coffee with milk beforehand and I am good. Or I eat a 100-calorie granola bar about 5 minutes before the run. It doesn't seem to sit in my stomach and it gives me a little energy. And I have been doing this for years.

You could take gels or chews on your bike to eat in case you get hungry. Or drink a little milk beforehand to get a little nutrition without it sitting in your stomach.

I have a little something to eat before my morning workout. Usually a banana or light ww toast with just a little peanut butter. I've found that if I work out on an empty stomach (my usual workout is 60 minutes), by the time I'm finished I'm meaner then a hot snake and it takes a lot more than a hot shower and some breakfast to bring me back to nice. My stomach however doesn't tolerate yogurt, dairy of any kind, apples or granola before a workout, and I can't drink a great big glass of water either (all of those things on an empty stomach make me hurl). So you will have to decide if eating first works for you and then determine what type of food to go with.

I do cardio on an empty stomach also. I drink coffee before I lift.

It's what works for you. Just like what times or how often you eat. Everyone is different so if what you do works for you, don't worry about it!

I think what you should do is have a protien shake. Slim Fast is a good thing to have. Just gulp down a can of that stuff and it's as if you ate breakfast. This is what I do in the morning and sometimes for lunch instead of breakfast. My advice is that if you have a shake once, don't have it again that day, it's good to eat solid food as well. Just eat healthy the rest of the day.