When you’re waking up for a morning workout, it can be incredibly tempting to set the alarm as late as possible to rack up the maximum amount of rest. Hey, we get it! But sometimes, that extra shuteye means sacrificing breakfast, which might just be a nightmare for your fitness goals.

"Food is your fuel. Every bite serves a purpose: it helps you move your body through activity and recover as you rest," says Molly Bremer, M.S., RD, a San Francisco-based registered dietitian and founder of Mosaic Nutrition.

Even so, fasted workouts are trending not only because they’re efficient (you can use that extra 10 minutes or so for sleep or to add on to your workout) and because some claim this strategy aids in fat loss and endurance gains. Some dietitians are throwing a flag on the field, though, declaring that this could be a recipe for a sweat session that feels like a slog.

So should the average active individual eat before exercise? We turned to the health and fitness experts to find out.

Should I Eat Before a Morning Workout?

We’ll cut to the chase about whether it’s best to eat before a workout or not. All four experts agree that it depends.

"Whether you should eat breakfast before a morning workout or not hinges on many factors, including what time you’re working out versus waking up, the type, length, and intensity of your workout and even your own stomach emptying rates," says Kelly Jones, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, a Newton, Pennsylvania-based board certified sports dietitian.

As a general rule, if you match the following qualifications, it’s probably wise to eat first:

• You woke up hungry
• You have a moderate- to high-intensity steady state workout for 45 minutes or longer on the agenda
• You tend to overeat post-workout or later in the day

For these people, a morning bite can offer a welcome boost. That’s because when we consume a form of carbohydrates called glucose, our bodies store this energy in the form of glycogen in our muscles and liver. This is our best fuel for activity. (Psst…this is also our brain’s preferred "gas.") There’s only so much real estate in those organs to store that glycogen, however. Once we drain that "tank," our primary source of quick energy is gone. Think of this like a car running low on oil. Sure, it can still run (in this case, on stored fat), but it’s not as efficient or smooth.

For this reason, Bremer is a proponent of eating at least a little something before a.m. exercise: "After a night of fasting, your body’s carbohydrate stores are lower, so even a small snack can help you feel stronger, last longer and get more out of your workout. With more energy, you’re much more likely to have a more productive workout," she says. "I often describe metabolism like a bonfire: it burns best when you’re regularly adding logs, or in this case, food. Pre-workout food or drink helps give your body the energy that it needs and keeps your metabolic rate higher."

Eating before exercise provides more of that fast-acting fuel, glucose. Plus, it can help minimize exercise-associated muscle damage, support balanced blood sugar levels and reduce the risk for hanger. "For many people, eating pre-workout helps support both physical and mental performance and results in better quality workouts," confirms Cynthia Sass, MPH, RDN, CSSD, a Los Angeles-based board-certified sports dietitian and performance nutrition consultant.

All of this speaks to the impact of eating before a workout to what happens during it. But what about after? Angie Asche, MS, RD, CSSD, a Lincoln, Nebraska-based sports dietitian and author of Fuel Your Body says that if an individual starts training underfueled, they may struggle more with appetite regulation later on in the day. For the rest of the day, your body might feel like it’s playing catch up — triggering excess hunger or cravings.

All that being said, this is not a blanket rule. If the following factors ring true for you, skipping the sustenance before your workout might your best bet:

• You struggle with gastrointestinal discomfort (often caused by slow stomach emptying) when you eat before you move
• You’re exercising at a low intensity or for less than 45 minutes
• You can finish strong — not overly tired, shaky or dizzy — after training fasted
• You truly don’t have an appetite first thing, and don’t notice that this causes you to overeat later

The decision if to eat at all, and if so, what and when really comes down to how someone feels and performs during exercise, according to Sass. "Some people feel physically uncomfortable forcing themselves to eat in the morning before exercise if they aren’t hungry. Eating too close to the start of a workout, or eating foods that aren’t easily digested, can cause digestive distress and result in feeling miserable during exercise," she says.

It need not be all or nothing, though. Jones admits that for most of her weekday workouts, a full breakfast will provide more protein, fiber and volume than is necessary or welcome for a comfortable workout. The majority of the time, she sticks with a carb-rich snack in lieu of an entire meal, then refuels with a balanced breakfast after training.

What to Eat Before Morning Exercise

For the most comfortable and energized sweat session, the experts suggest prioritizing carbs. As we mentioned, this is your body’s primary fuel for exercise. Aim for items that are lower in fiber, protein and fat before a workout, as these tend to be easier to digest.

Keep in mind that "the longer you have between eating and exercise, the more fiber fat and protein you can handle. This may mean a ripe banana close to a workout versus a piece of whole-grain toast with peanut butter and banana further out," Jones tells Food Network.

Here’s an easy rule of thumb: Consume about 30 to 60 grams per hour of exercise about 30 to 60 minutes before you begin. Sass dishes up a few helpful examples to put this into perspective:

• 1 1/4 cup Corn Flakes: 33 grams
• 2 pitted Medjool dates: 36 grams
• 1/2 cup dry (or 1 cup prepared) quick cooking rolled oats drizzled with 1 tablespoon honey: 46 grams
• 1 cup applesauce: 50 grams
• 1 medium banana with 1 Honey Stinger Energy Waffle: 55 grams

Swear by a morning cup of Joe? Great news: That can be a terrific way to rev up your energy even more. "Coffee can absolutely be utilized as a 'pre-workout' beverage boost! Research suggests that it can help to improve mental clarity and alertness, enhancing performance in endurance, strength, power and focus-related activities, and reduce perceived effort during your workouts," Asche says.

Just keep in mind that "while caffeine can reduce your perceived exertion, it isn’t actually providing energy, or calories to fuel your workout, so for many exercise sessions it’s best to pair it with food," Jones reminds us.

Your ideal Rx: 150 to 200 milligrams of caffeine, or about 1 to 2 cups of coffee, about 45 to 60 minutes before your workout. Consider sipping it as you make your "first breakfast," or the mini meal before you move.

What About Post-Workout?

Whether you eat before you exercise or not, topping off your "gas tank" again after is crucial to "provide the building blocks your body needs to heal from the wear and tear of training, and replenish fluid and nutrients lost during exercise," Sass says.

Bremer recommends a post-workout meal with a 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein. Be sure to also sneak in some healthy fats for recovery, plus fluids and sodium to aid in rehydration, too. Try a fruit and full-fat cottage cheese smoothie or a couple breakfast tacos with veggie scrambled eggs.

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