Breakfast first, or later?

[CyclingBeast]

If i commute about 10km in the morning, should i eat breakfast before i go or after i arrive? I have been eating breakfast first... but is that good? All the blood would be going to my stomach and intestines to digest the food whilst i need it most in my muscles (quite an intense ride). But if i don't eat breakfast... I'm sure I'll fall off. Is there a rule to this out there??!

[alpinerabbit]

How about something tiny before the ride so you don't fall off the bike, and then something decent when you get there.

The blood won't "all go to your stomach", but riding with a full stomach will be uncomfortable. But so will riding on empty.

[deeaimond]

i second that. something small/sweet (hot drink, coffee or something) 10 kms is alright to do with no food in yr belly tho. and there were some people who talked about how training on an empty stomach can be good for fat burning.

word of caution though, i used to ride 7km to work daily on an empty stomach and that was fine. but one morning i did a training ride in the morning before having anything. i think i rode 15km, fast one. I got back, decided to shower before eating something, and i almost passed out in the shower cubicle... that was a scary one. fortunately my roommate was around to hand me a sweet drink that was sitting on my desk.

[shootingstar]

At the very least, drink something small before you leap onto bike for that distance. Anyone is slightly dehydrated waking up after a good night's sleep. Of course, that is covered up as soon as we brush our teeth and we are easily misled just because our mouth has been moistened, but not swallowing any liquid at that time in bathroom.

Instead of something sweet, small amount of fresh fruit is recommended before biking.

[deeaimond]

fresh fruit is also sweet... I meant anything sweet, whether natural or not so natural coz the sugars help you start up the system!

[Reesha]

I have a raspberry hammer gel before my 12 mile commute in the morning. I wake up at 5, eat my gel and then ride out at 5:30. When I arrive at school I have a package or two of kashi hot cereal.

[GLC1968]

I think it really depends on your own body. I used to ride a 14 mile commute (hilly) on an empty stomach and then I'd eat when I got into work. I never felt weak or that I was going to fall off the bike!

That said, everyone is different. If you don't think you can make it without something, I agree with some of the suggestions here to try a piece of fruit or something else easily digestable and small.

But, if what you are doing works for you, why change? Are you not getting the results/peformance that you want by eating first?

[shootingstar]

I think it really depends on your own body. I used to ride a 14 mile commute (hilly) on an empty stomach and then I'd eat when I got into work. I never felt weak or that I was going to fall off the bike!

That said, everyone is different. If you don't think you can make it without something, I agree with some of the suggestions here to try a piece of fruit or something else easily digestable and small.

But, if what you are doing works for you, why change? Are you not getting the results/peformance that you want by eating first?

I used to be able to jump onto bike and do a 16 kms. ride on an empty stomach in the summer time. Not anymore. In last 5 years, body seems to have changed that I like a small amount of food and fluid before starting off on ride of same length.

And it depends if one with cycling with extra pannier weight. On 2 different touring trips, I did a 45 kms. ride with over 25 lbs. of pannier weight starting off on humid summer morning. I ate nothing in advance and had only a few sips of water. Towards the end of the ride, which included trying to outcycle an impending lightning and thunderstorm, I nearly blacked out/fainted and nearly fell over from lack of food in a major highway. Never so glad to see a donut shop, as the heavens opened up with rain and thunder.

The other situation was similar with same pannier weight, but was only cycling for lst 25 kms. with pannier weight after we decamped for morning ride. Again, I nearly collapsed from lack of breakfast.

[sundial]

I used to be able to jump onto bike and do a 16 kms. ride on an empty stomach in the summer time. Not anymore.

Me too! I'll eat a small bowl of Kashi cereal, ride, and then my stomach will grumble and complain that it's too empty.

[Zen]

Carnation Instant Breakfast but I don't know if they have that in Oz

[cylegoddess]

I ride about 22km, and have two bananas and a small apple blackcurrant juice on the ride. I dont carry much in panniers and its mostly flat all the way. It usually about 530 6 am so I dont want food AT ALL at that hour!
Then I have some fruit, and herbal tea before work.
I then have a protein shake at tea( 1030), but I tend to eat less when I commute than normally. In fact, Im not hungry the whole day, which is a drag as I hate to force myself to eat and I think thats what is making the ride home( after running around on feet all day, lifting things) rather hard.

[tribogota]

experiment, you will find out what your limit is, I now KNOW exactly what my limit is in the morning. I usually have oatmeal with protein powsder and fruit before riding and then the same thing again after riding.

[ABeezles]

From a purely performance/recovery point of view, it would be better to eat something small before riding. However, I have one day (friday) where I do about 45-55km before work in super-cruisy 'recovery' mode without food. But I do take a bar in case of hunger!

All my other days where I have bigger/more intense rides I will eat proper brekky and then have a snack/recovery food when I come back.

[channlluv]

When I do a morning ride, I'll eat a banana or apple before, but instead of plain water, I'll put green tea with stevia in my water bottles. It's the perfect boost for my system. When I get home, I'll eat a larger breakfast with eggs and some kind of vegetable, usually spinach and onions.

Roxy

[Jiffer]

A little before and after is good. I usually have a piece of toast with peanut butter before a ride. Carbs with protein is a good combo.