Stop Starving Before You Train: Fueling Before Workouts Gets Better Results

Jonny Slick
May 26
6 min read

Let’s cut through the noise: if you’re hitting the gym without eating first, you’re holding yourself back.

At Straight Shot Training, we coach people of all ages, experience levels, and goals. Whether you’re in your 60s working with a personal trainer for joint health, or in your 30s looking to build lean muscle and lose weight, fueling your workouts is one of the most important things you can do.

This isn’t about being an athlete. It’s about feeling stronger during workouts, making exercise safer, supporting lean muscle, and getting results you can actually feel in your daily life.

Whether you're training at our gym in Frederick, MD, or following a personal training program at home, this guide breaks down why food before fitness is non-negotiable and how to do it right.

Healthy pre-workout breakfast with granola, berries, walnuts, and milk – ideal fuel for strength training and gym workouts

Carbs Are Fuel. Your Body Is the Engine.

First, the basics: your body runs on glycogen, which is stored carbohydrate fuel. You get it from foods like fruit, oats, toast, or rice. Once you eat those carbs, your body stores some as glycogen in your muscles and liver.

That’s the primary energy source your body taps into when you strength train, go for a run, or even do a brisk walk with some hills. Without enough glycogen, your energy output tanks.

So what happens if you try to train without eating?

You fatigue faster. You move slower. Your coordination dips. You can’t lift as much, and you’re more likely to get dizzy or injured, especially if your workout includes things like barbell squats, deadlifts, bench presses, or other more complicated movements. Even if you’re just doing gentle strength training or working with your trainer on mobility, your body still needs fuel to activate and respond properly.

Research backs this up. A landmark study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that eating carbohydrates before exercise improved power output, endurance, and total training volume (Coyle et al., 1986). This isn’t just for athletes either, it’s for anyone who wants their workout to feel effective, not miserable.

Older adult performing overhead press during personal training session at gym in Frederick MD, building strength and muscle safely

Fueling Helps You Build and Maintain Muscle—At Every Age

Here’s the reality: muscle isn’t optional. It’s essential.

Strong, lean muscle supports balance, protects joints, improves posture, and makes everyday life easier. It helps you get off the floor, carry groceries, lift your grandkids, and move through life with less pain.

But muscle doesn’t just happen. You need two things: resistance training and proper fuel.

Starting around age 30, you naturally begin losing muscle if you don’t actively work to maintain it. That muscle loss accelerates after age 60, which can lead to instability, weakness, and higher risk of falls or injuries. The good news? You can stop it (and even reverse it) with the right training and nutrition strategy.

When you train fasted, your body lacks the resources it needs to build or maintain muscle. Instead of using food for energy, it may begin breaking down existing muscle tissue. That’s exactly what you want to avoid, especially if you’re over 40 and focused on staying strong and functional.

Studies show that consuming protein and carbohydrates before resistance training significantly improves the body’s ability to build muscle compared to training on an empty stomach (Tipton et al., 2001). So if you want your workouts to count, you have to give your body the tools to rebuild.

Personal training client preparing to deadlift heavy barbell during strength training at Straight Shot gym in Frederick MD.

Better Performance = Better Results

Here’s the real secret behind body recomposition and lasting change: training quality.

When you eat before your workout, you’re giving your body what it needs to push harder, recover faster, and adapt quicker. That means more reps, better movement quality, and progress that actually shows up in your strength, energy, and physique.

Even a slight increase in performance (say, a few more reps or a bit more weight) adds up fast. Over the course of weeks and months, that’s the difference between spinning your wheels and actually transforming your body.

At Straight Shot Training, we don’t just focus on volume for the sake of it. We focus on quality. And that starts with having the fuel to train well from the very first set.

Fatigued gym-goer showing signs of low energy during fasted workout—illustrating the importance of fueling before strength training

Why Fasted Workouts Don’t Deliver

It’s a persistent myth that training on an empty stomach helps you burn more fat. Here’s what the science says: it doesn’t.

Yes, your body may use a slightly higher percentage of fat as fuel during a fasted session, but that doesn’t translate to greater fat loss over time. What really matters is your overall calorie intake and energy output throughout the day, not what fuel source your body uses during a single 45-minute workout.

Even worse, training fasted can work against you. You might feel sluggish. You might move less. You’ll probably burn fewer total calories. And your stress hormones (especially cortisol) will spike—leading to more breakdown of muscle tissue, slower recovery, and potentially even increased belly fat retention in the long run.

For clients over 40, especially women, this matters even more. Fueling your body helps protect muscle, balance hormones, and keep you strong, not just for your workout, but for everything else in your day.

Fresh vegetables being prepped for a nutritious meal—fueling workouts and supporting recovery for gym-goers and personal training clients

“But I’m Trying to Lose Weight…”

We hear this all the time.

And here’s the truth: eating before your workout doesn’t stop fat loss—it supports it.

Weight loss comes from creating a calorie deficit across the whole day or week, not from skipping a snack before you train. In fact, that snack can help you get more out of your training session, burn more calories, and prevent the kind of post-workout crashes that often lead to overeating later.

When you’re properly fueled, you move with more intensity. You recover faster. You protect your lean mass. And lean muscle is your best ally for long-term fat loss, because it boosts your metabolism and helps you burn more calories at rest.

So instead of skipping food, think strategically. You can eat smart, stay within your calorie goals, and still give your body what it needs to thrive.

Balanced pre-workout meal with fruit, whole grain toast, avocado, and juice—ideal for gym performance and personal training results

What to Eat Before You Work Out

The good news? You don’t need a full meal or fancy supplements.

Most people do best with a small, balanced snack about 60–90 minutes before training. This gives your body time to digest and deliver fuel to your muscles.

Think something simple: a banana with peanut butter. A slice of toast and turkey. Greek yogurt with some berries. A small protein shake blended with fruit. You’re aiming for a mix of carbohydrates and protein to give you energy and support muscle maintenance.

If you're short on time, even just a piece of fruit 30 minutes before your session is better than nothing.

Happy senior woman training with a personal trainer at Straight Shot gym—proof that strength training is for all ages

Fueling Makes Workouts Safer

This one is especially important for our older clients.

When you train on an empty stomach, your energy dips faster. Your coordination falters. You feel lightheaded. And that’s when injuries happen, especially in workouts that involve balance, single-leg movements, or resistance under load.

Fueling before training helps you stay steady and focused. It supports your joints. It gives you the clarity and stability to move well and safely. And that’s what matters most when your goal is to stay active and injury-free for years to come.

Group of older adult gym members proudly wearing ‘100 Club’ shirts at Straight Shot Training in Frederick MD—celebrating fitness at every age

This Is What We Teach Every Day at Straight Shot

At Straight Shot Training, we’re not chasing fads. We coach people who want to move better, feel stronger, and live fuller lives—no matter their age or starting point.

We build personalized programs that emphasize strength, mobility, and smart nutrition. Whether you’re training in our Frederick, MD gym or following our remote coaching plan from home, we make sure you understand why every step matters—including what you eat before a workout.

Personal trainer guiding client through balance and strength training at gym in Frederick MD, focused on safety and form

Book Your Free Strong Start Session

Ready to make your workouts more effective?

Sign up today for a FREE Strong Start Session. You’ll meet with a personal trainer, walk through your goals, get a movement and strength screen, and receive customized recommendations for both training and fueling.

It’s not about perfection. It’s about clarity—and finally having a plan that works.

👉 Book your free Strong Start Session now

Client performing side plank exercise during personalized fitness session at Straight Shot Training gym—building core strength and stability.

Bottom Line: Food Is Not the Enemy—It’s Your Advantage

This applies to you—whether you’re brand new to the gym or you’ve been training for years.

If you want to feel better during workouts, recover faster, build lean muscle, and finally get the results you’re working for, you need to eat before you train.

Food is not the thing holding you back. In the right amount, at the right time, it’s exactly what’s going to move you forward.

References

Coyle, E. F., Coggan, A. R., Hemmert, M. K., & Ivy, J. L. (1986). Muscle glycogen utilization during prolonged strenuous exercise when fed carbohydrate. Journal of Applied Physiology, 61(1), 165–172. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1986.61.1.165

Schoenfeld, B. J., & Aragon, A. A. (2014). Fasted versus fed cardio for fat loss: does it make a difference? Strength and Conditioning Journal, 36(5), 43–47. https://doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000050

Tipton, K. D., Rasmussen, B. B., Miller, S. L., Wolf, S. E., Owens-Stovall, S. K., Petrini, B. E., & Wolfe, R. R. (2001). Timing of amino acid–carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, 281(2), E197–E206. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpendo.2001.281.2.E197

Wolfe, R. R. (2006). The underappreciated role of muscle in health and disease. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 84(3), 475–482. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/84.3.475

Kerksick, C. M., Arent, S., Schoenfeld, B. J., Stout, J. R., Campbell, B., Wilborn, C. D., ... & Kreider, R. B. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: Nutrient timing. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(1), 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0189-4

Hackney, A. C. (2006). Stress and the neuroendocrine system: The role of exercise as a stressor and modifier of stress. Expert Review of Endocrinology & Metabolism, 1(6), 783–792. https://doi.org/10.1586/17446651.1.6.783