No Effect of Breakfast Consumption Observed for Afternoon Resistance Training Performance in Habitual Breakfast Consumers and Non-Consumers: A Randomized Crossover Trial.

BACKGROUND: Pre-exercise meal frequency is commonly believed to impact exercise performance, but little is known about its impact on resistance training.

OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated the impact of breakfast consumption on afternoon resistance training performance in habitual breakfast consumers and non-consumers.

DESIGN: A randomized, crossover study was conducted in Lubbock, Texas between November 2021 and May 2022.

PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-nine resistance trained adult (23.0±4.7 yrs) males (n=20) and females (n=19) who habitually consumed (≥5 days/wk; n=19) or did not consume (≥5 days/wk; n=20) breakfast completed the study.

INTERVENTION: Following the establishment of single repetition maximums (1RM) at the first visit, participants completed two additional visits, each of which included four sets of barbell back squat, bench press, and deadlift, utilizing 80% of their 1RM after either consuming breakfast and lunch (B) or the same food at lunch only (BO).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Repetitions, along with average and peak average concentric velocity and power, were measured for all repetitions throughout each exercise session. Visual analog scales were used to assess feelings of fatigue, energy, focus, hunger, desire to eat, and fullness throughout each exercise session.

STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models.

RESULTS: No interactions or main effects involving condition or habitual breakfast consumption were observed for resistance training outcomes, although sex differences were noted. Males performed significantly fewer repetitions on sets 2, 3, and 4 (p<.014) for total repetitions, on sets 2 and 4 of barbell back squat (p<.023) and set 4 for deadlift (p=.006), with no observed differences between sexes for bench press repetitions. Males displayed reductions in average power across all sets and exercises except deadlift.

CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that alterations in pre-exercise meal frequency may not influence afternoon resistance training performance provided similar total nutritional intake is consumed.