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Early Wake/Workout Meal Timining


ekramer6

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Hi,

Starting my Whole 30 tomorrow and question on meal timing. I wake up at 5am, typically take my coffee and run out of the door to go to the gym. I workout for 45-60 minutes, shower and run to work. By the time I sit down it's 7:45ish and eat my breakfast.

 

Good news is, by 7:45 I am hungry. Bad news is, at 5am I do not want to eat and I know I should wake within an hour of eating, but really can't stomach much before a workout. Any tips? I'd be fine shoving down a banana but I understand I shouldn't have fruit for a snack. 

 

Also, if my workout is pre breakfast, I read that post workout should be minimal fats. Is this for heavy lifting workouts? Cardio? Any more info would help.

 

Thanks!

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Ideally, before you go work out, you'd have a little bit of protein and fat. Maybe a hard boiled egg, or a chicken thigh, or a few olives even (there's not protein in olives, but they'd be better than nothing). You may have to try a few different things to figure out what works well for you. Some people do a few nuts or a spoon of nut butter, but other people find that hard on their stomach. 

 

This article explains a little more about post-workout meals. The more strenuous your workout is, the more necessary the post-workout meal is. It doesn't actually have to be very big, though -- a few bites of chicken and a few bites of sweet potato would work. Ideally, eat that before you leave the gym, and then eat breakfast at work as you've been doing.

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Our meal planning guideline offers coaching about pre- and post-workout food...

 

How much to eat
 
By delaying your first food until 2.45 hours after waking, you are not helping your hormones get into their best rhythm. By not eating lean protein immediately after a workout, your muscle recovery is delayed meaningfully. For best results, you need some fat and protein first thing in the morning and then lean protein immediately after exercise and then breakfast when you are ready. It is okay to eat breakfast 30 minutes after a workout. Just don't eat any fat immediately after a workout because it slows digestion and prevents maximum benefits from consuming lean protein.
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So, if I have a hardboiled egg first thing in the morning or a Tablespoon of almond butter, I'll get some protein/fat in before a workout. My main meal will be post workout at 7:45, so is this okay if it has minimal fat? I guess this is what is tripping me up. If so, ideas on what to eat for a main meal without fat? 

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My main meal will be post workout at 7:45, so is this okay if it has minimal fat? 

 

If your goal is to follow the recommendations, no, it doesn't work to combine meal one and the post-workout. The intent is to have something with lean protein and optional carb to replenish glycogen stores and increase muscle recovery. Have meal one (including fat) after this. 

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If you combine a post-workout meal with another meal, at least one half of the combined two is not properly composed. Also, this would mean eating one less meal than you should be eating. When you exercise, you need extra food to compensate for the energy burned. The assumption that eating less is a good thing is simply wrong. It is widely believed and repeated by many authorities, but is wrong. If you do not eat enough, your metabolism slows and fights against fat loss. If you eat the amount you truly need, your metabolism speeds up and helps you lose fat. It is much easier to lose fat with a fast metabolism, but you have to eat generously to support a fast metabolism. 

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Alright, I get it and am willing to eat more. Can you give me an outline of what that could look like with meal timing? 5am wakeup, 6am workout, 7:30 arrival at work. Also, for PM workout. 5am wakeup, 7:30 arrival at work, 5:30 pm workout and I go to bed early (around 9). Thanks!

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Alright, I get it and am willing to eat more. Can you give me an outline of what that could look like with meal timing? 5am wakeup, 6am workout, 7:30 arrival at work. Also, for PM workout. 5am wakeup, 7:30 arrival at work, 5:30 pm workout and I go to bed early (around 9). Thanks!

 

Sorry this is so late -- you may have already figured out something that works for you.

 

Try 5 am wakeup, 5:15 or 5:30 have a little something, ideally protein & fat -- an egg would work, some leftover meat with a bit of mayo or avocado. You'll just have to see what works for you.

 

As soon as you get done working out, have a few bites of lean protein & starchy vegetables. Doesn't have to be a lot, just a few bites of each. Chicken or tuna with a bit of sweet potato. You could cook several chicken breasts and bake two or three sweet potatoes, and just divide them up into small containers so you can grab one out of the fridge on your way out the door and eat them after you work out. Then breakfast at work.

 

For your evening work out, if it's been a few hours since you've eaten and you feel you'll get hungry during your workout, have a little bit of protein and fat -- if you eat lunch late enough that you don't have a problem getting hungry during your workout, you could skip pre-workout if you wanted. After your workout, have a few bites of lean protein and starchy vegetable, then when you get home, have supper. Ideally, you'll have a couple of hours between the time you eat and the time you go to bed.

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I'm struggling with this as well and I have no idea why I can't figure it out.  For me it's 5am wakeup, 515 workout, and 7am breakfast.

 

When you wake up at 5 am, try to have a little bit of something to eat. An egg, a little leftover meat with some mayo or guac -- you may have to play with it to see what works for you, but if you can eat something beforehand, that's ideal. 

 

When you finish working out, have a few bites of lean protein and starchy vegetable. Then at 7 am have breakfast.

 

 

Somewhere up above, I linked an article that talked about post-workout meals -- it does mention that your needs do depend somewhat on what workout you're doing. The more strenuous your workout, the more important the post-workout meal is.

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