New Here- Nutrition/Timing/Workouts

[wicki859]

HI, Sorry to bug you all. I am just not sure where else on this forum to ask this question. I've been really good with the Whole30 for the first five days, but it is back to reality for me today. I am starting my training for my next rank in martial arts today. I need to step things up quite a bit. It has been quite hectic lately, and well, whatever, I'm just not where I want to be or need to be.

 

At any rate, I am worried about the timing of my meals/eating.

 

Today I plan to go to class early. I teach the class, and therefor do not workout. So I will workout before class starts. I have to leave at 4:45 in order to do this, and I will not return home until 9pm. I will do this three nights per week. I feel like that is too early for dinner, because I can't eat right before I work out, or I'll be sick, and I don't want to eat so late at night when I return home. So I need to figure out something for post workout that would constitute my third and final meal.

 

Any suggestions? Is there a Whole30 approved shake somewhere? I'm feeling like there probably isn't, but I'm not really feeling very creative.

 

Thanks!

[Tom Denham]

Shakes are a crappy substitute for real food, so there is no Whole30-approved shake. The training world has bought the lie that shakes offer benefits not available from real food. They don't. You don't need to go there to succeed in your training. 

 

You actually need to be eating more than 3 meals per day when you are working out. Technically five. Three basic meals, a pre-workout and a post-workout meal. http://whole9life.com/book/ISWF-Meal-Planning-Template.pdf

 

It sounds like you need to eat your three basic meals early in the day. Start with a big breakfast within an hour of waking, then get two more meals in with the third one being by 3 PM so you can let the food settle before working out near 5 PM. Then you might benefit from eating a small amount of protein immediately after your workout (a post-workout meal). Carbs like baked sweet potato might also be useful. Then after teaching your class, you might want to eat more lean protein and some baked sweet potato. This would not be a full meal, but would give you a little something after the activity of teaching and to help get you through the night. 

[wicki859]

I knew deep down inside that that was the answer to my shake question!

 

Thanks for your reply. I will try these things. I'll pre-cook some food so all I have to do is warm it up when I get home.

[AliElmer1]

Good Morning-

I am in day 4 of my first Whole 30. I am pretty active- run and do a bootcamp style work out at least 4-5x a week. My question is that i try to do at least 1-2 early AM work outs- 5:30am. 

The past two mornings I had NO energy- the studio I go to is broken up between Treadmill, Water rower then floor exercises. Prior to Whole 30, I could work out in the am and I usually didn't eat anything ( I know,not good!) but I felt fine and could work out hard. I sometimes feel like food to early before I work out- weighs me down and I have a funny stomach.

 

So any suggestions on a quick food I could eat on mornings before I work out? I did come home after and made scrambled eggs with salsa, olives and I had a small sweet potato.

 

Thanks for any advice! 

[missmary]

So any suggestions on a quick food I could eat on mornings before I work out? 

If you are eating enough during the day the day before, you should be ok to eat very little before your workout, so my first priority would be to bulk up those meals, especially the night before a hard workout.

 

The pre-workout food is intended as a signal to the body that it is "ok" to burn fat and get going. I use a hardboiled egg for this purpose, but whatever protein/fat combo works for you is fine (you'll want to avoid carbs pre-workout). After your workout, it's ideal to get some protein and carbs in ASAP to replenish glycogen and fuel muscle growth, so keep that post-workout meal low in fat (fat slows digestion, which is usually a good thing, but not in this case).

[AliElmer1]

If you are eating enough during the day the day before, you should be ok to eat very little before your workout, so my first priority would be to bulk up those meals, especially the night before a hard workout.

 

The pre-workout food is intended as a signal to the body that it is "ok" to burn fat and get going. I use a hardboiled egg for this purpose, but whatever protein/fat combo works for you is fine (you'll want to avoid carbs pre-workout). After your workout, it's ideal to get some protein and carbs in ASAP to replenish glycogen and fuel muscle growth, so keep that post-workout meal low in fat (fat slows digestion, which is usually a good thing, but not in this case).

Thank you!!

Yes still trying to get the meals in place- I felt really full Tuesday and then yesterday I noticed I was hungry.

I will try the hard boil egg- I was thinking that would be a good idea.

 

Thank you for the help.

[shanfun11]

If you are eating enough during the day the day before, you should be ok to eat very little before your workout, so my first priority would be to bulk up those meals, especially the night before a hard workout.

 

The pre-workout food is intended as a signal to the body that it is "ok" to burn fat and get going. I use a hardboiled egg for this purpose, but whatever protein/fat combo works for you is fine (you'll want to avoid carbs pre-workout). After your workout, it's ideal to get some protein and carbs in ASAP to replenish glycogen and fuel muscle growth, so keep that post-workout meal low in fat (fat slows digestion, which is usually a good thing, but not in this case).

What do you like for your post workout meal?  I workout at 4:30am... very hard for me to eat prior, but I could get in a hard boiled egg.  I was coming home and having breakfast (including a fat) right away, but then was STARVING to death before my next meal at 12:15pm.  Just found out we can on whole30 eat pre-post w/o meals.  I plan to have my "regular" breakfast of eggs, avocado, spinach, blueberries & coconut milk (or something close to that) around 8-8:30am.

Thanks

[missmary]

What do you like for your post workout meal? 

I combine post-WO with meal#1, which is not ideal from a muscle-building standpoint.

 

The ideal would be to eat lean protein and carbs within 1/2 hour of your workout, so something like chicken breast and sweet potatoes, then have your normal breakfast sometime later.

 

I experimented with doing that, but now I typically wait and eat around 45 minutes to an hour after my workout, keeping meal#1 relatively low in fat, ie. a palm-size serving of roast beef or turkey or chicken breast, red and yellow bell pepper strips, cold steamed broccoli or green beans, occasionally some cold roasted sweet potato cubes as well. I usually have another HB egg at this meal also, but save it for last because of the fat content. 

 

I should note that because I don't have the recommended post-WO meal, I DO make a point of getting sufficient protein at other times. I'll do a palm and a half as my portion more often than not.

[shanfun11]

Thank you for your tip.  I much prefer post w/o meals as I am usually VERY hungry post w/o.  The one I'd prefer to skip is the pre-w/o.  I do not lack energy during my workout and I have no appetite to eat at 4am as everyone advises to eat pre.

 

Thanks again!

[Physibeth]

Thank you for your tip.  I much prefer post w/o meals as I am usually VERY hungry post w/o.  The one I'd prefer to skip is the pre-w/o.  I do not lack energy during my workout and I have no appetite to eat at 4am as everyone advises to eat pre.

 

Thanks again!

 

Normally skipping the pre-w/o meal is ok, but when you workout first thing in the AM you should eat something small as Mary said so your body knows you have broken your fast. Eating within an hour of waking is really important to balancing hormone levels.

[shanfun11]

Normally skipping the pre-w/o meal is ok, but when you workout first thing in the AM you should eat something small as Mary said so your body knows you have broken your fast. Eating within an hour of waking is really important to balancing hormone levels.

I will try hard boiled eggs... protein and fat.  Is one enough? 

[missmary]

I will try hard boiled eggs... protein and fat.  Is one enough? 

 

One works great for me. 

[StaceFaceAK]

My question is related to this string, so I hope someone is still paying attention to it.

 

I'm midway through my first whole 30, but have been "primal" for the last year. I wanted a strict program to jump start some fat loss while training for a triathlon.

 

I'll admit, pre/post workout meals confuse me. Mostly, the pre-WO meal: if my goal is to shed body fat, don't I want my body to tap into my stored fat for energy instead of relying on food before my workout?

 

Post-WO meals make more sense to me, especially the emphasis on protein since it's needed to build and repair muscle.

 

Does anyone out there have success with NO pre-WO meal? Does working out on essentially a fast help or hinder your performance/gains? 

 

Thanks for the input!

[missmary]

There are two reasons for the pre-WO meal. One is if you are working out first thing in the morning (before meal #1). Because eating something within 30 minutes of waking is good for balancing hormones (which aids fat loss, BTW), it is important to have a little something at this time.

 

The other reason to have a pre-WO meal is performance: if you can't make it through your workout without it, or performance suffers, the pre-WO meal is there for you.

 

If you are someone who works out later in the day and do well without a pre-WO meal, that's fine. Just skip it.

 

Keep in mind that the pre-WO suggestions are TINY, like a single hard boiled egg or a spoonful of almond or coconut butter, so don't worry about it being too much food, just let your own performance and recovery guide you.

[ultrarunnergirl]

Good Morning-

I am in day 4 of my first Whole 30. I am pretty active- run and do a bootcamp style work out at least 4-5x a week. My question is that i try to do at least 1-2 early AM work outs- 5:30am. 

The past two mornings I had NO energy- the studio I go to is broken up between Treadmill, Water rower then floor exercises. Prior to Whole 30, I could work out in the am and I usually didn't eat anything ( I know,not good!) but I felt fine and could work out hard. I sometimes feel like food to early before I work out- weighs me down and I have a funny stomach.

 

So any suggestions on a quick food I could eat on mornings before I work out? I did come home after and made scrambled eggs with salsa, olives and I had a small sweet potato.

 

Thanks for any advice!

Go easy on your expectations for the first two weeks of Whole30. Your body is healing and changing and it can be a bumpy transition. Having very low energy is the norm, even if you are eating optimally. Definitely make sure to eat that pre and post WO meal per the meal Template guidelines, and be sure you are eating some starchy carbs with Meal 1, 2 and 3.

Hang in there!