? re: timing of pre-WO meal, working out & carbs

[shuttergirl]

I'm probably making this harder than it seems - or reading way too much into this, but need clarification on the timing of meals (or when it's the latest to eat a carb before a workout).

Here's my workout/eating schedule:

7am breakfast

11am crossfit

12pm lunch

 

There's a 4-hr difference between my breakfast meal and 11am workout.  I'm lucky that I have a lot of flexibility in the morning to make a huge breakfast meal.  This is my usual: 1 poach egg, 3 egg whites, handful of spinach, bell peppers, avocado and sweet potatoes.  Now I've read through the ISWF template & forums that before the workout it's recommend protein and fat only, no carbs.  

 

Should I be cutting out carbs/sweet potatoes at my 7am breakfast even though there's a 4 hr window?  My breakfast meal is so large that I'm satisfied all the way until I'm done w/ the class and head home to eat a big lunch.  The ISWF template states to eat 15-75 min pre-wo to signal my body for activity... Is it necessary to eat that pre-wo meal if I'm satisfied/not hungry from breakfast?  I could eat less for breakfast and then have a pre-wo snack at 10am.  I just don't like doing a metcon with a full belly.

 

thx.

[missmary]

Eating a large breakfast that meets the template at 7am followed by a workout at 11am is fine. Pre-WO is only important if either a) you work out first thing in the morning, before meal #1 and if you need something in order to have the energy to workout.

 

As an aside, though: your breakfast isn't exactly large. We recommend a palm-size portion of protein, which would be either as many whole eggs as you can hold in your hand or a portion of meat that is palm-sized. There is no reason to avoid egg yolks unless you are using whites alone as a post-workout protein. Otherwise eat up!

 

EDIT: "b" + ")" = ? 

[ali_lew012]

This is really helpful, I had similar questions about the timing and necessity of pre- and post-workout meals. I wake up at 5:30 a.m. for a 6 a.m. workout (1 hour bootcamp/CrossFit style) and can't bring myself to eat protein or fat that early in the morning. Is it detrimental to not eat before an early morning workout? Also, I eat meal #1 within 30 minutes of finishing my workout--can that be considered my recovery meal if I add some sweet potato or other starchy veggie to the meal?

[Physibeth]

This is really helpful, I had similar questions about the timing and necessity of pre- and post-workout meals. I wake up at 5:30 a.m. for a 6 a.m. workout (1 hour bootcamp/CrossFit style) and can't bring myself to eat protein or fat that early in the morning. Is it detrimental to not eat before an early morning workout? Also, I eat meal #1 within 30 minutes of finishing my workout--can that be considered my recovery meal if I add some sweet potato or other starchy veggie to the meal?

 

Eating within an hour of waking is important for hormone balance and what we recommend as a best practice while on a Whole30. You don't need to eat a lot, just get something in your body. A single hard boiled egg would work great. If you can it is recommended to have lean protein and starchy vegetable 15-30 minutes after your workout and then your next meal after at least another 30-60 minutes. This doesn't always work with everyone's schedule, but if you can make it work it will help. 

[shuttergirl]

Thanks for clarifying.