CharDoll Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Hello, I need some help. I've not been really doing the pre-workout and post workout foods, instead I just usually eat breakfast. Tomorrow I'd like to try to do the pre-and post wod Meals. I wake up for the gym at 5:25 and get there by about six and work out for 45 minutes. (Lifting, burpees, sit ups, push-ups, lunges, squats, abs etc.)Then I take a shower and get to work by about 715 and generally start eating breakfast at about 745. I guess my question is, should I try to eat something at the gym while I'm getting ready at about 7 o'clock and then still eat my breakfast at 7:30 or 745? It seems like a lot of food. I'm usually not hungry before the gym and then after I'm usually okay until I eat breakfast. My breakfast generally consists of spinach and eggs fried in coconut oil, and a sweet potato mashed with Chia seeds, cinnamon, and coconut oil. I also usually have one cup of coffee with coconut milk. Should I eat a small piece of chicken after I get out of the shower? Haha, I'm envisioning doing my makeup in the mirror in the locker room with one hand and eating chicken with the other. Please advise on pre/post wod meals when you work out early right before breakfast. Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mads Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 I could be wrong, so Mods please correct me if I am! My understanding is that eating a snack with protein and fat before a workout helps the body shift into "use fat for fuel" mode, rather than relying on quick-digesting carbs and never fully switching over to efficiently digesting a Paleo diet. Eating a higher-carb snack/ meal afterward replenishes the glycogen your muscles used. I think that regardless of whether you eat breakfast or snack-then-breakfast after the workout (which probably isn't necessary), it is important that you eat SOMETHING before you exercise. Your body needs the fuel and calories to really perform. Go for something easy to digest, like slices of turkey with a little avocado or maybe an egg. Hope this helps -- and that I understood it correctly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Tom Denham Posted June 2, 2014 Moderators Share Posted June 2, 2014 Eating something before working out is the most variable choice available. My favorite pre-workout meal is one boiled egg. The idea is to eat something. The benefit of a post-workout meal is eating within 10-20 minutes after finishing your workout when your muscles are especially ready to eat. If you delay eating, the window of opportunity has closed. You still need to eat, but you don't get the same benefit as eating quickly after the workout. The reason we say eat lean protein and maybe starchy veggies after a workout is to support fast digestion. Eating fat slows digestion and keeps your muscles waiting (maybe too long). So, to fully benefit your muscles, you need to eat your post-workout food sooner and not later. Waiting 30 minutes means you have probably missed the window. It is more benefit to eating the post-workout meal than there is in eating breakfast. If you are going to go light on one, go light on breakfast. By the way, you can eat fat with your breakfast after your post-workout meal. You just don't want the fat slowing down the lean protein early on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharDoll Posted June 2, 2014 Author Share Posted June 2, 2014 Great, thanks Mads and Tom. I just boiled an egg for my Pre wod meal and took some grilled chicken breast, stuck it in the Cuisinart with a half a sweet potato and made it into a patty and put it in a non oiled pan. To get it to stay together. Will be interesting eating it cold at gym. Maybe I'll microwave it before gym and wrap it in tin foil. I'll try eating that at the gym about 15 min after exercising. Then I'll eat breakfast about 30-40 min after that. I'm curious to see how I feel the rest of the day. I may have to wait til 1 or 2 for lunch since as it is, my breakfast fills me up til at least 12. One of my goals is to lose weight... will this slow that down? Or will it help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Tom Denham Posted June 3, 2014 Moderators Share Posted June 3, 2014 It may help. I know it seems wrong that eating more may help, but faster muscle recovery means more muscle, more strength and that means more efficient fat burning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharDoll Posted June 3, 2014 Author Share Posted June 3, 2014 It may help. I know it seems wrong that eating more may help, but faster muscle recovery means more muscle, more strength and that means more efficient fat burning. Well, I ate a hardboiled egg before my workout, and then chicken and sweet potato 15 min after. The first bite of my post WOD meal, I thought I was going to have to spit out, but then once I drank some more water I was able to eat it all. And then I ate my breakfast (3 fried eggs, spinach, sweet potato, chia, coconut oil, coffee with almond milk) about 45 min after the post WOD meal. I was surprised that I was able to eat it all. I also felt WAY stronger when I was lifting today. Went up to the next size of kettlebells for the swings. Could one tiny little hardboiled egg have helped me that much? I'll be curious to see how I do after a preWOD meal on Thursday when I have my intense "Burn" class. Thanks for the advice, Tom. Always appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharDoll Posted June 3, 2014 Author Share Posted June 3, 2014 Was not hungry at all for lunch but forced down some salad and chicken salad at 1:45. Wasn't that hungry for dinner hut made some amazing spicy cilantro lime shrimp and a mexican slaw and as soon as I started eating that my appetite was back. It feels weird having eaten so much today, but we'll see! Next work out day is Thursday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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