Problem: Evening workout / Snacks before bed

[Angelina]

Hi everyone,

I'm starting the Whole30 on Monday. I'm also starting work on Monday.

My problem is that I work as a yoga teacher, and my classes are in the evenings.

For the last five years I've taught classes four nights a week. I've been in the habit of eating a decent, healthy snack, or maybe having a carrot/apple/celery juice around 6.00pm, and then eating a big salad (warm months) or hearty soup (cold months) when I get home around 10pm. Then bed around 10.30pm.

Having read about how this may have been messing with my leptin levels, blocking the release of growth hormones (and contributing to my inflammation and those connective tissues just never healing?), and pushing up insulin levels etc, I'm wondering how I should manage this.

I'm worried that if I even if I eat a good protein/fat/vegetable meal around 6pm, I'll still be ravenous when I get home after a teaching a dynamic class.

Does anyone else have an evening work-out like this? Is there anything I can eat before going to bed which won't mess me up?

Would love to know how others are managing their night-time eating habits, I'm worried about going to bed hungry!

Thanks,

Angelina

[Tom Denham]

Eat a full meal after you get home and then stay up another two hours before going to bed. Basically, shift your sleep/life schedule to more fully accommodate your work schedule. 

 

I can't fall asleep when I am hungry, so if I can't eat until bedtime, I eat and then go to bed. Sometimes I get away with it and sometimes my sleep is disturbed by not having some digestion time before I lay down. That is why I recommend giving yourself two hours after eating before going to bed. 

[missmary]

Eat a full meal after you get home and then stay up another two hours before going to bed. Basically, shift your sleep/life schedule to more fully accommodate your work schedule. 

 

hmmm, usually I agree with Tom 100% but this one has me puzzled. It may be a personal preference thing, but I find the closer I get to sleeping when it is dark outside and awake when it is light, the better I feel. Forcing myself to stay up until midnight to digest a late-evening meal would be torture.

 

If I were in your situation, I would have full meal at 6pm, and a post-workout snack right after the class. For post-workout we recommend a portion of protein and starchy carb, low in fat, so not soup or salad (which is pretty high volume); something like chicken breast and sweet potato, in a portion smaller than a regular meal would be ideal.

[Angelina]

Ah... thanks guys. This is all very new to me because I'm coming from a background of vegetarianism - hence the salads and soups. But I think the 6pm full meal and post-work smaller portion will work. Thanks so much 

[Milkphobic]

This is an issue for me too. I eat a full meal 2 hours before my workout, then I come home and have a snack after (about an hour before bed). I'm guessing a hard-boiled egg or two is compliant, but what else is there? I did a Google search for Whole30 protein snacks and the first one listed Lara Bars and smoothies with almond milk and I was like .

 

Let's brainstorm some good post-workout snacks that are light enough that we can go to bed at a decent time!

[jennor]

My go-to snack: hardboiled eggs and either tomatos or another vegetable. I pre-boil my eggs for the week and just pack 2-3 in a ziplock along with the veg. It keeps in my bag all day if I need to eat it late in the afternoon. It is not the most advanced meal, but it keeps me full and sometimes food is just food and it is nice to not spend time in the kitchen. (I can't believe I said that - I usually love cooking!  )

[missmary]

This is an issue for me too. I eat a full meal 2 hours before my workout, then I come home and have a snack after (about an hour before bed). I'm guessing a hard-boiled egg or two is compliant, but what else is there? I did a Google search for Whole30 protein snacks and the first one listed Lara Bars and smoothies with almond milk and I was like .

 

Let's brainstorm some good post-workout snacks that are light enough that we can go to bed at a decent time!

 

For post-workout, we recommend protein and starchy vegetables, low fat, so no, I wouldn't suggest a hardboiled egg at that time. Chicken and sweet potato is the most common go to. Egg whites with pumpkin puree is also a favorite....basically think of any whole30 compliant foods that would digest quickly and easily to restore glycogen and feed sore muscles...fat slows digestion, so in this context it is not recommended. 

 

You are correct that fruit smoothies or lara bars would not be recommended at all...avoid excessive fructose post-workout (which must be processed in the liver first), starchy vegetables are a much better choice.

[Angelina]

So, I'm back to teaching classes and 3 days in to the Whole30. I've been following the Whole30 advice here, and have eaten my full meals around 6pm. The great thing is that on arriving home around 9.45pm, I simply haven't been hungry, and have gone to bed without replenishing. I'm waking up with normal healthy hunger. Granted, the classes were quite easy because it's the first week back for everyone, so maybe this will change when the classes become more dynamic, but at this point I am simply so happy to 'allow' myself this full protein and nutrient dense meal before class, instead of following the Yoga practitioner advice of 'don't eat at least three hours before practice, or 1 1/2 hours after a light snack.'