Pre work out eating

[Bob1234]

I get to the gym by 6:40am every day. I don't eat before I go because of the time. I eat at around 8:30. I have found that I lack energy now during my workouts. I am on the 15th day. Is this normal or should I be wasting something small befor I go? Eating a full meal isn't really an option.

Thanks

[jmcbn]

Two weeks in was about the stage I started incorporating a preWO meal due to lack of energy/feeling light headed. If you're lacking energy then I'd try a couple of bites of proteins & fats before you go.

[Tom Denham]

Eating as little as one boiled egg could help. And you should make a point of eating some lean protein immediately after your workout while you are still at the gym. Your body finds eating protein especially useful for a few minutes after completing hard exercise, so you maximize recovery potential by eating quickly after a workout. You may also benefit from eating some starchy veggies immediately after a workout to replenish muscle glycogen. You could eat the starchy veggies later, but starchy veggies are energy food and useful for helping you feel strong. These practices may not feel important after one or two days, but the effect of them tends to be cumulative and after a week or two you will find yourself in a better place.

[kirkor]

What did you do prior to Whole30?

[Bob1234]

I had a swig of juice. I am finding my energy to run low otherwise.

[RedHead]

I have kind of the same problem, not knowing if I need to add food to improve my strengths and energy level and to loose Body fat in the long run.

 

I am on day 19 now and feeling pretty good, barely hungry inbetween meals, mostly in the afternoon, which I think could also be that afternoon-coffee-cookie-habbit I still need to overcome.

 

I work out 5 times a week (since beginning of this year, last year used to be 2-3 times a week)

Mon at 7am Crossfit class

Tue at 6.30am Crossfit class

Starting this Wed at 7am I have personal training at my CF gym to work on mobility issues and cardio, (Prior it was also a reg. Crossfit Class)

Thur at 7pm I have a one hour body weight circuit training open air - no matter what the weather is like

Fri at 7am I attend a Crossfit class

I rest on the weekend

 

I can't get any food in my stomach before the morning workouts. (I get up at 6.15am, get dressed and drive to the CF box) So far I don't eat anything post workout.

When I get to work I eat my 1st meal around 9.00/9.30ish foods according to the template (ususally 3-4 boiled eggs OR a roasted sweet potato with ghee and compliant serrano OR Eggs with Salmon... always accompanied by veggies, mayo or half an avocado and a little fruit serving)

Lunch at 12.30/1pm

Dinner at 7-8pm

 

On Thursdays my shedule is 1st meal at home 7.30, Lunchbreak at 12.00/12.30, Dinner before training at 6pm

 

Now the questions I have been thinking about:

1) even though I don't feel hungry, is there a need to add a postWO meal (don't try to convince me of preWO, I threw up once, that's enough for all times :-)

2) What would be the benefits of adding this postWO?

3) Would eating more protein with my dinner the day before help with the lack of energy I feel during my workouts?

2) before my W30, when I was still pretty strict in my diet (last year, long time ago) I used to have a protein shake before and after my workout, which worked pretty good for me. (it's a very good high quality protein powder which has only one ingredient and no flavors, sugars etc. in it., mixed with almond milk before workout, with water afterwards) I am thinking about re introducing this to my diet after day 30.

Why - because it is easy, I don't have to prep another meal and I feel it helped me to maintain strength last time.

Apart from the "don't drink your foods" and "eliminate processed foods" do you think this makes sense?

 

 

 

Some facts about me:

5,4 ft

pre whole30 I was 180lb with 30%body fat

would like to be back at 150 or 23-24% by the end of this year but not in a rush.

I get 7,5-8hrs of sleep every night, 9-10 on the weekends

I plan on being strict after my 30 days, apart from a little cheese and a very occasional glass of wine and piece of dark chocolate there is nothing I want to add. This is my 2nd Whole 30 and I did the eliminatin/reintroduction already after my first W30. I have no medical problems

 

 

thank you so much for your support!

[kirkor]

it's a very good high quality protein powder which has only one ingredient and no flavors

 

*literally* a single ingredient? Like, powdered beef?

[ladyshanny]

*literally* a single ingredient? Like, powdered beef?

LOL!!!!!!!  

[Munkers]

Now the questions I have been thinking about:

1) even though I don't feel hungry, is there a need to add a postWO meal (don't try to convince me of preWO, I threw up once, that's enough for all times :-)

2) What would be the benefits of adding this postWO?

3) Would eating more protein with my dinner the day before help with the lack of energy I feel during my workouts?

2) before my W30, when I was still pretty strict in my diet (last year, long time ago) I used to have a protein shake before and after my workout, which worked pretty good for me. (it's a very good high quality protein powder which has only one ingredient and no flavors, sugars etc. in it., mixed with almond milk before workout, with water afterwards) I am thinking about re introducing this to my diet after day 30.

Why - because it is easy, I don't have to prep another meal and I feel it helped me to maintain strength last time.

Apart from the "don't drink your foods" and "eliminate processed foods" do you think this makes sense?

 

 

 

Some facts about me:

5,4 ft

pre whole30 I was 180lb with 30%body fat

would like to be back at 150 or 23-24% by the end of this year but not in a rush.

I get 7,5-8hrs of sleep every night, 9-10 on the weekends

I plan on being strict after my 30 days, apart from a little cheese and a very occasional glass of wine and piece of dark chocolate there is nothing I want to add. This is my 2nd Whole 30 and I did the eliminatin/reintroduction already after my first W30. I have no medical problems

 

 

thank you so much for your support!

 

I found that my ability to tolerate food before exercise and water during excercise improved as my fitness approved. You may find that to be the case as well. No one is asking you to eat a full meal as a preWO--that's crazy. A hardboiled egg is a common choice or, if you can't do eggs, some meat and fat like mayo or avocado. Experiment.

 

Since you're working out 5 days a week, you absolutely, positively NEED extra fuel or else you're going to sabotage your results. Crossfit 5x/wk is a HUGE amount of activity and it's hard work with losts of resistance work. You need to eat and you need to include starchy carbs in your diet to support your activity levels. Women, in general, do not thrive on low carb and/or intermittent fasting plans in the same way that men do. Regardless of our personal family planning thoughts, our bodies are still focused on fertility and turning out healthy offspring. Quality carbohydrate is important enough that a lack of it can be seen by your body as a stress which means your body is preparing for survival. And for our ancestors, survival meant having enough fat mass to get through the lean times. So FEED your body to keep it convinced that you're in a time of plenty and that it's okay to let go of some of the fat reserves.

 

I would also encourage you to get more sleep. You're on the lower edge of the recommendations for the general public. But when you're highly active and training hard, your requirements for everything, including sleep, also increase.

[LucieB]

I know you had many questions, but I'm focusing on "the lack of energy I feel during my workouts" aspect of your post because I see a theme there. 

 

"I can't get any food in my stomach before the morning workouts" 

Can't. I'm not a fan of that word. Yes, you CAN. 

 

"don't try to convince me of preWO, I threw up once, that's enough for all times"

So you tried something only once and gave up? Try a different food. I found a soft-poached egg is great for me as a preWO, but not a hard-boiled one. If you want to fix the lack of energy, this is the ideal time to do it. 

 

"What would be the benefits of adding this postWO"

In the 30-some odd minutes after a workout your body is most receptive to "refueling and restocking", it's a DNA transcription program enacted to help you recover and get ready for the next workout. In skipping this you could be setting yourself up for that aforementioned lack of energy you're feeling.

 

This is meant to be a challenge to improve your health, so why cop out with "because it is easy" (regarding the 'powdered beef' protein shake). You're willing to push yourself through tough CF workouts and willing to give 30 days towards improving your health, but not willing to try new things and eat real foods? I suggest that instead of planning what less-than-ideal foods you anticipate returning to after 30 days, you focus on the good foods and changes you could be making now. You can do much better than 'powdered beef' + almond milk. Ugh, talk about throwing up....just typing that is just...yuck   

 

I say all this as an endurance athlete who asked the same questions when I started Whole30 4 years ago, and found that following the recommendations were indeed the best changes I've ever made for my workouts.

Lucie

[RedHead]

Hey everybody and thank you for your suppor!!

 

@ kirkor and ladyshanny: Yes, it is "literally" one ingredient - egg whites.

It is a German brand (LSP) and it is called "eggtive". Bevor I startet Paleo, I used their pure whey amino powder which was recommended by my coach.

And it is just something to drink (200ml) and I find it neither bad tasting nor yuck. It's a simple supplement.

 

@ LucieB: Of course I did not only try to eat before ONCE. Maybe that got lost in translation...   I tried it over a two weeks, tried different things (eggs, chicken dipped in pesto or mayo, salmon rolled around a cucumber stick). I always felt full, and it caused nausea. When I finally had to throw up (once) I stopped the experiment. It is not so much the early morning that makes me feel sick but the excercise right afterwards. (maybe worse because it is early) When I have my dinner at work before an evening workout, I have to have at least one our between finishing eating and starting sports or I'll feel the same.

 

This morning I upped my fat (had a whole avocado) and I will start to eat something post workout and see how that goes. I have never had issues with the postWO, I just (carelessly) skipped it, I guess.

 

Also, I will look for some recipies to include more starchy veggies.

 

@ Munkers regarding the sleep: I will try to do my best and go to bed earlier. The thing is, even if I wouldn't get up in the mornings to go to my CF class, I only get 15 minutes more sleep. Getting ready at home and leaving later gets me into bad traffic jams and I am at work the same time as if I'd go to CF (which is close to my work place).

 

Again, thanks for helping!

[LadyM]

Plenty of people do fine without pre WO food, even first thing in the morning. You don't have to force yourself. Post WO, however, is essential. I think of it as feeding the muscles I'm working so hard to keep (and grow). As soon as possible after each lifting session/CF class, eat some lean protein. Chicken breast is a favorite for me, though water-packed tuna or hard boiled egg whites would do nicely as well. Add a little starchy veg like roasted sweet potato, too, if you like. 

 

And keep in mind that this is in addition to your three template meals. Don't skimp. Eat your M1 following your post wo food as usual. I workout first thing in the morning, follow it with some lean protein, get showered and dressed, then have M1 before heading to work. It's a good system for me. Good luck finding what works best for you!

[Nadia B]

Hey, good for you for trying stuff and reaching out for support. What you do now is similar to digging a tunnel with a spoon. You are getting there, but your arm is fatigued and it's not efficient. You are further than those who don't dig but you are nowhere close to the optimal solution. 

 

Before I make a smart face and start giving you advice I will tell you that I can relate to your situation. I workout a lot in the gym that is not an affiliate but has similar class' structure. I lift and do metcons/intervals/sprints on a daily basis. I also tend to be inconcistent on workout nutrition when life gets busy.  I also don't like when I don't reach my goals. I am on day 30 of my whole30 #4 and I had just one real goal this round - commit to following the template for athletes (crash course: fat/protein pre and protein/carbs after) every single day. I wanted to finish this round and say - meh, this part is not that important. I am humbled in the major way.

 

To figure out your food game here, you need to decide:

 

1. What is your goal? Fat loss? Gainz (pardon, couldn't help it)? Fun? Improving your fitness level? These may or may not require a slight variation in your nutrition.

 

2. Why do you have this reaction to activity in the AM. Can you eat nut butters? I would generally say that it's an evil addictive crack in the jar, but I have been using it pre wo just fine. Nuts have protein and fat. You say you feel full, so I have to ask, how much of a chicken would you eat as a pre-wo bite to feel this uncomfortable? Throwing up story feels horrible and I hope you will find the solution. Some people do indeed find pre unnecessary. I personally hit the wall if I don't eat before. 

 

3. Why are you punishing your body for working so hard. Crazy talk, right? Post WO meal is hard to stomach but really makes a difference. This is where you get stronger and leaner, but most importantly this is what should allow you to kick butt every day and not feel like scheise. You trust the program so trust it 100%. Whole30 guild lines advice that you eat a little after. My most palatable post WO meal is a blend of chicken and plantain baked as a patty, soft and neutral tasting.

 

4. Do you want to go all out of step by step. You can up your starch at the dinner and do your best in other areas. When you notice an improvement you can focus on being consistent with post WO meals and be consistent again. It's the key (and I wish it wasn't )

 

Report back, please and thanks.    

 

P.S some days will suck regardless, just breathe and foam roll.