Can't handle recommended pre-workout breakfast

[Anny]

So pre-workout recommended breakfast is a protein and a fat correct? I tried that and came very close to vomiting/passing out. I switched to an apple with almond butter and did much better. Is that ok? I'm assuming vomiting is a bad thing. I generally do an intense weight/cardio workout after breakfast  three days a week. I am on a very tight schedule so it isn't possible to move this around (kids and job and that sort of stuff gets in the way *sigh*).

 

A suggestion to a post workout snack/meal would be helpful too. I've been doing eggs and avocado but was told that it was too much fat post workout.  I am not a big fan of meat so adding that in at breakfast would not be fun for me.

 

Thanks

 

 

[ladyshanny]

What day of your Whole30 are you on?

 

When was the vomiting, during your workout or while you were trying to eat? And when did the almost passing out happen, during your workout?

 

I suspect that the feeling faint has more to do with your body not yet being able to tap into your body's fat stores for energy.  The apple would have been burned immediately as an easy to process sugar/carbohydrate.  The very reason you experienced is why you want to avoid giving your body these quick carbs.  You want it to get used to having to select and process something other than quick burning carbs so that you don't crash during a workout.

 

Your question was also phrased "the recommended pre workout breakfast".  This isn't quite accurate.  The pre workout recommendation of protein and fat is in addition to whatever you are going to eat for breakfast not a replacement for a proper breakfast.  What is your workout/meal timing like, maybe we can provide some help there for timing?

 

Edit: post workout suggestion that doesn't include meat would be egg whites and starchy veggie.  No fat post workout.  And this post workout is also in addition to your actual meals.

[Tom Denham]

We recommend that you avoid fruit before a workout because the fiber in your stomach during a workout can be a problem and because the sugar in fruit provokes an insulin response when you don't want an insulin response. 

 

I don't eat a pre-workout meal most of the time and it is often just a small number of nuts when I do eat one. You can eat apple and nut butter, but that does not maximize performance.

 

I frequently eat a can of tuna packed in water as a post-workout meal. The main reason I choose tuna is because it is always available in my pantry and gives me a quick dose of fast digesting protein. 

[dgdejavu]

I have questions for ladyshanny and Tom Denham.

I have been working out for several years now, and I am used to eating 5 meals a day, 3 large and 2 small. I still don't understand why the whole30 recommends no snacking! I wake up around 4:45am every day, I used to have half a banana before my workout, and then my first meal around 8:30am. By 11:30 I am starving! I live in Mexico and lunch here is usually around 2 or 3pm, that's why I have a small meal around 11:30, meal 2 at 2:30ish, small meal around 6pm and meal 3 at 9pm. What exactly can I do to not feel hungry? Beacuase I can in fact, eat tuna or an apple or eggs, so I know it's hunger and not just cravings. 

 

Also about the pre-workout meal, since I hit the gym before 6am, having protein and fat, is really really hard!! As Tom says, can I have just a handful of almonds pre-workout? And meal 1 as a post-workout?

 

Please help!!

 

[ladyshanny]

The thoughts surrounding the three meals a day is that we should not be grazing all day.  You need to give your body a dose of fuel in the form of a meal and then let it go through its entire cycle of breaking down those nutrients and sending them to where they are meant to go.  And then resting.  

 

You are actually free to workout fasted if you want to, pre workout is more of a suggestion dependant on the person; many people here choose not to eat before an early morning workout.  Or the nuts like Tom suggests is fine too...just be a bit aware, nuts can cause digestive distress so you might want to watch yourself for a few days.  Post workout should be your lean protein and starchy veggie within about 30 minutes of your workout.  Right After.

 

Then you can do breakfast at 830 or whatever your regular time is.  In Whole30sville we would recommend that you have a second meal 4-5 hours from then.  If your run of time between Meal 1 and 2 is greater than 4-5 hours, you are free to eat.  Make sure that what you choose to eat contains at least protein and fat, ideally also veggies.  Sort of a mini meal to get you through.  If you can't have all three macros, try to have at least two (eg, carrots & chicken thigh or olives & sardines).

 

If you are eating a proper template meal at your 830 time slot and you've given yourself a post workout "meal", you should not be starving 2 hours after breakfast.  Lunch could then come at 230.  I would recommend that you try and eat Meal 3 around 4-5 hours after this and then stop eating for the night.  Eating your evening meal at 9pm at night can be sleep disruptive and can disrupt your hormonal rhythm as well.

[dgdejavu]

Thanks so much for your prompt reply!

I don't like to workout on an empty stomach, since it usually is a 2 hour workout session, so I'll give the nuts a try.

And my post-workout meal is meal 1 or breakfast, that is around 8:30.

I'll try doing a small meal with all 3 macros around 12:30 and then meal 2 around 3, that way I can have meal 3 around 7:30... does it sound better? 

3 regular size meals and 1 small meal between meal 1 and meal 2?

 

Thanks again!

[ladyshanny]

Yep, I think that sounds better and you'll be giving your body a better chance to balance hormones and blood sugar so that you are not feeling sick and vomitty. Check in with yourself as you go and tweak the size and composition of your meals as needed. And as always, if you need a review, reach out, we're always here!

[Anny]

So the sick/fainty feeling was during my workout. My breakfast was two eggs and half an  avocado. Pre whole30 I had a smoothie of fruit, almond milk and maybe protein powder.

 

So, maybe tomorrow I'll try not eating before my workout (I am up at 6 and working out by 7:45) And then eat breakfast after?  I don't know if I could do a post workout "snack" and then breakfast--it seems sort of redundant.  And, I am eating while driving (I know that is a no-no but again, life gets in the way of being a normal person).  I would appreciate any ideas or thoughts.

[SpinSpin]

Your post meal can be just a few bites of a lean (fat free) protein and a few bites of starchy veg. It can be as little as an egg white and a few baby carrots, a few cubes of plain boiled/baked sweet potato. It isn't a full meal. You don't want to eat fat with your post workout as it can slow down the digestion of the protein and starchy carbs. You can have your few bite post workout meal and then 30 minutes or so later, have a regular breakfast. The post workout meal is small enough that you could eat it quickly while changing at the gym or right after before you even get to your car. 

 

Hope that helps some 

[jmcbn]

So the sick/fainty feeling was during my workout. My breakfast was two eggs and half an  avocado. Pre whole30 I had a smoothie of fruit, almond milk and maybe protein powder.

 

So, maybe tomorrow I'll try not eating before my workout (I am up at 6 and working out by 7:45) And then eat breakfast after?  I don't know if I could do a post workout "snack" and then breakfast--it seems sort of redundant.  And, I am eating while driving (I know that is a no-no but again, life gets in the way of being a normal person).  I would appreciate any ideas or thoughts.

In this case I'd suggest you eat something for preWO as the recommendation is also to eat within an hour of wakening. Two eggs & half an avocado was a lot for preWO - try just the one egg, and make it a little soft so as it's easier digested.

[ultrarunnergirl]

Agree with jmcbn. Unless you jump out of bed and start working out very soon after, you want to eat something. Not because of hunger or for fuel, but to help reset your hormones. Cortisol needs to be high in the morning and low in the evening, and eating within an hour of waking helps to get in in line.

[TenaciousT]

Day 45 of 90

 

I am shifting my schedule to include 5:30 AM weights as opposed to afternoon/evening.  I have not been one to stomach anything until post workout--however I realize that I've been eating in a very different way the past 45 days.  So.  Pre:  get an egg white down at 5  Post:  get another egg white + a few bites of turnip or sweet potato down at 7?  And then b/c of schedule--tuna/avo/onion/tomato lettuce wrap okat 8?  Will the avo work as the fat for that meal, yet not too soon post w/o? 

 

To my way of thinking:  I'm all in and want to maximize results to keep me all in!  Thanks!

[LinsJacob]

I am not a pre workout eater. I get up at 4am, working out by 4:15-4:20. Done at 5, cook breakfast, eat it, shower, and get ready for work. I have to be out the door at 6:30am. I have never had a problem eating post workout and breakfast because I just eat a bigger breakfast. I have never had a problem doing it this way. If I eat beforehand, I get super sick to my stomach. Should I be adding something else in the morning after my workout? Like Tenacious T said, I'm all in (Doing a Whole100) and want to maximize results.  

[Tom Denham]

Thanks so much for your prompt reply!

I don't like to workout on an empty stomach, since it usually is a 2 hour workout session, so I'll give the nuts a try.

And my post-workout meal is meal 1 or breakfast, that is around 8:30.

I'll try doing a small meal with all 3 macros around 12:30 and then meal 2 around 3, that way I can have meal 3 around 7:30... does it sound better? 

3 regular size meals and 1 small meal between meal 1 and meal 2?

 

Thanks again!

On days that you workout, we actually encourage 5 meals. Two of them are bonus meals - extra food to cover the energy used in your workout. The bonus food is the pre-workout meal and the post-workout meal. You should not collapse a post-workout meal into breakfast. Your body needs both meals. It surprised me when I first began eating a post-workout meal that I could eat a can of tuna and a large baked sweet potato at the gym and then prepare and eat my breakfast (or lunch) 30 minutes later. I was actually happy to eat my breakfast or lunch even though I had just eaten. Working out and eating generously tends to make your metabolism speed up, so you need more food. 

 

When you are awake long hours, you might need to eat an extra meal. When I first began my Whole30 journey, I ate 5 and sometimes 6 meals per day. I kept getting hungry because I did not incorporate enough fat in my meals. Nowadays, I can go long hours on 3 meals very easily. It took some time to get used to how much I needed to eat and to learn to incorporate plenty of fat in my meals.

[Tom Denham]

I am not a pre workout eater. I get up at 4am, working out by 4:15-4:20. Done at 5, cook breakfast, eat it, shower, and get ready for work. I have to be out the door at 6:30am. I have never had a problem eating post workout and breakfast because I just eat a bigger breakfast. I have never had a problem doing it this way. If I eat beforehand, I get super sick to my stomach. Should I be adding something else in the morning after my workout? Like Tenacious T said, I'm all in (Doing a Whole100) and want to maximize results.

The problem with just eating a bigger breakfast after a workout is that your muscles need protein immediately after a workout to maximize recovery. The window of openness is brief. You need to consume lean protein within 15-30 minutes after completing a workout for it to get through your stomach and to your muscles fast enough. If you eat a meal with fat, the fat slows digestion and keeps the protein from reaching your muscles while the window of opportunity is open. Your muscles still get fed, but more slowly, so your recovery is not quite as good as it could have been. Personally, I thought the post-workout meal concept was silly, but I finally really tried doing it the way Dallas and Melissa Hartwig proscribed. What I found is that my recovery improved.