From 5AM Wake Up to 7PM Workout - Need Help with Meal Timing/PWO

[rudeandnotginger]

I'm on Day 15 of my first W30, and I'd like to optimize my meal schedule. Advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

My questions based on the proposed schedule below:

1. Does the spacing and frequency of my meals look alright?
2. Can my M4/dinner substitute as my post-workout meal? Or should I be eating something in the car on the half-hour drive home from the gym to get the most out of my recovery? Can I just have a little more starch and a little less fat at dinner and try to eat within an hour of my workout to get the same results? My workouts aren't that intense.
3. I know, I know, processed foods are terrible, but will it kill me to have an Epic bar as a pre-workout meal a couple of times a week? I don't have time to stop and microwave anything, or eat anything with a fork. Is a salted, cold HB egg my only eat-while-driving option for pre-workout?
4. Should I be worried about eating M4 so close to bed? I can't think of a way to eat dinner any earlier.

Note: I'm starving when I wake up but my current schedule doesn't have me eating M1 until 3 hours later.

 

My schedule now:

• Wake up at 5AM, shower, rush out the door at 6:20AM.
• Between 6:20 and 8AM I'm in the car, on the bus, or walking (i.e. limited and/or no opportunity for eating) - drink a little bulletproof coffee during commute
• M1 when I get to work (8AM) - finish rest of bulletproof coffee
• M2 (12PM)
• M3 (4PM)
• 5PM-6PM on the bus
• Pre-workout meal in my car as I drive to the gym
• 6:15PM-7:15PM workout (30 min. moderate intensity bodyweight workout or 1 hour of yoga*)
• Half an hour to drive home from the gym
• Prepare quick M4, sit down to eat around 8PM
• Asleep by 10PM
• *if I do the yoga class from 7-8PM then I don't get to eat dinner until 8:45PM

My proposed schedule:

• Wake up at 5AM, eat M1 at 5:30AM, leave for work at 6:20
• M2 at 10:30AM
• M3 at 3:30PM
• 5PM-6PM on the bus
• Pre-workout meal in my car as I drive to the gym
• 6PM-7:15PM workout
• Half an hour to drive home from the gym
• Prepare quick M4, sit down to eat around 8PM
• Shower at night to save time in the morning
• Asleep by 10PM

[SugarcubeOD]

Your proposed schedule looks great and eating within an hour of waking is excellent. Waiting 3 hours, especially if you're already hungry is madness!

The answer to your other questions.. for post work out, you should be eating in the car on the way home from the gym. This is not a full meal... can be a few bites of chicken and roasted sweet potato (pack it with you and eat it cold/room temp). This is the ideal to provide your muscles with fuel to optimize your workout results. Making your post workout and your Meal4 the same thing is cheating yourself.

Epic bars... no it wouldnt actually kill you but it's not a good idea. You want to be putting unprocessed food into your body before a workout and we don't want you to lean on convenience foods. You've got a good idea with a hardboiled egg for pre-workout... why do you want to switch away from that to a packaged processed food?

Your frequency/spacing looks good, but the key is whether you're able to get the 4-5 hours between meals without needing to snack or feeling famished... are you?

and finally, there's nothing wrong with eating so close to bedtime... some people say they have a harder time falling asleep or staying asleep but my guess is with such a long and loaded day, you probably do okay

[LadyM]

My two cents: I agree with Sugarcube, and I question your need for a pre-workout snack. IMHO, it's really only necessary if you need the energy, and generally at the end of a day, and when the workout isn't supercrazyintense, you can forego it. Post WO is far more important, and half a can of tuna or half a chicken breast would do just fine.

 

But, as for all of us, you'll have to experiment and see what works best for you. Personally, I feel fine working out in a fasted state, but no way am I going to waste the opportunity to feed my muscles after a weights workout. Yoga and barre, both of which I do several times a week, do not require pre- or post-WO meals for me. And the longer the time between dinner and bedtime for me, the better I feel in the morning; and I cannot sleep with a full tummy. BUT, that's ME. You may have a totally different experience. 

 

You're obviously on the right track and understand the recommendations, so go with it and see how you feel. Tweak as needed. Best of luck and enjoy! Looks like you're doing great!

[rudeandnotginger]

Thanks for your help!

 

@SugarcubeOD:

 

 

 

 for post work out, you should be eating in the car on the way home from the gym. This is not a full meal... can be a few bites of chicken and roasted sweet potato (pack it with you and eat it cold/room temp). This is the ideal to provide your muscles with fuel to optimize your workout results. Making your post workout and your Meal4 the same thing is cheating yourself.

That's a great idea! I think I can easily pack a little tupperware of that. And I love cold roasted sweet potato!

 

 

 

You've got a good idea with a hardboiled egg for pre-workout... why do you want to switch away from that to a packaged processed food?

I guess mostly for the convenience/variety factor and the fact that the Epic bars have more fat(?) than eggs? So I saw them as more of a complete package in an easy-to-eat-in-the-car format...I'll save them for emergencies when I don't want any excuses like lack of food prep to stand between me and the gym.

 

 

 

Your frequency/spacing looks good, but the key is whether you're able to get the 4-5 hours between meals without needing to snack or feeling famished... are you?

I can usually make it at least 4, sometimes 5. I love fat; I'm still amazed at how quickly I switched from needing to eat every two hours as soon as I added fat to my meals!

 

 

 

and finally, there's nothing wrong with eating so close to bedtime... some people say they have a harder time falling asleep or staying asleep but my guess is with such a long and loaded day, you probably do okay 

I'm usually asleep within minutes! I have restless leg syndrome though (doesn't wake me up, but ruins the quality of my sleep). So I'm trying to eat some starchy vegetables before bed/take magnesium/drink bone broth, etc., etc.

 

@LadyM

 

 

 

I question your need for a pre-workout snack. IMHO, it's really only necessary if you need the energy, and generally at the end of a day, and when the workout isn't supercrazyintense, you can forego it. 

You're right, I think M3 is close enough to my workout that I don't need to eat again. I sometimes used to get blood sugar crashes during workouts, but that was during my pre-Whole30 life, and was probably from not being fat adapted or thinking dried fruit was a good pre-workout snack.

 

 

 

Personally, I feel fine working out in a fasted state, but no way am I going to waste the opportunity to feed my muscles after a weights workout.

I'll try working out fasted and see how it goes! If I absolutely need a bite of something in my stomach I'll try just one HB egg. But I'll give preference to the post-workout nutrition.