Pre-workout Carbs?

[lil_wendy]

For several years, I have used carbs and protein as my pre-workout fuel. I am starting my first Whole 30 and read that pre-workout snack should include fat and protein not carbs. Can I get a rationale for this? Will I get enough energy for weight training 90 min 4 days per week?

Thanks

[Karen_Suep]

whole 30 is, in part, getting your body to use fat as its energy source. I don't remember all the science behind it but it does give a cleaner energy that doesn't affect blood sugar as much.

[jmcbn]

You may find you struggle for around two weeks as your body adjusts to the new food regimen - many runners report legs of lead, and lifters find they tire more easily, or feel they have less strength - but the aim is to allow your body to learn to tap into it's fat stores for fuel, and so when your body becomes fat adapted you'll most certainly find you'll have enough energy for a 90min session x4 times a week, and you may find that your performance will actually improve.

In a typical non W30 diet liquid protein & carbs are the preferred preWO because the body can convert them to energy quickly thereby providing an immediate source of fuel.

In W30 your preWO isn't really fuelling your work (animal protein & fat take longer to digest & peak in the blood as sugar than your work out will take) - it's more of an indicator to your body that you're about to work out, but that it shouldn't reserve energy because more fuel will be forthcoming.

When do you WO? If it's early doors and it will be more than an hr before eat your first meal then unless you are used to training fasted we'd recommend that you don't skip the preWO - many people opt for a boiled egg (soft boiled is easier on the stomach or even just a spoonful or two of nut butter (the only instance I'd recommend nut butter during your Whole30!). If however you train during the day/evening you may find that you won't need anything before-hand and can train efficiently on the foods you've eaten during the day.

Either way you shouldn't skip the postWO which should be a lean protein & optional starchy carb.

[SirUlrich]

Im new to W30 (with a "fair to ok" diet before starting the W30) on day 4 today. I try to get to my Box midday M-W-F and my box is a solid 30 minute drive to any of my next appointments (before or after). My schedule is crazy and I get to the box frequently with 2 hours of waking.

Any suggestions on efficient pre-wo breakfasts and/or post-wo meals?

[ShannonM816]

Im new to W30 (with a "fair to ok" diet before starting the W30) on day 4 today. I try to get to my Box midday M-W-F and my box is a solid 30 minute drive to any of my next appointments (before or after). My schedule is crazy and I get to the box frequently with 2 hours of waking.

Any suggestions on efficient pre-wo breakfasts and/or post-wo meals?

 

If it's going to be two hours before you start exercising, you might try having an actual breakfast following the meal template as soon as possible after you wake up. You probably won't need a pre-WO if you do this. Post-WO should be lean protein and starchy vegetable, so chicken, tuna, or egg whites with sweet potato or potato work well, just a few bites of each, not a huge amount. You should be fine to leave these items in a cooler in your car and just eat them cold, or leave them in your locker/gym bag while you work out and then eat them room temp when you're done.