PWO SNACKS

[LaurenStarr]

I typically workout between 12:30pm and 2:30pm and I'm finding myself skipping the Post WO snacks because I'm not sure when to have them. 

For instance, today for pre WO, I had a few bites of cold chicken at 11:40am worked out 12:30-1:50pm then came home and had more cold chicken, but this time a meals portion worth. And a green pepper. Then I had some roasted sweet potato and 1/2 an avocado.  This didn't work out well because I felt like my meal was scatty and incomplete and wanted more.

What should I have done?  Eat a few bites of chicken and save the rest for M2 at 2:30pm?  And then just eat a late dinner?  Ideally I'd have dinner 5:30/6pm with my family. 

 

[Karen_Suep]

Maybe have a post instead of pre and post? Post work out is generally lean protein and optional starchy veg and is important for recovery. Pre should be protein and fat but not every one needs it. 

[LaurenStarr]

Thanks. It's the post WOM I'm confused about and when to have it as I usually have lunch as quickly as I can make it after the gym. So, I'm wondering if it's ok to skip it and just eat my next meal within an hour or so.  And, do I need to push dinner back? 

[ladyshanny]

@LaurenStarr - your lunch should consist of protein, fat and veg. Your best possible recovery results after a hard workout will come from lean protein and starchy veg. No fat. Plus you've worked out and the PWO is meant to replenish from that whereas you get lunch regardless if you ran 5 miles or sat at your desk reading Facebook. 

So can you have lunch instead of PWO? Sure, you can do whatever you want. If you are looking for maximum recovery, maximum gains, maximum performance, the recommendation is to have a post-workout meal as above which does not replace another meal. 

[LaurenStarr]

8 minutes ago, ladyshanny said:

@LaurenStarr - your lunch should consist of protein, fat and veg. Your best possible recovery results after a hard workout will come from lean protein and starchy veg. No fat. Plus you've worked out and the PWO is meant to replenish from that whereas you get lunch regardless if you ran 5 miles or sat at your desk reading Facebook. 

So can you have lunch instead of PWO? Sure, you can do whatever you want. If you are looking for maximum recovery, maximum gains, maximum performance, the recommendation is to have a post-workout meal as above which does not replace another meal. 

Thanks for replying! I'm still confused. So, if I eat breakfast at 7:45am and go to the gym at 12:30pm, when would be the optimal times to eat?  I don't like to eat much before the gym but because I hadn't eaten since 7:45am I thought a pre WO snack (few bites of chicken) was a good idea. But I needed lunch as soon as I got back. So, am I understanding that it would have been advisable to have a small post WO snack (small portion of protein and veg) while I was making lunch (protein + veg + fat)?  

Also, I understand it's not to replace the meal, but should my meat & veg portions be less since it's so soon after the snack? 

[laura_juggles]

Your post workout snack should just be a couple bites of lean protein with an optional couple bites of starchy veg if you want. I typically bring my post workout snack to the gym with me, eat it before I leave, then make my next meal when I get back to the office or home. 

The pre workout snack should be protein and fat, not just protein. You may not need it, so maybe try a workout or two without, then have your post workout bites of protein and see how you feel. You can have a pre and a post workout snack if you want, but if you're going to skip one, it should be the pre workout snack that you skip. 

[ladyshanny]

1 hour ago, LaurenStarr said:

Also, I understand it's not to replace the meal, but should my meat & veg portions be less since it's so soon after the snack? 

No, not smaller. Your meals remain the same. The point of the post workout food is to replenish after the workout. You don't need to eat a quarter chicken and a bushel of potato, the recommendation is usually half a portion size of each. So around half your palm of protein and half your fist of starchy veggie. Remember, those foods are going to be directly taken up by your body as replenishment for the work it just did. Then you have lunch. Maybe not all within the same 5 minutes.  Around 25-30 minutes between PWO and your meal should be doable. I'd be surprised if you weren't hungry for your full meal even after the PWO.

Just for clarification, what are you doing for your workout? The PWO is really just when you have depleted your body. So hatha yoga, basic treadmilling/walking, easy cycle etc probably doesn't require it unless you feel depleted afterwards.

[LaurenStarr]

10 hours ago, laura_juggles said:

Your post workout snack should just be a couple bites of lean protein with an optional couple bites of starchy veg if you want. I typically bring my post workout snack to the gym with me, eat it before I leave, then make my next meal when I get back to the office or home. 

The pre workout snack should be protein and fat, not just protein. You may not need it, so maybe try a workout or two without, then have your post workout bites of protein and see how you feel. You can have a pre and a post workout snack if you want, but if you're going to skip one, it should be the pre workout snack that you skip. 

I lift weights. 

I get it now! Thank you for explaining it.