Pre/Post Workout Meal Question

[fitgirl_valx]

Hi,

I am starting my first round of whole 30 Jan 2nd and I am reading the book/preparing myself now! I workout every morning at 5AM with a combo of cardio/strength training and typically burn 400-500+ calories. I then come home and eat a full breakfast.

I just read the section about pre/post workout meals and wanted to check in with you guys on a few things.

1. No carbs before working out? I have never heard that. My typical pre workout meal/snack is 1 hard boiled egg and half of a banana. Should I swap the banana for a handful of nuts (fat) even if I am only doing cardio that day?

2. It says not use the post workout extra meal as one of your normal meals during the day. Should I just stick to eating my normal full breakfast right after the gym before work, like  usual? Or should I be adding a 4th meal and essentially having two breakfasts?

Thanks so much for the help! 

[ShannonM816]

So, no carbs is because one goal of Whole30 is that you become fat- adapted, which means your body will burn fat more easily. Continuing to have carbs pre-WO slows down that process since the body will use the easily available carbs and possibly not need to burn fat. The hard boiled egg alone might be enough, or add some nuts or olives or mayo or avocado for extra fat.

Your post-WO meal is in addition to your other meals. It doesn't need to be as big as a full meal, just a few bites. You want some lean protein and optionally some starchy vegetables, within a short period after your workout. This article explains a little more about that. You'd then eat your normal breakfast after that.

[fitgirl_valx]

Thanks for the quick response! How far apart do you suggest I have my post workout snack and then breakfast? I just am not sure there's enough time in the morning for me to do that without taking breakfast to work with me... which is an option if necessary! I typically get a lunchtime workout class in (less strenuous, yoga, pilates, etc.) as well. 

53 minutes ago, ShannonM816 said:

So, no carbs is because one goal of Whole30 is that you become fat- adapted, which means your body will burn fat more easily. Continuing to have carbs pre-WO slows down that process since the body will use the easily available carbs and possibly not need to burn fat. The hard boiled egg alone might be enough, or add some nuts or olives or mayo or avocado for extra fat.

Your post-WO meal is in addition to your other meals. It doesn't need to be as big as a full meal, just a few bites. You want some lean protein and optionally some starchy vegetables, within a short period after your workout. This article explains a little more about that. You'd then eat your normal breakfast after that.

 

[J9er]

A lot of people have their snack with them at the gym. You could take a little Baggie of chicken breast and cold sweet potato, it only has to be a few bites of each, and eat it in the car in your way home or in the locker room before you leave. Then eat your full breakfast as normal.

[fitgirl_valx]

17 hours ago, J9er said:

A lot of people have their snack with them at the gym. You could take a little Baggie of chicken breast and cold sweet potato, it only has to be a few bites of each, and eat it in the car in your way home or in the locker room before you leave. Then eat your full breakfast as normal.

Okay, great tip. 

 

I do have a couple more questions:

 

1.  Would approved lunch meat (turkey or chicken) or an epic bar be considered a lean, easily digested protein for post workout? 

2. I know we are not supposed to snack, but I have a very long time between breakfast and lunch typically, should I try to change my schedule or would it be okay to have an approved snack between breakfast and lunch? My typical schedule is: 

-5AM Cardio/Strength training workout

-7/7:15 Breakfast

-12PM Yoga/Pilates 

-1:15/1:30 Lunch

-6PM Dinner 

 

[J9er]

The mods might  want to weigh in here but I would say yes the lunch meat or epic bar would probably be fine there is no rule against it. As a reccomendation one would probably suggest to batch cook some chicken breast or take a tin of tuna, but I would say do what works for you.  Just remember you really want no fat here as it slows down digestion/absorption and you won't get that uptake of the protein/carb. 

Again, the no snacking is a recommendation more to break the hand to mouth eating or habitual snacking. Eventually you might be able to build your meals up enough so that you will be able to make it thru till lunch, keep working in this (also your life style is quite full looking so you may just need that extra meal). But until then if you need to, absolutely eat. Make it a mini meal of at least 2 out of the 3 macros, or all three of you want. I like a few  raw veggies a couple bites of meat and a few olives for my mini meal. 

[ladyshanny]

@J9er is right except for the epic bar part. All bars are really only approved for emergency use, they shouldn't be making a daily appearance in your menu. Go with a lean cooked protein (egg whites, chicken breast, canned tuna etc).

[LizBeam]

On 11/18/2016 at 8:17 AM, fitgirl_valx said:

Okay, great tip. 

 

I do have a couple more questions:

 

1.  Would approved lunch meat (turkey or chicken) or an epic bar be considered a lean, easily digested protein for post workout? 

2. I know we are not supposed to snack, but I have a very long time between breakfast and lunch typically, should I try to change my schedule or would it be okay to have an approved snack between breakfast and lunch? My typical schedule is: 

-5AM Cardio/Strength training workout

-7/7:15 Breakfast

-12PM Yoga/Pilates 

-1:15/1:30 Lunch

-6PM Dinner 

 

I use boiled egg whites (2 eggs) & about a quarter of a large sweet potato. I take them in a Plastic baggy to consume immediately after my workouts (thats my preference). Good luck to you! I'm on day 8 of my 3rd W30 & being stricter than I ever have been! Not a lot of nuts and seeds. Wrote down by goals. Feeling good!! You got this! 

[liv.88]

hey guys, i have a post workout meal question and i thought i could reactivate this thread to ask it.

soooo i've read on the book and on the whole9 website about the pwo meals and importance of having starchy carbs afterwards (besides protein of course). fruit is a no no BUT on the article i read by Steph Gaudreau she actually mentions plaintains as a good source of carbs (as well as potatoes).

Here's the article: http://whole9life.com/2015/02/eat-post-workout/

This got me really confused cause here in Brazil plaintains are viewed as fruit , and they are actually called something like "earth bananas". Hahaha. And i love them, so it'd be great news if I could actually eat them on my post workout meal.

what do you guys think?

 

 

[MeadowLily]

It could be a small matter of mixing earth bananas  with fruit and just a tad of changing horses midstream. There are many posts about post workout meals.

Pre/Post-Workout Meal Suggestions? - Whole30 for athletes ...

forum.whole30.com/topic/10302-prepost-workout-meal-suggestions/

1.  
2.  

 

Pre/Post Workout Meal - Whole30 Meal Planning - Whole30

forum.whole30.com/topic/32787-prepost-workout-meal/

1.  
2.  

 

pre-workout foods? - Whole30 Meal Planning - Whole30

forum.whole30.com/topic/3191-pre-workout-foods/

1.  
2.  

 

Pre and post workout meal - Whole30 Meal Planning - Whole30

forum.whole30.com/topic/29335-pre-and-post-workout-meal/

1.  

Pre/Post Workout Foods - Whole30 for athletes - Whole30

forum.whole30.com/topic/37-prepost-workout-foods/

1.  

 

pre and post work out meals - Whole30 Meal Planning - Whole30

forum.whole30.com/topic/15089-pre-and-post-work-out-meals/

1.  
2.  

 

Did I do post-workout meal(s) right? - Whole30 for athletes - Whole30

forum.whole30.com/topic/20076-did-i-do-post-workout-meals-right/

1.  

.

Not eating pre and post workout meals - Whole30 Meal Planning ...

forum.whole30.com/topic/24836-not-eating-pre-and-post-workout-meals/

1.  
2.  

 

Confused about eating meal one after workout - Whole30 for ...

forum.whole30.com/.../10432-confused-about-eating-meal-one-after-wo...

1.  
2.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MeadowLily]

On 11/18/2016 at 9:04 AM, J9er said:

The mods might  want to weigh in here but I would say yes the lunch meat or epic bar would probably be fine there is no rule against it. As a reccomendation one would probably suggest to batch cook some chicken breast or take a tin of tuna, but I would say do what works for you.  Just remember you really want no fat here as it slows down digestion/absorption and you won't get that uptake of the protein/carb. 

Again, the no snacking is a recommendation more to break the hand to mouth eating or habitual snacking. Eventually you might be able to build your meals up enough so that you will be able to make it thru till lunch, keep working in this (also your life style is quite full looking so you may just need that extra meal). But until then if you need to, absolutely eat. Make it a mini meal of at least 2 out of the 3 macros, or all three of you want. I like a few  raw veggies a couple bites of meat and a few olives for my mini meal. 

http://forum.whole30.com/topic/31868-quest-bars-and-shakeology/

J9er, here is the clarification on recommendation vs. rule recently given here.

 

[liv.88]

thanks! i'm just thinking i should eat egg whites and a starchy carb right after my workout and then eat a propper breakfast later. i dont know, it's confusing hahaha.

 

 

[adjk1229]

I'm in a similar boat as @fitgirl_valx. I work out at home, though. So all I have to do is walk upstairs and eat breakfast. I'm always a little confused about the pwo meals because of this. I work out at 5am, typically I am strength training 5 days per week and I have 1-2 cardio days. I won't eat carbs after my strength days, just protein, but I also am struggling with timing. I could eat a hard boiled egg/chicken right after my work out, but I'm having breakfast at that time. Do you suggest maybe bringing extra protein later in the day to eat to help with muscle rebuild? Any suggestions would be great! Thanks! 

[J9er]

I work out at home too. What I do is eat my few bites of chicken/sweet potato (if you're having HB egg, make sure it's just the whites) as soon as I'm done working out, then I hop in the shower. I don't sit down, or dilly dally, I just grab it from the fridge cold and scarf it

Once I'm dressed, I make/put together breakfast and eat it - it's probably at least a half hour by the time I'm actually sitting down to eat. You need to eat the PWO in that window after working out as that's when the body is open to feeding and will take up those nutrients, it wouldn't really do much good later on in the day. Hope this helps. 

[kirkor]

 

On 11/17/2016 at 9:00 AM, fitgirl_valx said:

1. No carbs before working out? I have never heard that. My typical pre workout meal/snack is 1 hard boiled egg and half of a banana. Should I swap the banana for a handful of nuts (fat) even if I am only doing cardio that day?

What kind of cardio are you doing and what is the goal of the cardio?  You mention calorie burn which is outside the scope of Whole30, but if that is the case than any pre- or post-WO food will cancel out what you burned.  You'd be better off skipping both the food and the cardio and get more sleep, keep your cortisol down, etc.

 

14 hours ago, adjk1229 said:

I won't eat carbs after my strength days, just protein

After strength training is actually the best time to eat carbs, hence their inclusion in the post-WO meal recommendation. You're more insulin sensitive so the spike from the carbs will get driven directly towards replenishing muscle glycogen.

 

10 hours ago, J9er said:

You need to eat the PWO in that window after working out as that's when the body is open to feeding and will take up those nutrients, it wouldn't really do much good later on in the day. Hope this helps. 

The length of the post-WO window in terms of muscle protein synthesis is much greater than what is commonly thought of, and for all but the most dedicated of bodybuilders any excessive concern with meal timing is going to be a case of "majoring in the minors".  Having larger meals or adding a 4th meal will accomplish the goal of providing enough food in one's system to aid recovery and support performance.

[adjk1229]

@kirkor I will definitely do carbs after a high intensity work out, like running or soccer, but when I use their carb calculator in "It Starts With Food", it doesn't come out to needing any after strength, mainly because I haven't cardiovascularly exerted myself. I don't think I'm tapping into my glycogen during strength training. Any thoughts? 

[H_G_P]

Can I jump in here, since I was wondering the same thing? I am vegan and am participating in Whole30 for the first time (maintaining a vegan lifestyle so I recognize that my plan will be a bit different). I also do intense weight training 3 days a week, before 6 am. Any suggestions for a vegan for a PWO snack? I cannot seem to understand the carb/fat/protein combination and which is best? Has anyone any suggestions for me? Also I am midway through day 4 and the hangover is kicking in big time, which might explain why I can't understand the proper format for the snack lol. Thanks so much!

[jmcbn]

You want a protein post WO @H_G_P (and a starchy carb such as potato/sweet potato to replace muscle glycogen if need be) - what are you using for your protein sources?

[H_G_P]

I am using tempeh, organic tofu, edamame, and dried-soaked-cooked legumes.

 

I also have almond butter but have yet to use it for anything (same with the edamame and raw almonds).

[jmcbn]

Nuts & their by-products are classed as fats for whole30 purposes. And since fats will slow down absorption of any protein to the muscle for muscle protein synthesis I'd definitely skip those.

I'm no expert on the vegetarian/vegan Whole30 I'm afraid, but I'd probably go with the dried-soaked-cooked-legumes.

[mbrown88]

On 12/12/2016 at 2:27 PM, J9er said:

I work out at home too. What I do is eat my few bites of chicken/sweet potato (if you're having HB egg, make sure it's just the whites) as soon as I'm done working out, then I hop in the shower. I don't sit down, or dilly dally, I just grab it from the fridge cold and scarf it

Once I'm dressed, I make/put together breakfast and eat it - it's probably at least a half hour by the time I'm actually sitting down to eat. You need to eat the PWO in that window after working out as that's when the body is open to feeding and will take up those nutrients, it wouldn't really do much good later on in the day. Hope this helps. 

Why just the egg white? My first workout is tomorrow and I'm curious since HB eggs is the protein of choice for PWO. Thanks!

[jmcbn]

12 minutes ago, mbrown88 said:

Why just the egg white? My first workout is tomorrow and I'm curious since HB eggs is the protein of choice for PWO. Thanks!

Because there is fat in the yolk which slows down the absorption, thereby delaying muscle protein synthesis. Some people boil the eggs & eat the yolk for pre & save the whites for post.

Hope this helps.

[mbrown88]

2 minutes ago, jmcbn said:

Because there is fat in the yolk which slows down the absorption, thereby delaying muscle protein synthesis. Some people boil the eggs & eat the yolk for pre & save the whites for post.

Hope this helps.

Can I use the liquid eggs white that come in the box to make a small scramble? Ingredients read: 100% liquid egg white. I would hate to waste the yolk of an egg.

 

Thanks!

[jmcbn]

1 minute ago, mbrown88 said:

Can I use the liquid eggs white that come in the box to make a small scramble? Ingredients read: 100% liquid egg white. I would hate to waste the yolk of an egg.

 

Thanks!

You can, yes, but you can also save the yolks for making mayo (or adding to frittatas etc) if you plan on scrambling the whites.... Nobody likes to waste food!