Crossfit & Pre/Post Workout Meals

[Kaitlyn W.]

I will be starting my first Whole30 tomorrow and I'm a bit lost on the whole pre/post workout meal suggestions. My current schedule is:

5:45am - Wake Up

6:30am - out the door (half hour drive to my box & job)

7am - WOD

8am - shower for work

8:30am - work until 5pm

Before Whole30, I've tended to eat a banana or protein bar before my morning WOD, then nothing but coffee until lunch (sometimes a protein shake Post workout). So my question is, should I be eating my meal 1 pre-wo and then like hard boiled eggs/banana post wo? Or should I have hb eggs pre-wo and take my meal 1 with me to work to eat (which is 30-45+ min after I finish the WOD). Honestly, eating a pre-wo, post-wo, AND meal 1 within a 2 1/2 hour time span seems like A LOT of food compared to what I'm used to. And I only have half an hour to shower and get to work as it is... throwing a post workout snack in will mean eating in the 5 minute drive from box to office, then eating my meal soon after arriving at work. Advice please =)

[ShannonM816]

For best results, try to eat something within an hour of waking up. That could be a full meal, or it could be a pre-wo of some protein and fat, like a hardboiled egg with a little mayo or some leftovers. This is really up to you and depends on how you tolerate eating a full meal before your workout. If you want to try a full breakfast, I'd recommend having something made ahead that you either eat cold or heat up quickly, like a frittata or breakfast casserole, maybe with a blended vegetable soup to help get veggies in. That way you can get up and eat most of your meal as soon as you get up or as you're getting ready without having to add much time for cooking.

Whenever you decide to do breakfast, do have a post-workout of lean protein and optionally some starchy vegetables very soon after your workout. This is just a few bites of, say, grilled chicken and sweet potato. 

Pre- and post-workout meals are in addition to your three full meals a day, not a substitute for a meal.

[PrincessNatkins]

I can not eat a full anything before an intense workout or i feel like throwing up. I have tried Banana and almond butter as a pre-workout. Though I have been known to drink my coffee pre workout, and have something like hard boiled eggs and coffee again post workout.