Post WO bulletproof coffee

[Katydebard]

Sorry if this has been discussed before but my searches didn’t turn up an answer for my specific question. I work out early - done by 7am. I love coming home and having bulletproof coffee (ghee + collagen peptides). I’ve read in the Whole 30 day by day book that fat after workout is not advised which is where I’m getting confused. If I eat a few bites of carbs + protein first, can I have my bulletproof coffee? Is there a time frame of how long after workout I can have fat? I’m not usually hungry after a workout so typically I drink coffee first and then eat about an hour later, but I can choke down a few bites of food if it means better health/performance/recovery. 

[jmcbn]

28 minutes ago, Katydebard said:

If I eat a few bites of carbs + protein first, can I have my bulletproof coffee? Is there a time frame of how long after workout I can have fat?

Hey @Katydebard & welcome to the forums.

I'd leave it for 30-45mins after you've taken some protein on board before you have the BPC to allow time for the protein to digest & for protein muscle synthesis. Have a few bites of a lean protein immediately postWO and by the time you shower & get home you should be good. You really want to be eating *something* solid as soon as possible after wakening (the recommendation is within the hour) so as to help the hormones realign, and the fact that you're not normally hungry is indicative that this is something you might want to work on.

Hope this helps.

[Katydebard]

Quote

the fact that you're not normally hungry is indicative that this is something you might want to work on.

Oh interesting.  Can you expand on that a bit?  I've never heard that if you're not hungry in the morning that it has something to do with hormones not being in balance.  I thought fasted workouts were okay if you're not hungry?  I can get on board with eating some lean protein immediately post WO, but it would be more of a challenge to eat pre-WO when I'm not interested in food at all.  Also, what about carbs post WO?  I read that carbs (in addition to protein) should be consumed post WO.  Lean protein only is ok?

[jmcbn]

Fasted work-outs are fine (I do them myself three times a week), but really you want to be getting in that postWO meal as soon as you can. Basically NOT eating in the morning can result in elevated cortisol as the body goes into fight or flight mode. Elevated cortisol has a knock on effect on the other hormones related to appetite and so can result in weight gain or retention. Eating in the morning helps lower the cortisol which in turn helps regulate the other hormones.

Carbs postWO are optional & depend v much on the intensity of your work out, your starch intake throughout the day, and your body goals. For instance, if your work out is v high intensity, you're looking to maintain weight, and the veg in the rest of your meals is mostly non starchy then you might do well to add them to your post WO in order to replenish depleted muscle glycogen. If you're looking to improve body composition, your WO was low intensity, and you're eating starches most days you might want to skip the postWO carbs. Everyone is individual so it might take a little playing around to figure out what works best for you.

[Katydebard]

Wow, thank you so much for all that info.  You just answered so many questions I had and didn't even ask yet.  I was always really confused about carbs, but this clears up a lot for me.  And very good to know re: cortisol and why not eating in the morning is not ideal.  This has been really helpful, thanks again!