Am I eating enough?

[gurleen16]

I am on Day 10 of Whole 30 and I want to know if I am eating the right amount. I know that snacking isn't really compliant but I do need to have some kind of "pre-workout" so my workouts don't suffer. I workout approximately 5-6 times a week and it consists of rigorous HIIT/Lifting. I average losing 900-ish calories at each session. I do give myself one or two rest days per week. Below is a "normal" meal plan:

1. Breakfast: Med size sweet potato (topped with a tablespoon of almond butter) with 1 egg/1 egg white with spinach and four strawberries or 1/4 cup of blueberries

2. Lunch: Caulifower rice with coconut chicken/veggies and 1 small cutie

3. Snack: 5-6 Nuts and a couple of spoons of chia seed pudding 

4. Dinner: Large salad plate with tons of veggies, avocado, beef tips and an egg

5. 1 date

I guess I'm confused how much I can snack before working out? 

[ladyshanny]

First, eating a pre and/or post workout is not snacking, it's recommended as fuel for additional energy expenditure. Pre workout recommendation is a few bites of protein and fat. Post workout recommendation is a few bites of lean protein and starchy veggie. I don't see where your workout is in your meal plan?

Second, you are not eating enough. Breakdown:

Breakfast: if you are having eggs as your sole protein, it's as many as you can hold in one hand without dropping - start with 3-4. You need to add more veggies to this meal that are non-starchy as spinach becomes nearly nothing unless you used a wheelbarrow full.

Lunch: portions not indicated. Make sure you are having 2-3 cups of veggies, 1-2 palms of protein and you don't list any fat.

Snack: if you are going to eat between meals, make it protein + fat or protein + veggies. Nuts are not an optimal choice and chia seed pudding is not on during Whole30.

Dinner: as above, make sure it matches template.

Snack: what is the point of the date? Sugar craving? Or? Again, if you have to eat between meals, go for protein + fat/veg. We never recommend eating fruit or dried fruit on its own and especially not if you're eating it as a result of sugar cravings.

If you can clarify some of this I can help you tweak.

[gurleen16]

Thanks for responding! 

I usually workout after work around 5:30PM and eat dinner around 7PM. 

For breakfast, I will definitely add more veggies (maybe some mushrooms/bell peppers) with my eggs. (7am)

Lunch( 12/12:30PM): I usually eat about 1 cup of veggies and 2 palms of protein. I also thought if I cook my food in  ghee or use coconut milk it counts as a fat? Lunch is usually my smallest meal in terms of protein but I can change it up to add more food. 

2:30/3 Snack: Usually some Whole 30 compliant green tea (Stash tea) with 3/4 baby carrots 

Pre-Workout: 4/4:30pm: 5-6 nuts with two or three spoon fulls of coconut milk chia pudding. I guess I can eat an apple with almond butter? I really don't like the idea of eating an egg before working out (not a big fan of hard boiled eggs)

Workout 5:30-6:45

Dinner: (7/7:30)-larger meal- 2/3 cups of veggies and 1 palm sized of veggies with either a scoop of homemade guac or something made in coconut milk.

I do have a bad habit of eating a date or a dried mango (whole 30 compliant) 

Usually before bed I drink some whole 30 compliant ginger or  kava tea

 

Thanks! I guess I'm not used to eating so much food! I'm hesitating to eat potatoes twice a day..

[ladyshanny]

15 minutes ago, gurleen16 said:

Thanks for responding! 

I usually workout after work around 5:30PM and eat dinner around 7PM. 

For breakfast, I will definitely add more veggies (maybe some mushrooms/bell peppers) with my eggs. (7am)

Lunch( 12/12:30PM): I usually eat about 1 cup of veggies and 2 palms of protein. I also thought if I cook my food in  ghee or use coconut milk it counts as a fat? Lunch is usually my smallest meal in terms of protein but I can change it up to add more food.  - plated fat is important as most cooking fat is left behind. If coconut milk is your fat, the serving size is quarter to half a can so likely you need to add something else

2:30/3 Snack: Usually some Whole 30 compliant green tea (Stash tea) with 3/4 baby carrots  - make your meals large enough that you don't need to eat here.

Pre-Workout: 4/4:30pm: 5-6 nuts with two or three spoon fulls of coconut milk chia pudding. I guess I can eat an apple with almond butter? I really don't like the idea of eating an egg before working out (not a big fan of hard boiled eggs) Protein and fat is recommended so the apple and almond butter doesn't fit. Chicken thigh w/ guac. Couple meatballs w/ mayo. Burger patty w/ olives. It doesn't have to be an egg

Workout 5:30-6:45

Dinner: (7/7:30)-larger meal- 2/3 cups of veggies and 1 palm sized of veggies  I assume you mean protein here with either a scoop of homemade guac or something made in coconut milk.

I do have a bad habit of eating a date or a dried mango (whole 30 compliant)  - you would probably do well to stop doing this. It does nothing for your blood sugar and if you have any desire to change your relationship with food, this sort of sweet "candy" is not on.

Usually before bed I drink some whole 30 compliant ginger or  kava tea

 

Thanks! I guess I'm not used to eating so much food! I'm hesitating to eat potatoes twice a day.. You don't have to? Sorry, why do you have to eat potatoes twice a day?

 

[gurleen16]

Okay thanks! I will definitely try and change my diet by eating more of what you suggested! the hardest will be the sugar craving at night. 

I've heard after intense workouts like lifting  you're supposed to have carbs, hence the potatoes? 

[ladyshanny]

2 hours ago, gurleen16 said:

Okay thanks! I will definitely try and change my diet by eating more of what you suggested! the hardest will be the sugar craving at night. 

I've heard after intense workouts like lifting  you're supposed to have carbs, hence the potatoes? 

Starchy veggie isn't just potato. Sweet potato parsnip winter squash beets carrots turnip rutabaga are all starchy veggie.

[gurleen16]

okay great

Just wondering, are smoked salmon/avocados and epic bars good for preworkout snacks? 

[SugarcubeOD]

Yes, these would be fine, just make sure the smoked salmon is compliant as a lot of brands have sugar.  Bars are generally recommended to be for emergencies so is it possible to find a different protein?  You could pack a few additional bites of your lunch, not eat them at lunch and then eat them when leaving work for the gym - real food is always better than processed, even if it is an approved bar.

[miyutris]

I have found that a pre-workout snack of tuna with avocado mayo and a post workout snack of roasted plantains and a hard boiled egg is a great combo. I train 10-12 hours a week (triathlons), and I almost always need an afternoon snack. The key is to make it a balanced mini-meal if it is absolutely necessary. One of my go-tos is an apple with 1T of almond butter and a hard boiled egg or a small piece of chicken.