Too Many Meals and not enough time

[Jennymo0223]

Hi there, I am on day 10 of the Whole30 elimination and going strong, but I have a question below.

I am having a very hard time eating all of the meals required on the days that I workout at OTF (Orange Theory). 

Here is what my day has looked like to date:

• Wake up - 6:30
• Eat Pre-WO snack 7:30:  2 eggs, 1/2 handful macadamia nuts
• Workout - 8:30 - 9:30
• Eat Post-WO bonus meal - 10:30 - 4 oz turkey, root veggies
• Eat Meal 1 - 11:30 - 5-6 oz protein or 3 eggs (equivalent), 1-1.5 cups veg,  1-2 Tbsp oil or handful of nuts, 1 sml plum
• Eat Meal 2 - 2:30-3:00 - 5-6 oz protein, Salad Greens or 1 cup veg, 1-2 Tbsp oil or nuts, handful cherries
• Eat Meal 3 - 7:00-7:30 - 5-6 oz protein, 1-2 cup veg/starchy potato, 1-2 Tbsp oil or 1/4 cup coconut shavings, maybe sml amount of fruit*

*Note: Because I do OTF 5 times per week (and reading It starts with food, I am incorporating fruit with each major meal).

I am simply not hungry for the next meal and fitting it in because I am told to. :) 

What I would like to do is either replace the Post-WO Bonus with Meal 1 or make Meal 1, 2, and 3 smaller (i.e. 3-4 oz Protein, .5-1 cup veg/potato and fat the same).  Suggestions on this approach and which is a better option?

 

[ultrarunnergirl]

My thoughts: Your Pre WO snack doesn't need to be so much. One egg would be fine. Same with the post WO meal - just a few bites of protein and veggies should do it.

Conversely, since you are up and eating an hour before your workout, you might try just eating Meal 1 then. Skip the Pre WO snack and again just a few bites for the Post WO meal.

 

[Jennymo0223]

4 hours ago, ultrarunnergirl said:

My thoughts: Your Pre WO snack doesn't need to be so much. One egg would be fine. Same with the post WO meal - just a few bites of protein and veggies should do it.

Conversely, since you are up and eating an hour before your workout, you might try just eating Meal 1 then. Skip the Pre WO snack and again just a few bites for the Post WO meal.

 

Thanks for the suggestion!  I am pretty literal and was going off the meal guide in the book (bonus meal = full meal less fat), but I will try this.  I have found my workouts are lacking energy, so I will try meal 1 at 6:45.  I am concerned about eating a meal that large before a workout, but let's try it and see.  Otherwise, with your first suggestion, you don't see an issue with the meal times being between 3-4 hours apart?  I have seen that you all recommend 5 hours....if only there were enough hours in the day.

[SugarcubeOD]

15 minutes ago, Jennymo0223 said:

Thanks for the suggestion!  I am pretty literal and was going off the meal guide in the book (bonus meal = full meal less fat), but I will try this.  I have found my workouts are lacking energy, so I will try meal 1 at 6:45.  I am concerned about eating a meal that large before a workout, but let's try it and see.  Otherwise, with your first suggestion, you don't see an issue with the meal times being between 3-4 hours apart?  I have seen that you all recommend 5 hours....if only there were enough hours in the day.

The recommendation is 4-5 hours apart and we don't usually take the pre and post workout meal into consideration in that timeline since it's 'bonus' food.  Your meals are a bit close together later in the day but eating Meal 1 before you workout means Meal 2 comes around noon and meal 3 would be around 5ish... obviouisly you can play with the timing a little but if you're not eating meal 1 until 1130, yes, it's going to be difficult to adhere to our recommendations around meal timing.

[snowflower]

I do Orange Theory, as well, and this is my (5th I think) Whole 30.  I have never been able to do the full pre and post WO meals AND have a meal 1 so these are the ways I have made it work for me:

If I have less than an hour before the workout I have:  1 hardboiled egg dipped in mayo.  Post WO I have Meal 1.

If I have more than an hour before the workout I have: Meal 1 and then either a mini-meal or nothing at all.

Occasionally I'll have a pre WO snack and then after OTF a post WO snack and I'll skip Meal 1 entirely. 

Find what works best for you, keeps you energized and feeling good.