Post workout and lunch - timing?

[loubee]

Hi there

I'm on day 1 of my first whole 30 and it's going well so far (a whole 4 hours!)

I have a quick question regarding eating post work out and timings. I train at 12 noon in my lunch hour and have therefore always eaten my lunch when I am back at my desk.

Should I now eat my post workout protein and small carb allowance then and eat my lunch later?

How much later?

Any suggestions for good post workout snacks that are not boiled eggs (can't stand them)

For your reference the rest of my day plan looks like this:

7am - Leftover slow cooked beef stifado one palmful, courgettes and green beans (too small - I'm hungry but will fix that tomorrow), 2 slices of melon

11.15am - 2 slices of roast beef

Post workout - sweet potato and a few meatballs from my lunch?

Lunch - lamb meatballs, tomato sauce, green veg, griddled peppers, roast sweet potato, one large orange

8pm - bacon, chicken and avocado salad

Thanks very much in advance

[Tom Denham]

When you workout intensely, you need extra food. The ideal is a small pre-workout meal of protein and fat and a post-workout meal of lean protein and carbs (optionally). Working with your food, a few meatballs would make a good pre-workout meal and a few slices of roast beef would make a good post-workout meal. The idea with post-workout meals is to feed your hungry muscles lean protein in the few minutes after exercise when they are especially ready to eat. Fat slows digestion and makes getting the protein to your muscles slower, so it is best to avoid fatty foods in a post-workout meal. Carbs are optional in a post-workout meal. Carbs are useful to replenish energy, but if you are trying to become more lean, you can omit carbs. It is basically a choice to make. If your energy levels lag, you need to add carbs, but if you feel and perform okay it is acceptable to eat few starchy veggies.

When I strength train, I eat a can of tuna packed in water immediately after my workout and then eat an ordinary lunch about an hour later. If you feel full after your post-workout meal, it is okay to postpone eating lunch longer, but don't use the post-workout meal as your lunch. That would leave you without the extra food for which a hard workout calls.

[loubee]

Thanks very much Tom. I have a few slices of roast beef left so I've had those now and will eat the meatballs about an hour later. Tuna sounds good - I like that.

My workout felt really good today compared to my usual breakfast of porridge and cappucino so feeling very positive about the whole30!