What to eat post-workout
 

Hi everyone,

I am going back to working out again. I'm pretty heavy, 325lbs, and I always make excuses to avoid going to gym. If I do actually make it to the gym, I push hard and I love the burn.. Go figure... Anyway, a friend suggested that I try to hit the gym first thing in the morning before work so that it will help make it routine. I want to give this a go but I wonder, what should I eat post workout?

I hate everything about breakfast and usually skip it. Ideally, I'd love to wake up, have lots of water, hit the gym and then have some kind of miracle bar that will provide me the carbs and protein I need to recover during the day without gaining back all the calories I just burned.

Typically, my training is about 20-30 mins of intense cardio (HB is over 160 within a few mins and stays there) followed by 3-4 machines for muscles. Then I'm gone. I'd then take a shower and head straight to work from the gym. I can't make myself breakfast but I can pick up something at a grocery store (Canadian).

Anything out there that could be the solution to my problem?

Thanks,
Pat

Well, this is not a problem first of all so don't think of it as one. Secondly, there is no "miracle bar" that will provide you with everything you need to help you recover throughout the day. You will have to eat throughout the day so that's a lot to expect out of one miracle bar. Thirdly, you may have to try a few different breakfasts to find out what really works.

There are a lot of different theories about breakfast. Some people are steadfast to the idea that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and say to eat breakfast like a king. Other people don't eat breakfast at all and feel fine all day long. Other people decide to only allot a certain amount of calories to their breakfast so that they can eat more later during the day. I have tried all these approaches and more!

There are a couple of things to consider. If you're anything like me, working out will make you hungrier in general. If that is the case your breakfast will have to be substantial. If it isn't, it may cause you to be overly hungry later on making you more susceptible to binges. If you're the type of person who doesn't want to think about what they eat in the morning you may choose a standard breakfast like a cereal bar, a bowl of yogurt with fruit and nuts, or an egg sandwich.

After trying several things my dietician and I concluded that on the days that I eat a hearty breakfast I eat less throughout the day. I had tried for too long to keep my breakfast under 300cal which caused unsatiable hunger and led to binging. So now I treat breakfast like a big meal, and that naturally causes me to eat less for lunch and dinner. I had to kiss a lot of frogs though before I settled on that and I'm still getting used to it.

Breakfast ideas
- whole wheat english muffin with ham/egg/cheese
- 2 hard boiled eggs wrapped in turkey
- oatmeal with frozen fruits
- yogurt with nuts and fruit
- omelette and whole wheat toast
- peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat toast
- apple with peanut butter
- cheese and fruit and crackers
- rice cake with almond butter

If you do not need breakfast, just skip it. You'll get some good weightloss from doing that.

For me, if I am doing weight training, I eat a bowl of oats for breakfast, followed by a can of sardines/kippers/mackeral followed by a can of smoked oysters.

If I am doing cardio, I skip breakfast until after my workout else it makes me feel sick.

Or you could try a low calorie protein shake if you are worried about muscle recovery. Some go as low as 100 calories.

You eat when you are ready to eat and what you want to eat. Just make sure to get enough protein and fat in your diet.

For me, I LOVE having a rehydrating, yet nutritious protein shake after weight training. I put in one scoop or protein powder, maybe some flax or wheat germ, a handful of frozen blueberries and a cup of plain yogurt. Blend it up and enjoy. Totally refreshing. But that's what I like... You'll find what works for you.

rice and chicken after.

Pat, I am also not a breakfast person. And I work out in the mornings. I feel you on this, truly.

If you can forgive me linking back to another thread, we were discussing pre/peri/post workout nutrition in this thread a while back: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/exer...out-shake.html

The most current research dictates that as long as you're eating enough in general, timing really isn't a big deal (unless you are an elite athlete, or working out more than once a day). That being said, you are also talking about fasted training, if you workout before eating in the mornings....

My personal compromise has ended up being *sigh* a 'shake'. It's easier to get down in the morning, rather than 'food'. I just blitz 1 scoop of unflavoured whey protein with 1/2c frozen blueberries (superstore has a big bag of wild blueberries froz for $14). Then add as much water as I like. It's not super sweet, or even too filling - it's just enough to 'top me up', until I actually become hungry.

Something similar might work well for you? Another idea to think about, anyway. Have fun! :)

EDIT: Also, have you ever considered doing your weights before cardio? Or adding more weights to your routine? In terms of muscle sparing activities during fat loss, resistance training is sometimes more effective. Something to look at, maybe. :p