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Eating to support exercise/weight training

30 replies

doorornottodoor · 05/05/2021 07:55

Hi I’m struggling with this and could do with some tips.

I’m an 8/10 not trying to lose weight as such just build some muscle, tone up and improve my cardio.

I do a variety- some HIIT, some weights, running and Pilates. Train most days.

I have put on a few pounds since upping my weights and I struggle to see that number go up on the scalesSad

I had cut out breakfast and was just having a protein shake then decent healthy protein heavy choices (chicken/tuna sandwich , lentil soup, yoghurt, chicken curry/steak etc...) throughout the day. I have some chocolate too but have switched to a smaller amount of dark chocolate.

Anyway yesterday I’d done weights the night before, an early morning HIIT class plus a short 3k run, I had slept badly and I just ate so badly. I was craving carbs and ate 2 big bowls of cereal at 5pm after work instead of dinner then another bowl later on. I’m sure it’s because I’m not fuelling my body properly.

Any tips? I find if I eat breakfast it makes me feel tired but I’m obviously not getting the right fuel for my body now I’m doing more weights/HIIT.

Thank you!

OP posts:
doorornottodoor · 06/05/2021 06:16

Thanks @Cormoran that’s interesting. Yes I don’t normally eat ham/beef so much normally I have chicken at lunch. I do feel better having upped my protein though as it’s stopped my sugar highs and lows. I do like a snack, it keeps me level. Why are Monaco ladies relevant -haha?! I can do weights later on after eating but not cardio 🤢

I will keep reading up and tweaking and assessing how I feel. Thanks.

OP posts:
Cormoran · 06/05/2021 03:47

We don't really need that much protein . Roughy it is recommended 0.75 gr / kg of weight, and when you exercise you should have 30gr in one meal for optimisation. That's it, you don';t need more, but you need a big chunk together. I would say you are having at least double than what you need.

If you create an account on cronometer.com, it is free and a ton better than MFP , you will see how quickly protein goes up, and you can at the same time look at all the other vital nutrients. Everyone is so focused on macro and forget magnesium, zinc, ....

I would stop eating lunch meats, all those hams, pastrami and other processed meats. They bring nothing "good " to the body so if you are thinking about increasing the good stuff, they have no place, especially if eaten on a daily basis. You like eggs and bacon on a Sunday, absolutely fine , but processed meat every single day, nope. Instead put some avocado and a slice of salmon.

Protein shakes are highly processed so once your jar is finished maybe don't buy it again. Try the taste of a green smoothie, this will increase your dark leafy green consumption and do wonder for skin and gut and you pack up with vitamins and minerals.

Also, do you really "need" the afternoon snack? I am Monegasque (Monaco) and I don't know a single adult woman who snacks in Monaco, or France or Italy . There isn't even a verb nor noun for snack.

Try not having the snack and having a earlier dinner.
I don't know how you can exercise with something in your stomach. Even if I go for a gym class at 11am, I will have a beurck session if I ate something at 7am.

Go for quality. Unprocessed grain, unrefined oils, no added sugars, no processed food.

When having rice, have the brown, red or black one, even the bread be really careful about ingredients, because most "wholemeal " bread are actually white flout (listed as flour or wheat flour) with the addition of bran because it covers the legislation around labelling but your body will process it as white.

Exercise will cause inflammation, and you need anti-inflammatory foods. If you are abusing exercising and eating processed or meat-heavy, you are adding inflammation on top of inflammation without providing the nutrients the body needs.

Everyone hates carbs, but your muscles love them when you are exercising, so if you have a balanced diet, a bit of everything, you will feel better. You don't need enormous amount, and there are plenty of complex carbs in vegetables and fruits, oats, ...

Kotatsu · 05/05/2021 15:42

I'm much more overweight, so in someways I wonder if I see affects more, but I trained every day for a month - at leat 5k 'run' every day, and I was fine.

Then for the past 3 weeks, I did a more official CT5k, only running 3 times a week, and I've seen much more improvement from that, than from exercising every day.

I hadn't previously realised how important rest days were I think.

When it comes to food, it does sound like you're eating well, perhaps you need a food rest-day too? I know that for those who are seriously into it, they do have carb heavy days as well as their clean eating days.

doorornottodoor · 05/05/2021 15:19

Thanks, really helpful.Smile Yes I’m not going crazy on protein just trying to make sure I eat it as previously I think I’ve not had enough.

Today I’ve had - protein shake for breakfast, lunch was a cup of lentil soup snd a beef and pastrami sandwich with salad on rye bread, plus a pot of melon.

I’m going to have a yoghurt as a snack then later prawn in a tomato and pepper/onion sauce with some rice/quinoa and lots of vegetables. So pretty balanced and healthy.

I agree about the training. I think I do overdo it. It’s a pandemic coping mechanism...however in my defence, the HIIT is only 30 mins and it was only a 20 min run so not too crazy. With work, sometimes you just need to do it when you can which occasionally is back to back - less than optimal I know.

OP posts:
Cormoran · 05/05/2021 10:24

You are having breakfast if you are having a protein shake.
I think you are eating way to much protein and not letting your body rest.
Unless you are training 8 hours per day you don't need that much protein and eating so much of it, mean you are not eating nutrient rich food.
People tend to forget that protein raises insulin so by eating more protein than necessary it will be converted in fat . There is this myth that one can eat as many protein as you want because it can't be stored. Not true
Think about fruits and vegetable and unprocessed grain. A spoonful or two of oats with flaxseed, a nice big salad with plenty of colours and some chicken, fish , eggs, ....you can have a slice of wholegrain bread if you want, at night, think a soup with some cheese, some fruit .
Also avoid eating non-stop during the day.
You will see more benefit by training less. If in a 24 hour period you do weight, HIIT and run, your body will crash.

If you are not hungry in the morning, don't eat . But be aware of the snacking and drinks you eat instead.

My advice, don't focus on 1 macro, but think real food, fresh food, nothing packages or processed and carbs are not your enemy.