When to eat?

This topic contains 6 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by emmawatsi 1 year, 4 months ago.

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Martie

9:38 am
24 Jul 18
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I’m going to be doing a morning routine that consists of various combinations of Tai Chi, Yoga, Slow Burn (twice a week), Pilates, walking and HIT (three times a week). This isn’t as much as it sounds and I’m good at managing and sustaining this kind of thing. I’ve also been doing the daily 16:8 approach but think I might be better off going back to 5:2.

What I’m really unsure about is when and what to eat in the morning, especially as I build up quite an appetite after exercising. Also, if I break the 16:8 thing, with even a couple of eggs, I end up really hungry much sooner than I would have had I not eaten anything.

So I guess I’m a little torn between the 16:8 approach and the 5:2. It just doesn’t feel ‘right’ not eating until the afternoon, especially if I’m exercising in the morning…

Any tips appreciated.

Binkle

10:03 pm
26 Jul 18
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I’d recommend eating some protein just after exercising, such as a plain hard boiled egg, then eat the rest of your calorie allowance at lunchtime. Fill up on water till bedtime, and look forward to breakfast!

bigbooty

11:10 pm
26 Jul 18
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What are you trying to achieve Martie? I’ll assume its weight loss? Then focus on your diet as providing 90% and exercise as providing 10%. If you are hungry after your workouts then arrange it so that you do 5:2 on those days were you aren’t working out. Most of what you have mentioned doesn’t seem to be too physically taxing (as in lean mass building exercise) so eating a lot of protein is questionable? A brisk walk is good for fat burning rather than full out exercise or yoga style exercise. Doing HIIT properly is very physically unpleasant. If you can sustain the activity for more than 20-30 seconds it isn’t HIIT. I finish my bike ride with two 20 second bursts of HIIT and I feel physically ill afterwards. Its not pleasant operating at 100% anaerobic effort for 20 seconds.

Martie

6:18 pm
27 Jul 18
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Thanks folks. I am trying to lose a little weight and appreciate I need focus more on diet than exercise, which I mainly do for general toning and tuning etc. I’m also out and about a lot as part of my job, so I don’t really have a sedentary lifestyle.

So yes, I don’t really need the protein in the morning as I don’t do anything particularly strenuous. I’ve also noticed that if I don’t eat at all I can go until around 1pm, but even a couple of times eggs in the morning makes me really hungry, so I’m going to stick with 16:8 as I find that really doable.

bigbooty

12:18 am
28 Jul 18
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If what you do is not physically taxing and you don’t feel hungry in the mornings then don’t eat until 1pm as you have suggested. If you get a good nights sleep your glycogen stores will be fairly well topped up overnight. This is supplied from fat stores and converted by the liver. So if youre not hungry don’t eat. 16:8 should be doable for most people. If you have your last meal at 8pm and then wake up at 8am the following day, you really only need to get to 12 noon to rack up 16 hours. That’s basically forgoing breakfast and only 4 hours until mid day to get to 16 hours. Very doable for most people. Good luck.

biscuitsrivermir

6:03 pm
23 Jun 23
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It sounds like you have a really impressive routine going – kudos to you for managing it! Sounds like it’s a matter of energizing yourself in the AM for your workout, so maybe planning a light snack pre or post? It’s tough to really give you specific advice without knowing what your goals are but I think if you’re consistently feeling hungry in the morning, it might be worth it to try the 5:2 approach. Everyone’s bodies are different and you should experiment with different eating patterns to see what works for you. Pro tip: be sure to stay hydrated throughout the day and always fuel before and after a workout.

emmawatsi

7:26 pm
20 Jul 23
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t’s great to hear that you have such a well-rounded morning routine! Incorporating exercises like Tai Chi, Yoga, Slow Burn, Pilates, walking, and HIT can definitely contribute to your overall well-being. As for your question about when and what to eat in the morning, I can offer some suggestions.

1. Consider your exercise routine: Since you’re exercising in the morning and building up an appetite afterwards, it’s important to fuel your body properly. After working out, your body needs nutrients to recover and replenish energy stores. You may want to have a balanced meal that includes a mix of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. For example, you could have a bowl of oatmeal with some nuts and berries, or a veggie scramble with whole grain toast.

2. Timing: If you’re torn between the 16:8 and 5:2 approaches, it’s worth exploring different eating windows to find what feels right for you. With the 16:8 method, you fast for 16 hours and eat within an 8-hour window. If you find it difficult to wait until the afternoon to eat, you can adjust your fasting window to better align with your exercise routine. For instance, you could start eating earlier in the day, such as from 10 am to 6 pm.

3. Experiment: Each person’s body is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. It’s worth experimenting with different approaches to find what suits you best. You can try implementing the 5:2 method, where you eat normally for five days and restrict your calorie intake to 500-600 calories for two non-consecutive days. Alternatively, you can modify the 16:8 method by adjusting your fasting window or changing your macronutrient composition.