Paleo - Food or Fast After Workout?

[DoomWeasel]

I've seen multiple arguments on both sides on this coin. For those of you who have experience with the paleo diet, which has had the best results for you?

I'm not looking to bulk up, just to get stronger and lose body fat (its about 33% right now). I know whenever I get done with le exercising, although my stomach says feed me the rest of my body says "meh."

There's so much science and data out there which I could read all day long, but theory is just that. I'd rather hear what's been tried and what's most helpful.

[cline]

I exercise in a fasted or semi-fasted state (e.g. no food for 5 hrs to me = semi fasted). After I do a heavy workout, I get really hungry. I try to eat within an hour and I have really worked to make sure that meal is 1) a reasonable size and not too big or over portioned (b/c I feel hungry), 2) I'm working on getting in more protein, 3) occasional carbs (I do very low carb right now - is not for everyone), and 4) is eaten slowly. I'm working on this last bit because I'm so hungry, I sometimes inhale my food.

This is what works for me. I know other people will have different experiences.

[AKLulu]

I usually have a snack after I workout (especially if it's a hard workout). They way I've heard it is that you should eat after working out to help rebuild muscles and replenish glycogen stores. I went to a short talk on nutrition for the primal athlete not long ago and she recommended having something with simple carbohydrates within 30 minutes of finishing your workout and then eating a meal with complex carbs and lean meats after a time equal to the length of the workout (so if you workout for 90 minutes, you should eat your meal 90 minutes after you're done). I feel like this has been a pretty good system for me so far. I've also been playing with intermittent fasting, so when I'm not working out I basically have one meal and maybe two small snacks. I don't feel like that would be enough to keep me going with my workouts, so I feel like I NEED to eat.

[morethanjustamom]

I work out fasted (12-18 hours), then do a protein coffee after. If I feel like I can go a while without eating, I'll usually try to wait until around 11:00 am or so before eating, but some days (today), I want to EAT ALL THE FOOD.

On days like that, it's better for me to go ahead and eat a reasonable breakfast, lunch and dinner, or have a substantial snack, rather than trying to fast all day end potentially losing my self control.

[AKLulu]

I work out fasted (12-18 hours), then do a protein coffee after. If I feel like I can go a while without eating, I'll usually try to wait until around 11:00 am or so before eating, but some days (today), I want to EAT ALL THE FOOD.

On days like that, it's better for me to go ahead and eat a reasonable breakfast, lunch and dinner, or have a substantial snack, rather than trying to fast all day end potentially losing my self control.

I'd like to start working out fasted, but I can't workout until 5 or 6 at night. I usually wait until about 11 to eat also and my eating "window" is until around 5. I guess I could potentially switch it up to eating in the late evening and an early breakfast before I go to work, but it sounds a lot more difficult to go through the whole day without eating And I hear you on eating ALL the foods. That usually happens at particular times of the month for me..... sucks! I drink tons of tea and make sure to pack extra veggies for those days.

[Maggie May]

I think OP is asking about post-workout... ? In which case I say EAT. I personally don't workout fasted, but I've heard many good arguments for that, and if that works for you, awesome! But I think most people would agree that after a workout eating is pretty crucial to recovery. I'm not an expert though

[morethanjustamom]

I'd like to start working out fasted, but I can't workout until 5 or 6 at night. I usually wait until about 11 to eat also and my eating "window" is until around 5. I guess I could potentially switch it up to eating in the late evening and an early breakfast before I go to work, but it sounds a lot more difficult to go through the whole day without eating And I hear you on eating ALL the foods. That usually happens at particular times of the month for me..... sucks! I drink tons of tea and make sure to pack extra veggies for those days.

Working out at 5:30AM helps with that whole fasted-state thing.

It's more of a default for me than a deliberate choice.

[AKLulu]

Working out at 5:30AM helps with that whole fasted-state thing.

It's more of a default for me than a deliberate choice.

Yah, I figured. The only way I get myself to workout is with CrossFit and they, unfortunately, don't offer those kind of times

[shiggles]

The answer is it depends on what type of exercise you are doing and what your goals are being doing that exercise e.g. how intense, how long, are you aiming to increase cardiovascular fitness or lose weight.

Eating around your exercise is not really a matter or paleo eating or not, but eating the right foods at the right time to make sure you are getting as much benefits from the exercise you are doing as possible. And the annoying thing is, different people find different things work for them - so you will likely need to experiment a bit.

Generally speaking "post workout nutrition" (have a google search of that for a bunch of info) is more important because you are aiming to give your body the stuff it needs to recovery and build up to be stronger, faster, harder as a result of the stimulus from the workout. So this normally contains protein as well as some carbs to help build those protein blocks up and replace glycogen stores.

What you eat beforehand is also up to you and can depend on what you plan to do and if you have performance goals.

So what I do and seems to work OK for me...

Before - Piece of fruit. Some energy and stops me being distracted by hunger.

After - Dinner if workout out in the evening. Normally consists of meat, 3 veg and some sweet potato.

If I know I will be working harder or longer I will make a point to fuel up more beforehand and possibly have a mid workout snack. It totally sucks to bonk out on a long ride and have to order a taxi home.

[CapN_Tommy_Sunshine]

I also workout first thing in the morning in a fasted state (5:30 am!), so by the time I get back home from the gym I need to eat. I eat a ridiculous amount of breakfast (2 quarter pound hamburger patties with cheese, 3 or 4 eggs, and a big pile of hash browns (10 - 12 ounces)), and I still get hungry a couple hours later. It seems to be working for me, but I am no longer focused on weight loss, just getting stronger.

[CalvinHobbes]

I've just been listening to my body after a workout. I try to fast afterwards, but if I'm hungry I eat. It's been working for me.

[Corbab]

My workout regimen is decidedly not paleo, but my eating is, and it still works out fine. My practices range from short and intense (2 sets of 12 45 second sprints, followed by running and stairs) to long and intense (30 minutes with rate shifts every 5), and I'm always tired at the end of the workout. I eat something small (usually shredded coconut, a banana, and some cream/milk) as soon as possible post workout. I also make a conscious effort to up the starchy carbs, because I find they help me recover faster and give me more energy than fats.

Your post workout dining will really depend on your workout. If you've been doing lots of cardio and plan on doing it again tomorrow, you should probably eat. If you lifted heavy and have the next day off, you can skip it. Like others said, listen to your body! If you had a really tiny lunch and are absolutely ravenous, don't deprive yourself. Just don't forget that food is still food, even when you're tired.

[Ryan Sannar]

Mark Sisson seems to advocate it for what my google searching discovered is around 2-3 hrs after you fast.

I haven't found any studies. But I do it occassionaly when I can. I think he only does it once every other week or something like that.

I fast before workouts. Its normally the end of the 18 hr fast I do.