Post workout eating

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ntaylorut
ntaylorut Posts: 31 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Thanks in advance but I need some advice on post workout eating and not being unbelievably hungry a few hours after I workout. My basic schedule is oatmeal for breakfast, a sensible lunch, a fruit and protein mid afternoon snack and a protein bar right before I work out.

My workout routine is 6 days per week, CrossFit 4 days and a 4 mile run the other two. CF is from 5:30-6:30pm.
After I workout, I have tried just a protein shake, veggies and peanut butter, just protein like ground turkey or chicken and I still end up extremely hungry around 9pm and ruin the entire day.

So the magical question...what can I eat to not ruin my workout and still be able to sleep without being extremely hungry a few hrs later? (Besides sucking it up and just not eating, LOL)

Replies

  • Hannahwalksfar
    Hannahwalksfar Posts: 572 Member
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    My post workout meal is steel cut oats cooked in almond milk with hemp seeds, maple syrup and blue berries. Never fails to fill me right up. You can add protein powder and mix it through before eating. I do that.
  • zebasschick
    zebasschick Posts: 920 Member
    edited August 2019
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    eating is important - carbs fuel your energy, protein feeds your muscles. being hungry for longish period isn't great for retaining muscle.

    have some low fat or no fat carbs before you work out, protein after. pass on the peanut butter unless you have lots of calories for the day since it's full of fat and you need those calories for energy and rebuilding.

    and eat some protein - a non-fat yogurt, a lower fat protein bar, a protein drink, 100 calories of turkey or chicken or cottage cheese - just before bed. me, i love vanilla light & fit yogurt or half a double chocolate chunk quest bar as a before-bed treat that also gives my body protein to use for overnight. if i have the calories left at the end of the night, and i do eat back some or most of my exercise calories, i have a kroger low fat sugar free fudge bar (yum!) and that double chocolate chunk quest bar.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    What about eating some type of meal for a dinner when you get back? A protein with some vegetables plus rice, pasta, potatoes etc.

    Also what do you mean by "ruin your workout" do you mean going over your calorie goal? How much are you eating per day?
  • BarbaraHelen2013
    BarbaraHelen2013 Posts: 1,940 Member
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    Hannahwalksfar wrote: »
    Tedebearduff wrote: »
    Just deal with it being hungry for a few days you'll adjust after like 3 days... it could be more of a routine thing then you're actually hungry. I go to bed hungry at times it's not that big of deal... suck it up princess.

    Bit rude and unhelpful.

    Bit polite and pleasant.

    I’d say very rude and unhelpful.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,608 Member
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    So with all your workouts, it's likely you're not eating enough calories which may be why you're hungry. If that's not the case, then reduce the amount of lunch and/or snack time and save the calories for the evening.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    I'd mess with meal timing to plan for more calories later in the evening.

    Are you hungry every time you eat? Breakfast, lunch, snack, protein bar, and after workout? If not, cut that eating out and add it to the end of your day.

    Meal timing is highly irrelevant to your workout/gains. Eat when you're hungry.

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  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,459 Member
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    This is a random unlikely shot, but does it happen only if you exercise?

    I get all dumb crave-y at night if I don't get plenty of protein at breakfast (of all odd things!) especially, but also through the day.

    Oatmeal alone wouldn't cut it for me: Mine gets a hearty dollop of greek yogurt, some nuts/seeds, and milk alongside, to get me to 39g protein (and I'm not big, at 5'5").

    FWIW. Maybe very little. ;)
  • mwoltermann
    mwoltermann Posts: 15 Member
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    So I try to eat immediately after a workout..then another snack in like 30min - 1 hr then I carry on w/ a normal day of eating. Eating higher protein items helps me except protein smoothies. I find if I have food in liquid form it doesn't make me feel any fuller...something about not chewing makes my brain think I am not consuming food!

    I workout in the morning then eat two eggs -> get ready in the morning -> eat toast w/ peanut butter -> head to work. This has helped w/ my cravings which used to be super bad after a workout. On days I dont workout, I just have toast w/ peanutbutter. I will also say it helps to go to work and not have access to my fridge/pantry on a continuous basis so for me working out in the AM along w/ having two small snacks instead of one meal has helped me curb my eating.

    SO based on your post do you not eat a dinner? If you are going over your calorie limit, maybe skip the breakfast and eat a dinner instead. If you are eating dinner, maybe you can split it so have some right after your workout and eat the rest later in the night when you get your second bout of "hunger".
  • MercuryForce
    MercuryForce Posts: 104 Member
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    How do you have your profile set up,specifically amount of activity and amount you are trying to lose? Are you eating back your exercise calories? You don't have dinner listed on here, I would hope you are eating that too, especially if you are frequently working out.

    Based exclusively on what you have posted, I would guess your calorie goals are too low and you arne't eating back enough calories. So, what you think is "going over" probably isn't and you should eat the bedtime snack.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,232 Member
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    Are you hungry immediately after working out? Are you eating then because you are hungry or because you think you need to in order to get some super benefit from the workout?

    Do you have a dinner/evening meal?

    I workout in the evenings. I don’t typically eat beforehand (maybe a banana if I’m really hungry and going to have a longer run/heavier workout).

    I don’t eat right after. I just have my dinner. I am hungriest at night (9PM+) and would be gnawing off my arm if I didn’t have a meal. I save a good portion of my calories for this meal because it’s when I’m hungriest.

    I don’t typically eat at times I’m not hungry. Calories are precious. I’m going to spend them when I need them.

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