Eating for your Workouts

When you start an exercise program, you will want to have an energy strategy to go with it. As we have said, every one of us has a unique body design, and therefore has different energy needs depending on the intensity, goals, and time of day of your workout. First, you need energy, and energy is created by what you put in your body so regardless of the time of day or intensity of workout, you will want to find the right energy source and should be conscious of how your body will utilize that energy.

Always build your strategy off the fundamental rule of choosing ‘natural’ versus ‘processed’ whenever available: Whole grains versus white flour and white rice / Raw fats and oils versus fried and saturated oils / Natural raw sugars instead of processed white sugar / More simple foods and less processed in general. Also try to drinnk as much alkaline water as possible before and after a workout. Alkaline water is very hydrating, helps remove the lactic acid build up in the muscles from exercise and replenishes the body with minerals.

Morning Workout: Before and After, 5 am – Noon

Your body is in a state of cleansing from about 4am until 8am. Your body will be emptier and more cleaned out in the morning than any other time of the day. This is a great time to engage in physical activity because your body is not preoccupied with digesting a lot of food from that day. The morning time is ideal for burning those extra stored sugars and fats – your body has less food to burn. I don’t advise rolling out of bed, drinking some water and then doing one hour of intense cardio. Your body does need some form of food-energy. Keep it simple, high-energy and nutrient rich. Here are some examples of foods that I use for my morning energy demand:

Green and/or Red superfood drinks
Whole sprouted grains (sprouted bread (toast), Ezekiel tortillas, whole grain/sugar-free cereal, brown rice, quinoa) or Steel cut oats soaked in water over night, then cooked or eaten raw
Dehydrated cookies or burgers
Raw protein like almonds, walnuts or tempeh
Small portion of fish or egg whites
Vegetables or vegetable juice
Starchy fruits like bananas and dates
Young Thai Coconuts

Afternoon Workout, Noon – 5 pm

By the afternoon, you will have probably eaten 2-4, hopefully smaller, meals. If you are planning to workout in the afternoon, adapt your eating schedule accordingly so that you have the energy you need for an optimal exercise session. You should eat within the first 30 minutes after you awake, and then every few hours thereafter. A simple guideline is to eat something the size of your palm, about ½ hour prior to workout, depending on how quickly your body metabolizes food. Focus on the following snack and meal whole foods and ingredients for sustained good energy.

Dehydrated cookies or crackers
Complex carbohydrates (whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, sprouted tortilla with humus and veggies, sandwich with whole grain or spouted bread, cashew mushroom burger, veggie or fish wrap with whole grain tortillas)
Lean animal or plant-based protein (fish, eggs, tempeh, sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, hempseeds, pumpkin seeds)
Raw fats (avocado, raw nuts, olive oil, and especially coconut oil)
Berries or other raw fruits
Salad (vegetables, tempeh, fish, nuts and seeds, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, avocado, sunflower dressing)
A second green/red superfood drink. Or make a smoothie and add a scoop of the green or red superfood powder

Evening Workout, 5 pm – 10 pm

It is always challenging to workout in the evening due to a lack of energy, exhaustion after a full work day, or the desire for a big heavy dinner. My recommendations are very similar to the eating habits for an afternoon workout. First, eat a variety of small meals that include whole foods in their natural state every 2-4 hours throughout the day. This will help you keep your energy level up, and help keep you motivated for your workout. Secondly, if you plan to exercise after 6 pm, I advise eating a small good energy meal by 5:30 or 5:45. Here are some examples of a small good energy meall:

Dehydrated cookies and burgers are great quick energy full of complex carbohydrates, protein and raw fats
A small piece of salmon and a handful of baby carrots
A slice of sprouted bread or tortilla with nut butter or coconut oil and honey
Apple slices and peanut or almond butter

After your workout, I wouldn’t advise eating a big meal. Keep it simple and light, such as fish and vegetables, soup, brown rice and vegetables, salad with sprouted bread and avocado.

Tips on Protein Drinks

Protein Drinks are popular, and are better drunk before or after the workout, not during. Try to allow 15 minutes before working out after you have a protein drink. Ideally stick to hemp protein protein. Amazing Grass makes a great hemp protein mix:
Whey protein is fine for building muscle faster if that is your goal, but stick to products that are pure whey without preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and ideally organic or hormone free (these products are hard to find, but ideal).
Avoid isolated soy protein because it is so processed and toxic that you are better off eating animal protein. See Chapter 10, page 85 for more on soy and isolated soy protein

After a workout

Be kind to your body after exercising. It needs to repair and re-hydrate. Drink lots of pure water; eat some lean protein such as:

Fish, tempeh, eggs, raw nuts (almonds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts)
Healthy raw fats such as avocados, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, raw nuts; whole grain breads; grains such as quinoa (extremely high in protein) and brown rice
Vegetables, especially greens
Easily digested protein drinks (hemp protein, rice, or nut based)
Fresh fruit eaten by itself.
Young Thai Coconut

It is also beneficial to take a good quality calcium/magnesium (such as Megafoods or Catie’s – both whole food based) after exercising to help relax the muscles and prevent cramping and soreness the next day. The following products can be great for healing and repairing muscles and joints:

MSM
Alkaline Water
Turmeric
Protein enzymes
Raw omega fatty acids
Ginger
Blue-Green algae (“Blue Mana”)

Supplemental Products for more energy

There are various food-based products which aid in energy and endurance. Some of my favorites are:

Cordyceps mushroom
Schizandra Berry, Acai Berry
Spirulina, Blue-Green algae, Wheat Grass and other greens
Matcha Green Tea
Fat Burning Lemonade
Maca root is another great herb that provides great energy, without the caffeine. Maca has been used by ancient cultures for thousands of years for energy, hormone balancing, focus, stamina, and much more.