What's right is what works for you. Listen to your body, pay attention to how you feel, do a little trial and error, and you'll have your answer. If some so-called expert says don't eat before, and you don't and feel crappy while you work out, that's obviously not right for you.
So many published diets and programs and pieces of advice adopt a one-size-fits-all mentality and that's just not the way people are made. We all have different metabolisms, etc., and I think it's much better to work with your body instead of against it.
Folks have given a lot of good ideas here..try them and see. If it works for you, do it. If it doesn't, don't.
Okay, I'm climbing off my soapbox now.
__________________ Cassie
"If you drop an egg, you don't say, 'Oh, shoot' and drop the other 11, do you?"
-Source unknown, but obviously brilliant
Reached goal 4/16/2010...but kind of afraid to look these days
I know that Kashi is an A+ cereal, so if you actually like it - more power to you. I've tried but I just can't make myself eat it, DH loves the stuff, I can't even take the smell of Kashi in the morning. Of course he also loves Grape Nuts, which I think is fabulous aggregate in a concrete mixture, but not fit to eat for man nor beast.
When I was little, I thought Grape Nuts was toasted grape seeds. Looks and tastes like them to me lol.
I like 2 eggs, wheat toast or English muffin, and a piece of fruit when there's time, once a week we do that family-style and add sausage or bacon. Greek yogurt, granola bar (Kashi-awesome), or oatmeal with a piece of fruit is pretty standard for me. I usually have the fruit before I work out so I don't get shaky, and have a more satisfying breakfast when I get home, or if I'm working out later, I go right before lunch. I know I will be hungry after I exercise, so it's best to work out before a planned meal. Up until this week I was a die-hard coffee addict, but it's been almost 10 days since I had a cup. Maybe kicking the coffee habit will be the silver lining in my current drama of a life.
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If I keep starting over, eventually it will stick, right?
Starting weight:182
Current weight: 140
Goal weight: 135
Ah! I forgot to mention one of my favorite morning meals! --> an avocado, cut in half, pith removed, toss a little salt and pepper on each half and enjoy! Very filling and nutritious, I get a fresh burst of energy early in the day and I'm not hungry for the next couple hours
I workout every morning on an empty stomach (except for a little bit of coffee).
I'll get to the gym before work and do 30-60 min weight training every other day and 30 min cardio daily (M-F).
After the workout, I'll then make scrambled eggs or an omlette and I'll use egg whites and sometimes a whole egg.
I like my food spicy so I'll usually spice it up with tabasco and cayenne pepper and then stuff everything into a wheat pita or use the whole wheat thin buns.
I''ll top it off with raw spinach, low fat feta cheese and avocado....mmmm
But yeah, everybody is different. My girlfriend, who will work out early with me on occasion is the opposite of me, she needs to eat before any physical activity or she'll feel sick.
And then for my 10am feeding, I'll have a cup of fat free vanilla yogurt with frozen blueberries, fresh banana and 1/2 cup of shredded wheat and an apple.
This will tie me over until lunch- about 3 hrs later.
I workout every morning on an empty stomach (except for a little bit of coffee).
I'll get to the gym before work and do 30-60 min weight training every other day and 30 min cardio daily (M-F).
After the workout, I'll then make scrambled eggs or an omlette and I'll use egg whites and sometimes a whole egg.
I like my food spicy so I'll usually spice it up with tabasco and cayenne pepper and then stuff everything into a wheat pita or use the whole wheat thin buns.
I''ll top it off with raw spinach, low fat feta cheese and avocado....mmmm
But yeah, everybody is different. My girlfriend, who will work out early with me on occasion is the opposite of me, she needs to eat before any physical activity or she'll feel sick.
And then for my 10am feeding, I'll have a cup of fat free vanilla yogurt with frozen blueberries, fresh banana and 1/2 cup of shredded wheat and an apple.
This will tie me over until lunch- about 3 hrs later.
7:30 - 2 chocolate protein shake servings in 16 oz of hot coffee (140 cal)
10:00 - 2 hard boiled eggs and 1 hard boiled egg white (my kids or my dog gets the 3rd yoke)
10:30 - 10 raw almonds
1:00 - 4.5 oz lean deli meat, 2 oz nonfat cheese
2:00 - an entire sliced tomato w/salt and pepper
5:00 - dinner (30-50g lean protein, 4 cups spinach, 2T feta, 1 sliced tomato w/basalmic vinegar only)
That, and 100 oz of water is what I eat in a day... around 1000 cals. Hope this gives you some help. Been doing this for 5 weeks tomorrow and I feel great.
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I don't have to lose 83 pounds... I have to lose 10 pounds 8.3 times.
This one is my favorite (it's from the Biggest Loser Cookbook):
1 Monstrous Banana, quartered
Spread some peanut butter on each quartered piece (1-2 tablespoons)
Glob some Weight Watchers Boston Cream Yogurt in the middle
Sprinkle some grapenuts on top
It's pretty tasty! I like it, too, with just peanut butter and honey on the banana. It's a really good treat.
I need suggestions for breakfast. I workout for an hour in the morning with the goal of losing as much fat as possible Should I eat before my workout? If so, what should I be eating. I have a whey protein shake about 20-30 minutes after my workout. What do you guys do? Thanks!
Personally, I think a protien shake for breakfast is a great idea because that is what I do.
As I read the other suggestions -- they all sound great but are too carbohydrate rich for me. Personally by the time I stop eating in the evening, and go through the next morning I eat almost no carbohydrates. For me, this provides a body chemistry which is burning fat.
I have had no trouble working out with no carbs and just protiens and fats
If you read most professional body builders recommendations, they will recommend that you eat protein within 15 minutes of working out if you want to build muscle. They will also tell you that it is virtually impossible to build much muscle and lose weight in the same day. I usually eat 300 extra calories of protein on the days I do weights (2days a week) above my requirements and eat 600 less overall on the days I do cardio (5 days a week) for weight loss days.