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What should i eat and when?

Old 08-11-2010, 12:22 AM
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Default What should i eat and when?

Some days I do cardio work outs, sometimes I do weight lifting, but I never know when its best to eat protein? or Carbs? or Fats? I know they should be combined, but how can I know when to emphasize one of them in my diet based on the workout that I did that day because I find if I eat something wrong, I tend to get an insatiable appetite. (poor spelling I know)
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Old 08-11-2010, 06:43 AM
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Well every body is a little different, but I work out in the morning, cardio mostly plus light weight lifting (toning really). Before I work out I have a banana (carbs) and after I work out I have a protein shake and a high protein breakfast, usually eggs, or tuna, cottage cheese or Greek yogurt, and I might have something whole grain with it like toast or crackers. For lunch I usually do low-fat, low carb, high protein and green, like a salad with grilled chicken. I find that if I low-carb it at lunch then I don't get the late night munchies so bad. For dinner we usually have some sort of protein, usually beef, chicken, pork or fish and heaps of vegetables (whatever we picked from the garden today).

I think that the "pile of protein" is most effective if you eat it right after your workout when your muscles need feeding (it seems to me the usual recommendation is within an hour or two after finishing). I can't workout on an empty stomach, I have no energy and it doesn't do me any good to work out like that, hence the banana, which is just about perfect, not too much, not too little and it doesn't upset my stomach. I'm very much a morning person, so I would think a night owl would have a completely different take on all this. I think body builders also have a different take on the fat portion of their diet, but my focus is on weight loss not bulking up.
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Old 08-16-2010, 05:29 AM
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First off I am no expert. These are things I have read but I would have to go digging to cite my sources and I don't know what science this information was based on. With that being said, here goes...

Protein:
If you are a body builder or athlete this is what they will tell you.

1. First thing in the morning. Type: Fast protein like whey. Why? Because you have been fasting all night.

2. 45 or 60-90 mins BEFORE your workout. Type: 60-90 mins whole food or 45 mins fast protein. Why? Helps to prevent muscle breakdown.

3. After your workout. Type: fast protein. Why? To aid muscle repair.

4. Before bed. Type: slow protein like casein. Why? To help maintain and repair your body at night while fasting.

Does the average Joe need to follow this? Probably not. But I would get protein in before and after a strenuous workout.

Fat
Depends on the type of diet you are going for. If you doing low carb, pretty much anytime is fine. If not then you probably want to consume the majority of your fat calories in the morning. Something like 50% before lunch 30% before supper and 20% for supper.

Carbs
Carbs are good in the morning after you have broken your fast and they should be timed after strenuous exercise. And of course some will say you can eat carbs throughout the day to keep up energy reserves. But again this depends on your diet.

The problem is it really can depend on what you are trying to accomplish. I've seen so many timing guides without counting the extreme ones like CKD. The one thing everyone pretty much agrees on is protein uptake at least from what I have read. Others more knowledgeable than me can chime in anytime.

Another thing to remember is body chemistry is very complex. We have tried to boil everything down into simple equations, such as for metabolic rate and calories in vs out to gain/lose weight, but they are estimations only. Everyone's bodies do not function the same. Your body is going to take a meal and break it down and at the time this is occurring it will determine what nutrients and energy is needed. All unused calories will be stored as fat. This is why if you are trying to lose weight it is very important not to overeat. But I think I digress....

EDIT:
OP, I re-read your post and then re-read my post and it doesn't seem like much help so... I'll say this: I follow the protein guide. When I'm cutting I lower my carbs to the 100 to 150g range, closer to 100 these days, and generally only eat them post workout. I use fat as my main source of energy. Why do I do this? Well from things I have read I believe this optimizes my bodies ability to burn fat. I hope this helps.

Last edited by yauncin; 08-16-2010 at 05:39 AM.
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Old 08-16-2010, 10:00 AM
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Originally Posted by linusfuller
Some days I do cardio work outs, sometimes I do weight lifting, but I never know when its best to eat protein? or Carbs? or Fats? I know they should be combined, but how can I know when to emphasize one of them in my diet based on the workout that I did that day because I find if I eat something wrong, I tend to get an insatiable appetite. (poor spelling I know)
Protein is in every whole food. Just eat a variety of whole foods and don't worry about protein unless you are trying to be a body builder. In that case, you might need to focus on more protein rich foods.

If you have an insatiable appetite, eat something! Your body loves micronutrients, so eat foods that are low in macronutrients such as fat, carbs, and protein, and eat things high in micronutrients. Fruits are great and vegetables are even better. Never let yourself go hungry. More than likely, your body is craving micronutrients or dehydrated.

You have determine the best time to eat for yourself. I don't like eating before cardio, but I do before weight lifting. I always eat something after a workout.
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Old 08-16-2010, 10:51 AM
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Originally Posted by CoeyCoey
Protein is in every whole food. Just eat a variety of whole foods and don't worry about protein unless you are trying to be a body builder. In that case, you might need to focus on more protein rich foods.

If you have an insatiable appetite, eat something! Your body loves micronutrients, so eat foods that are low in macronutrients such as fat, carbs, and protein, and eat things high in micronutrients. Fruits are great and vegetables are even better. Never let yourself go hungry. More than likely, your body is craving micronutrients or dehydrated.

You have determine the best time to eat for yourself. I don't like eating before cardio, but I do before weight lifting. I always eat something after a workout.


I've heard the term "macro nutrients" before, and understand that all calories come from the three macro nutrients (fat, carbohydrates, and protein). The term "micro nutrients" is something I'm not familiar with, though. What would those be? I can't think of any food that has nutritional value without some combination of fat, carbs, and/or protein.
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Old 08-16-2010, 12:37 PM
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Hi Wanda,

There are 5 macronutrients. The three you mentioned, plus air and water.

Not all calories come from macronutrients. You get 7 calories per gram of alcohol, but alcohol is not a macronutrient, because it isn't essential for survival.

Micronutrients are all the vitamins, minerals, and compounds your body needs in small quantities for proper function.

You are correct that no real food has micronutrients without macronutrients. Some processed foods using artificial sweeteners may have no calories, but they might have some micronutrients such as sodium.

Green leafy vegetables are extremely nutrient dense because they have a lot of micronutrients and very few macronutrients(calories). Donuts have a lot of macronutrients (calories), but very few micronutrients, so they are a nutrient sparse food.

An equation I saw helps me to understand the relationship better. It said: Micronutrients/Calories=Health. This means that the more micronutrients you consume per calories, the better your health is likely to be.
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Old 01-07-2011, 03:18 PM
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Coey Coey, thank you for your explanation of Macro nutrients vs. Micro nutrients. I'm a Noob (stole that from someone else) and I keep running across the references without knowing what they mean. That explanation is concise and makes perfect sense!
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