Hi Hayley,
I have a diet question for you. I signed myself up at a local hot yoga studio a couple months ago and have been loving it. But to avoid fainting in class, it is really important to eat a balanced meal before I go. For the evening classes this isn't usually a problem, but I have been attending a lot of morning classes and find it really hard to eat something substantial enough to sustain me through the class. I just don't have a big appetite in the morning. Do you have any suggestions for quick and nutritious meals that I could try? (My go-to breakfast meal of an egg sandwich is getting really boring.) Thanks!
Eating before a workout can be tricky, especially if you are not used to eating right before exercise. If you have two hours or more pre workout you can eat anything and it should be well digested before you start to get your heart rate up but when you are limited in time you need to eat something that will give you the energy that you need for the workout, be easily absorbed into your body and not upset your stomach.
My favourite “go to” early morning breakfast is a smoothie, and I usually have this every day as my first breakfast because having to get up at 5am and be out the door in 30 minutes makes it tough to consume a nutritious breakfast. One of my must have tools in my kitchen is my magic bullet blender and it is the first thing I go to once I have crawled out of bed. I throw in 1 small banana, a cup (or so) of frozen fruit (whatever is in my freezer which usually are mixed berries, blueberries or strawberries), a scoop of Vega Vanilla Protein powder, 1 tablespoon of hemp hearts and then I fill the rest with water. I blend it up and drink it while I am getting ready, which saves me a lot of time. I love this recipe because it is gluten free, dairy free and full of nutrients and potassium from the berries and the banana and it tastes great and it is easy to digest. If you want to add some sodium (for your electrolyte balance) you can throw in a pinch of sea salt.
After your yoga class I suggest you have a second breakfast, one that could be prepared before you head out for your class. Try cooking some steel cut oats on the stove in the morning and when it is done put it into a container with some slivered almonds, shaved coconut and a small handful of frozen berries and put it in your gym bag to eat after your workout. Another favourite post workout breakfast of mine is the larabars (their blueberry one is my new favourite) and I am also a big fan of 2 hard boiled eggs. These options should replenish you from your workout and keep you full until lunch.
When you are working out early in the morning you will want to load the earlier part of your day with more calories and eat less later on but if you are working out later in the day you might want to eat a bit more in the afternoon to make sure you have enough energy for your evening workout.
AM Workout
6am – breakfast
7am - workout
9am – second breakfast
12pm – lunch
3pm – mid day snack
5pm – small dinner
7 or 8pm – high fibre snack before bed (to keep you full until your workout in the morning)
PM Workout
7am – breakfast
10am – small snack
1pm - lunch
4pm – second lunch (early dinner)
6pm - workout
7:30pm – small dinner consisting of a small serving of lean protein and vegetables
Attached - Kate Walsh getting some exercise with the dog this weekend.
