When to Eat On Training Days?

[Hot Lunch]

Class is at 6 pm. On non-training days, it's during class time that you might normally eat supper.

But if you're training that day, do you eat supper before or after training? Which one do you do, and which one should you do?

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Class is at 6 pm. On non-training days, it's during class time that you might normally eat supper.

But if you're training that day, do you eat supper before or after training? Which one do you do, and which one should you do?

I trained through the 4-8 time slot most days for many years. I always ate a big lunch and then a snack just before training, with a big dinner after class. Now I only train 3-4 times a week for 2 hours or so in the evenings except on Sundays which is my 3.5 hour day that goes from 0830-1200. I just eat dinner after workouts now, I don’t eat big lunches or snacks before workouts anymore. I’m more efficient at my training now though, in my 20s and 30s I went for intensity. In an analogy, my car is older now, but I’m a far more skilled driver than I was. I also understand nutrition better, and know what I need to get the best performance. As far as what others do, I can’t speak to that in a meaningful way. I would say try to eat a well balanced diet with variety while avoiding sugar, alcohol, and processed foods.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

I eat beforehand, but not too much. Probably like half of a normal dinner. Reasoning is that whenever I get home I'm hungry, regardless if I ate a full dinner or not, so might as well save some of my food for then, rather than eating snacks I don't need afterwards.

 

[Simfers]

Class runs from 6 to 7 PM (we will usually go over on days when we're the last to go on, so Mondays and Wednesdays), so I'll eat a solid lunch around noon, a very light snack if needed around 3, and then dinner when I get back and after I shower and start the load of laundry. Works well for me, anyway.

 

[Gyakuto]

Class is at 6 pm. On non-training days, it's during class time that you might normally eat supper.

But if you're training that day, do you eat supper before or after training? Which one do you do, and which one should you do?

I can’t train with a meal sloshing around in my stomach, threatening to projectile vomit during the course of a class ! So I’d have a light snack like a banana and a glass of soy milk, before and slice of bread with something afterwards.

 

[_Simon_]

Yeah I never eat a meal close to class. Usually a late lunch on the day, class is 7:30-9pm (and I drive a fair distance to get there), so I have a large banana an hour beforehand, and 30mins beforehand I have a couple of lollies. Eat dinner afterwards on the drive home!

 

[Gyakuto]

and 30mins beforehand I have a couple of lollies.

Lollies

 

[Hot Lunch]

Yeah I never eat a meal close to class. Usually a late lunch on the day, class is 7:30-9pm (and I drive a fair distance to get there), so I have a large banana an hour beforehand, and 30mins beforehand I have a couple of lollies. Eat dinner afterwards on the drive home!

It's a 20 minute commute for me. So if I get home at around 7:30 pm, I've already busted my butt in the dojo, and now I have to prepare dinner (while being exhausted). And the time that takes depends on what I'm cooking. If I'm trying to go to bed by 9:30, I'm going to end up eating too close to bed time.

 

[Gyakuto]

Have you considered protein shakes when you get home? I have a 400ml casein protein shake made with soy milk after evening training. It really fills you up and helps repair your muscles while you sleep!

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

It's a 20 minute commute for me. So if I get home at around 7:30 pm, I've already busted my butt in the dojo, and now I have to prepare dinner (while being exhausted). And the time that takes depends on what I'm cooking. If I'm trying to go to bed by 9:30, I'm going to end up eating too close to bed time.

I’ve gotten used to this, but I feel you brother. My goal is to get home and showered by 745 and be in the bed by 9. I usually prepare meals for training days so I can just heat them up or I have a huge salad and some smoked fish to make it quick and fairly light. In the old days my 5 training brothers and I used to take turns feeding us. Each of us had one day a week to make a huge meal for 6 large hungry athletes. I could consume an entire chicken with all the sides in those days. We used to measure meals by total poundage to be sure there was enough. Sometimes that meant 12lbs of chicken, 10 pounds of potatoes, 6 pounds of salad, a 12 pack of craft beer, and 2 pies. I can still out eat every single person I know, even though I’m the 2nd smallest person of my old school training brothers at 6’1” and 210 lbs.