If you are anything like me, you are probably interested in how this lifestyle may affect your workout routine. I mean, how could I possibly get up at 5 am to workout and not take a pre-workout supplement? I used to take a concoction that you can buy at a warehouse bulk store. After reading it's label, I found that it had a lot of artificial ingredients, including sucralose, red dyes, and the ambiguous statement "artificial flavors" thrown in there for good measure. To top it all off, there is a warning on the label saying that it is not regulated by the FDA. Now, I know that doesn't necessarily mean if it was that it would be safe. We have already learned that lesson the hard way!
I have recently started researching different things on the internet to figure out how to replace this stuff that I was dependent upon. Examples of searches I have done are: "natural preworkout", "preworkout no artificial sweeteners", "organic preworkout" and so on...
After hours of searching, I realized there is hardly anything commercially made that isn't loaded with artificial ingredients. In fact, it's even difficult to find a homemade preworkout supplement that has everything in it that I was hoping to get. I had heard of black coffee, but I am a lifelong coffee hater, so that option was out. I was quite discouraged about my chances of being able to drag myself out of bed in the morning to get an effective workout without my caffeine and creatine source.
Then, as I started to read more Paleo websites and books, something clicked: Why am I so damn tired when I get up to workout in the first place? The answer was simple. I wasn't getting enough sleep! Going to bed at 10:30 hoping to fall asleep before 11:00 was a regular occurence. When my alarm was going off at 5:00 am, I was averaging 6.5 hours of sleep. Guess what, that's not enough. Most experts say you need to average 7-8 hours of sleep a day. If you aren't, then your problem isn't what you drink before you work out. I know it's difficult, because we all have to figure out how to balance family, work, nutrition, fitness and downtime. Unfortunately, we need a good balance of all of them to reach optimal health.
After getting my sleep schedule a little more under control, then I could think about what to use to fuel my workout inside my body. (Side note: Of course I don't always get a great night's sleep, but I'm also not afraid to skip a workout when I know my body needs more rest. More on the importance of rest as related to fitness in a later post.)
I started reading the book The Paleo Diet for Athletes, by Loren Cordain. That's when I realized that I didn't need a bunch of unregulated supplements to get a good "pump" from my workouts. It turns out that you can have everything you need for a workout by eating a few simple foods before, during and after your workout. You don't need a preworkout supplement, creatine, and recovery supplement. What I discovered is that I have been able to get stronger at the same, if not, faster pace than before using these simple nutritional strategies:
Pre-Workout
Depending on when you plan to eat prior to your workout, you will need to adjust your strategy. According to Cordain, you will need to increase your calorie count for how long you are going to go between your meal and your workout (approximately 200 calories for each hour prior to workout). Also, the closer you get to your workout time, the more liquid-based it should be. For me, it needs to be pretty much water since I get up so early. You also need to lower the glycemic index as your meal gets further from your workout time. That means, higher fiber content in the fruits you eat. Do NOT eat pasta, bread, or other grains! They will sit in your stomach like a brick!
Here is the smoothie I make:
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| Pre-Workout Smoothie |
5-7 Organic Coffee Ice Cubes
1 T. Cacao powder
1 Banana, sliced, frozen
10 Grams of an organic protein source (powdered)
1 T. Stevia in the raw (optional), can also use organic cane sugar
1 c. Water (coconut water can be used)
I put it all in the blender and blend until smooth. If the blender creates an air pocket, at a little more water and continue to blend until large chunks are gone. The coffee ice cubes are simply made in an ice cube tray in advance and saved in a zipper freezer bag.
This has proven to give me the jolt I need to allow me to get the most out of my workouts. However, this would be pointless if you aren't sleeping well enough. Also, the coffee flavor is not very strong and is much better than getting the caffiene from an unnatural source. The minimal amount of sugar/dextrose in the smoothie above is not a problem either because you are about to use it up quickly. A strenuous workout will use a tablespoon of sugar long before the workout ends. Sugar is not advisable if it is not going to be at least 45 minutes of strenuous exercise. I usually wait 15-20 minutes to let my smoothie "settle" before starting my warm-up.
Other proteine options: eggs, egg protein powder, meat, almonds (can lower GI of the meal)
Other carb options: watermelon (high GI), berries (low GI), apple (med GI)
Post-Workout
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| Breakfast Example |
If you lift weights, do a P90X workout, or something like it, you need a much more regimented approach. When you "pump iron" to the point of exhaustion, you use up pretty much every immediately available fuel source in your body. You also do microscopic damage to your muscles that needs to repair itself. That is where your post workout recovery drink comes in. You need a quickly absorbed protein source with a high source of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA's). Whey is the best and easiest to find. I use organic whey protein with no artificial flavoring/coloring. Flavor your food with food, not chemicals!
Here is the smoothie I make:
Paleo Post-Workout Smoothie
1 Banana, sliced, frozen OR 1 c. watermelon, cubed, frozen
1/2 c. Frozen berry of choice (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc.)
1 Handful frozen spinach
1 T. Cacao powder
1-2 scoops of organic whey protein powder (20-30 grams of protein)
3/4 - 1 c. Unsweetened almond milk
I blend this the same way as the above pre-workout smoothie. This will replenish your glycogen stores without the sugar you consume in the fruit being stored as fat. It will also give your body what it needs to start repairing your muscles immediately.
Other good BCAA Sources: eggs, egg white protein powder, meats, seafood
Conclusion
As you can see, fueling your workout naturally is a lot more complex than "carb loading" and drinking energy drinks. In fact, eating a bunch of carbs from terrible sources (pasta, bread, etc.) is quite contrary to what you should be doing. Continue to consume a good Paleo nutritional plate. Ensure you take in enough protein throughout the day (about .75 grams per pound of body weight). If you workout more than 10 hours a week, you need to up the protein content. I suggest you look it up and/or talk to your doctor. Get enough sleep. And, don't forget to balance the rest of your life so you can ensure you will be a pleasent person "in the now" and a healthy person in the long run.
Please don't forget to consult your doctor before starting a new workout/nutrition program to make sure you can handle any sudden changes. I know as well as anyone that you can go too far when you get pumped up for your first workout in a long time. Not only that, if you push it too far, you will be much less likely to come back the next day due to the extreme soreness!
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