Baby Food!

Yes-I said baby food! Just let me explain….

A common question among those that crossfit (CF) is “what do I eat before a workout (WOD)” or “what do I eat after a workout (WOD)”. You can ask a variety of people and look up information all over the internet on this but what I find is that people generally don’t take a firm position in one camp or the other. Generally you get the “it is different for everyone, try some different things and see how you look, feel and perform (a phrase commonly used by Robb Wolf). I agree that in the end it comes down to personal preference, goals, body type, etc but please can someone just tell what to do and I will do it and start my look, feel, perform journey from there.

It wasn’t until the Whole 9 seminar that I attended that I got a straight and solid answer. While this was not the focus of the day I do remember Melissa and Dallas coming out and saying “YES!” eat before and after a workout. They then went on to provide timing guidelines and suggested types of foods for both before and after. I found this comforting and now I could go and do this and then tweak it from there. What I found was that I was eating too early (not close enough to 3..2..1. go time) and I wasn’t eating the right types of food. Even though I was eating paleo I had my fat in the wrong place and not enough carbs when I’d benefit from them. I don’t want to steal their words on this but basically they said to eat before a WOD (small amount of protein and a little fat) approx. 15-75 min and after a WOD (meal sized amount of protein and some carbs), approx 15-30- min.

Because of when I leave work to get to the gym and where I live in proximity to the gym to get these “bonus meals” in at the right time I often have to eat in the gym. I have found that hard-boiled eggs works best for me pre WOD and baby food best post WOD, yes I said baby food!

Usually when I am pealing and eating my egg in the gym different people look at me and say “Hey you are eating an egg, you must be trying the paleo thing, right, hahaha, are you like doing the challenge or something”) and with a mouth full of egg I just smile and nod. I am really thinking “Hello, do you know me, I am the paleo princess I have been paleo for over a year...I am not “trying” anything I am dialing in proper pre WOD nutrition”.

When I eat my baby food post WOD I get some strange looks for sure! Usually after the class I go to is the 101/intro class in our gym. I think one night I scared a few people as I was inhaling a jar of peaches. Yum. Usually I stick with the yams and sweet potato because those are really CLEAN and just yam or sweet potato and nothing else. The peaches are higher in sugar and from a concentrate with ascorbic acid. I just use these occasionally and as a treat.

Why am I not just eating a piece of fruit or some real actual sweet potato. I tried this. Because I have to carry all of this with me, in addition to my breakfast, lunch, and any other snacks, mini meals, etc I needed something small and portable and wanted something that didn’t need to be refrigerated. I also was bringing real “grown up” sweet potato for a while and finding it was going bad quickly and I ended up tossing more in the garbage then eating it. I know it sounds silly and even gross but really baby food is just a quick and easy, portable, post workout carb.

The last 3 weeks I have had some life changes and have not kept to my regular eating schedule including missing my pre and post WOD “bonus meals”. I have found that I don’t like WODing when I am even a little hungry and I don’t sleep at night if I don’t get my carb post WOD. No joke, I have had 2 experiences now at different times where I wasn’t eating the post WOD carb and what happens is I wake up at 3:30am and can’t sleep. I have tired eating more for dinner or tweaking other aspects of life, food or routine and all that helps is the post WOD carb. It has been 3 weeks and I haven’t touched the baby food in the closet and I also haven’t slept well. You can bet that I will be eating some tonight! It works for me and I like it because it is easy, quick, and you can keep it in the gym bag or car and always have a go to.

Do I suggest eating before and after a WOD, yes! Do I also suggest trying a few different things and playing around with it to see how you look, feel, and perform yes…there I said it.

ps. if my baby food idea isn't for you try these! I found them on the Whole 9 site! Sweet Potato Chews!