Too Tired to Workout: Nutritional Strategies

Have you ever been just too tired or exhausted to train? Working all day can really wipe you out and the last thing you feel like doing is going to the gym to train. First and foremost you have to commit and decide that you actually want to make working out a priority. I discussed strategies on how to fit exercise into your day in my previous blog. Once you have figure out WHEN you are going to workout, you can start planning your meals accordingly so you will have enough energy to make it through them. Meal planning for exercise varies from person to person based off of goals and the type of training they are doing. So today we are going to discuss some general basics. Carbohydrates are your bodies preferred source of fuel , therefore they can be consumed pre- and post- workout and will be used for fuel and recovery. Carbohydrates include all fruits, vegetables, and grain based foods. So whether or not you are paleo or gluten intolerant, you should still be able to find a source of carbohydrate that fits into your nutritional needs. Some of my favorites include oatmeal, ezekiel bread, russet potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Protein should be consumed throughout the day for many reasons. 1. Increases metabolic rate through thermogenesis. This simple means that the body has to work a little harder to breakdown protein, resulting in more calories being burned in the process. There is controversy on this topic if you research it, however I believe many are leaning this way. 2. Helps build strong bones. Again, there has been some controversy with this in the past and I’m sure there still is, but many new studies are supporting proteins role in aiding in the absorption of calcium which can positively affect bone density. 3. Promotes lean body mass. 4. Helps ward of hunger by keeping you satisfied. There are many more reasons why you need protein in you diet, but I just wanted to highlight a few. For these reasons, I try to eat protein in every meal. Fat is another macronutrient that you need in your diet to keep you healthy. It helps regulate hormones, provides an extra source of energy, is a component of cell membranes and is necessary for neurological messages. Dietary fat has 9 calories per 1 gram. Both carbohydrates and proteins have 4 calories per gram. Since fats are more calorically/energy dense, we do not need to consume as many within our diets. Ok, back to the planning! Since we know we need carbohydrates for fuel for our workout, we want to plan on eating the majority of our carbohydrates around that time. For example, if I’m working out in the morning I might have a smoothie with fruit, greek yogurt, and protein powder, or maybe some eggs with potato hash. However, if I’m not working out until seven at night I might some of my carbohydrates for later and opt for a veggie omelet with avocado instead. Let’s say I want to workout in the morning and I DON’T want to eat breakfast before I train because it hurts my stomach. I suggest having carbohydrate before you go to bed. Something like a 100 calorie portion of popcorn, or yogurt with a little fruit. As long as you are staying within you calorie range eating carbohydrates before bed will not affect your goals. *Side note: Some diets suggest relying on fat as a main source of energy, but as we discussed earlier that is not what the body prefers. Keto diets can work, but are taxing on organs such as your liver. It can be hard to consume a keto diet because the typical clients will want to consume foods that are higher in saturated fats. Also keto diets are LOW in carbohydrates ( usually below 50 grams a day) and the average person can consume that in vegetables and condiments a;one. Some clinical research is using ketogenic diets to help cure cancers and epilepsy. The research does make sense. For example, many cancers feed on sugars and carbohydrates in the body. So, if you take them away and only eat protein and fats, theoretically they should die. I believe that if it isn’t broke, don’t try to fix it. I personally believe if you are a healthy individual then you shouldn’t have to resort to a ketogenic diet. Now if I plan on eating the majority of my carbohydrates around my workouts, then I like to fill in the rest of my meals with some healthy fats. And as I stated earlier, I like to eat protein with every meal. So when looking at my typical day, I decide how many calories I’m going to need, when I’m training, and plan my carbohydrates first and my fats second and pair protein with them all. I could definitely keep going on this topic, but I think we’ve covered enough for now! Please write to me if you would like more information on the topic. In Good Health,