Typically I have either :

1. a 40 g Protein shake with 10 g simple carbs in it ( not a desired 2:1 carb/protein ratio though by a very long shot)

<or>

2. a simple meal that satisfies macros like 2 apples slices with almond nut butter and a 1-2 oz portion of chicken.

These have been my go-to pre workout meal options preceding a cross fit workout for a long time ( last 6 months).

I am going to try something different starting today. Cross fit takes a lot out of me and I want more endurance and more stamina. I am going to continue to get smarter about eating right foods before working out.

Today I am going to try 1 cup cooked steel cut oats (56 g carb) with 1 scoop of Protein powder (24 g carb). It has a decent 2:1 carb to protein ratio. I gather it is going to be pretty thick and maybe a little sludgy, but should really get my complex carbs up there for sustained energy (think: slow burning log rather than fast burning kindling). I am going to eat this 1.5 hours before working out and see what happens. Hopefully, the oats will be burned like logs throughout the workout and not end up in a pile on the mat. Lol. This is my first time to eat oats or anything with grains in over a year.

Good choice? We shall see!

Let's use this thread to post our favorite pre workout meals for getting the much desired energy during a workout. Try and post meals that offer sustained energy.

I've just recently started a workout regimen (nothing like cross fit, I'm totally not ready for all that) but nonetheless, I'm working out. I've been mindful of what I eat before hand but I am really interested to see what people "go to" for their foods before a work out. Teach me something folks!

I must be bad I usually have a protien shake or I do 6 oz greek yogurt with some Kashi protien in it just becuase I need the crunch.

Mmmm, interesting flavor when eating steel cut oats with cookies and creme synth 6 protein powder. Not bad!

fidddleman (my husband) miss ou boo. lol. i need this months ago. I do a very intense workout called turbo jam (well not any longer) i gained 5lbs and i think its because of he workout (meaning) it burns from 700-1000 cals an hr I do 45 mins well i only eat like 1200 and was burning all through out the day. well i ended up fainting and still have dizzy spells. so im not sure what to do at this point. i am not working out currently. I see my dr tomorrow to see whats going on. so far all of my levels are good except vit D IS LOW

Newgrandmother-are you drinking enough water? It is also important to eat before and after working out.

Success with the steel oats! During WOD, I set new PR on dead lift, front squat and overhead press. I went to failure on each by slowly increasing for recording max 1 rep, but felt great at the end of the workout. Still have energy. Today, I just heated up steel oats from trader joes before mixing in the protein. Next time I will try cooking the steel oats myself from scratch.

My new favorite pre workout meal is a half cup oatmeal with some chopped walnuts, and maybe a piece of sharp cheddar or 2. Good mix of carbs, fat and a little protein in the cheese. The oatmeal is about the only carby food I can eat pre workout, but it holds me well even on a long run. I never ate oatmeal before surgery, but I'm starting to like it. I tried adding the protein powder to it once and that didn't work out too well. Protein powder and hot water do not go well together.

Hmmm this is interesting. I was having a conversation with another co worker who is a workout freak and he was telling me that his regimen before working out/lifting is oats with either some fruit or organic raw honey. I thought that meal sounded really heavy before working out but didn't think of eating it earlier.

I usually do half an apple with nut butter or I might do greek yogurt with some home made granola in it.

We share apple and nut butter as our current goto meals. However, now it would seem oats is the new "in" food we should be eating pre workout, according to "the experts." I am game given good success from it today. I think apples are too quick to burn. Just an opinion on it.

Peanut butter is my staple, full fat baby! I take in protein, peanut butter, bcaa's, and then drink water through my workouts. I can't eat a full meal or anything heavy in carbs before a workout, especially if I'm in ketosis, I'll feel like crap and sluggish. I feel like I'm firing on all cylinders when my carbs are lower, less than 50g total for the day. I'm odd like that.

Peanut Butter is my staple, full fat baby! I take in Protein, peanut butter, bcaa's, and then drink Water through my workouts. I can't eat a full meal or anything heavy in carbs before a workout, especially if I'm in ketosis, I'll feel like crap and sluggish. I feel like I'm firing on all cylinders when my carbs are lower, less than 50g total for the day. I'm odd like that.

I'm honestly the same way...especially running. I enjoy my oatmeal but when I add honey too it, I crashed and burned. I guess too much sugar. After the oatmeal, I barely eat any carbs the rest of the day unless I have a green shake.

But I've done some 8-10 mile runs on nothing but scrambled eggs and cheese. According to the experts, you aren't supposed to be able to do that, but I actually do better. Keeping my body in a fat burning mode rather than a glucose burning mode, I actually feel and perform better. I just don't do well on alot of simple carbs and I've tried quite a few variations.

We are all different, and our bodies react differently to different fuels.

Fiddle....I wouldn't worry too much about that carb/protein ratio. I get that we need carbs (along with the protein) to build muscle, but everyone has varrying degrees of sensitivity to carbs....and it also depends on the type of carb that goes with your protein. So I'm with you, just find out what works for you on the carb/protein topic and go with that. There's really no set in stone blanket ratio for every single person.

Thanks for your comments Around. I am going to try out this steel oats and protein on a regular basis because I had such good results with it yesterday. Straight up carbs help initially, but I feel they burn up too quickly and I struggle to bust all the way to the end of a workout with the same desired intensity as the beginning. Cheers!

Yeah Fiddle, I love oats! Though I just eat the rolled unsweetened oats myself, but to each his own. It's really just about how they are cut or processed I guess. I also like eating mine dry and uncooked......I spoon it right out of that big Quaker cylinder.....I'm also odd like that.

:ph34r:

Yeah Fiddle' date=' I love oats! Though I just eat the rolled unsweetened oats myself, but to each his own. It's really just about how they are cut or processed I guess. I also like eating mine dry and uncooked......I spoon it right out of that big Quaker cylinder.....I'm also odd like that.

:ph34r:[/quote']

What? I have never heard that before. Next you'll tell us you just SNORT the Protein powder. You're a bad dude.