Concept2 Forum

I seem to have a food attack that is hard to resist shortly after a good workout(cardio and strength). Any hints on how to not "pigout" I cannot lose weight.

Are you drinking enough to be well hydrated? Lots of folks eat when they are actually thirsty.

that could be true....I drink a Gatorade when done but maybe not enough. I'll try hydarating more and see if that helps. Thanks for the suggestion.

Check the sugar content on that Gatorade while you're at it...

Don't forget to drink before and during the work-out, too.

I have food cravings after my workouts, which average around 16k. Drinking a diluted sports drink during the workout seems to help and definitely helps avoid cramps, which I used to get regularly when I just drank water. I use one scoop of powdered gatorade or accelerade in a large bicycle water bottle.

You should eat something 15-30 minutes after a long workout to make protein available for muscle repair and carbs for glycogen replenishment. You'll recover faster and the calories are almost free since your metabolic rate will stay high longer if there are some carbs available to keep things going.

So the problem becomes controlling how much you eat.

I've found that Clif bars are a good solution. They are quite nutritious (a lot of energy bard are basically candy bars), are dense enough to ensure you'll continue to hydrate (i.e. you'll never choke one down without water), and they taste bad enough that I won't snack on them but not so bad it bothers me to force one down. Kind of like celery.

If you are doing strength training as well, you probably should get something with more protein in it or use a sports drink with protein like accelerade.

I seem to have hit on a schedule that is causing me to lose weight by accident.

Because of having to take my daughter to karate twice a week, we have been eating dinner around 10:00 pm when she gets back. I drop her at the dojo, come home and row. Then I shower and throw dinner on. She gets home with my husband (she does both the teen and the adult class which he goes to) and we eat. I eat like a horse and then do other stuff and get to bed around 12:30 or 1:00. Dinner is usually a heap of pasta, a pile of veggies, and some kind of meat thing--teriyaki chicken or sausages or something, and almost a pint of icecream after. I'm up at 7:00 and usually starved. Breakfast is a few bowls of cereal, juice & tea, and unch is usually yogurt or leftovers.

Doing this since fall I've lost about 10 lbs without meaning to. I guess eating dinner after rowing is my substitute for protein bars or drinks--hate them anyway, I like real food!

eat an orange.

Ron wrote:I seem to have a food attack that is hard to resist shortly after a good workout(cardio and strength). Any hints on how to not "pigout" I cannot lose weight.

Not eating soon after exercise is a good way to gain weight.

It is important to keep your body replenished.

Otherwise your metabolism would go down, and stimulate cravings for the nourishment you're not getting.

I used to drink a lot of coffee and switched to gree tea recently. I noticed that I am not as hungry.

I found if I eat before I row (protein powder, fiber- 10 grams soluble and OJ drink mix) and right after it really nails the big time hunger later on. I consume much less calories overall. Keep hydrated, get your fiber in (fruits and veggies) and it really helps.