I work out at a somewhat odd time, especially on weekends, I get up with my son around 7-8, make sure he’s fed and settled into his sunday morning routine and then I start my 2hr workout. This doesn’t leave me with a ton of time to eat breakfast with enough lead time to have a positive effect on my workout, at least not without stuffing myself with a bunch of fast release stuff. So I’ve started fitting in a serving of oatmeal (mixed with maple syrup, raisins and dates) at night in hopes of it helping me in the morning.
So far, I’ve noticed that it does help (I still have a homemade latte and a slice of bread with jam in the morning before a workout). And I’m noticing I’m a bit less munchy after my workout, I work from home so it’s easy to snack all the time. I’ve always had a carb-centric diet, but I’m so far finding the timing of a nightly serving of oatmeal to be pretty effective, and I think I’ve dropped 4lbs or so in the past couple of weeks while doing SSB2-HV since I’m not always grabbing handfuls of stuff to shove in my mouth lol. My RPE on my 2 weekend workouts this weekend (4x20 ~ 90% and 3x20 @ 88%) were done at relatively low RPE, even considering we have a warm snap in the northeast pushing my training environment into the upper 60’s/low 70’s
Just wanted to share my very brief experience, will definitely try and keep this up.
Glad you found something that works for you, but I think most people workout in the morning on weekends, don’t they? Not odd at all. Shop rides are usually early, and everyone wants to have fun but be home by lunch to spend family time on the weekend.
Yep, carbing up before bed provides a solid start for my morning workouts. After a little too much to eat last night, I did Palisade (over unders) this morning with black coffee as my breakfast. After the first, maybe second intervaI I had a nature’s bakery fig bar then a gel after the next one which got me through. If I follow my rule of no eating after 7pm I find I do need breakfast/carbs before a morning ride. I can pound a bowl of oatmeal with raisins and walnuts and get on the bike within 15 to 30 minutes with no issues at all.
Same experiences here. I train at like 5am so cant sacrifice anymore sleep to eat. I mix up oatmeal, granola, or air popped popcorn the night before hard rides
I almost always have a nighttime bowl of oatmeal or slice of toast with nut butter. I do all of my training early in the morning and usually after an 8-10 fast. Not ideal, but I have no other option. No observable impact on sleep either. Love my pre-bed oats.
This is interesting and I wouldn’t have ever thought to try. I’m generally starving all day long despite eating a significant amount of whole food calories.
Most of my workouts are in the morning so maybe being a bit more full before going to bed would be helpful.
post-dinner. On Friday, for example, I went to a work party with my wife and ate there (it was at a bbq place so I had more protein than carbs) then at 11pm had a bowl of oatmeal to be fueled for my morning workout.
The article actually mentions that that fibrous foods can help prevent the problem. Rolled Oats are a great source of fiber and, therefore, shouldn’t affect sleep.
Having a bowl of ice cream with chocolate sauce on the other hand…
I’ll have to try this! I’ve been doing a bowl of granola with some blueberries and almond milk before bed and I’ve noticed my RPE drop as well. Granted every morning I eat oatmeal with a whole banana, a handful of blueberries and some chopped pecans and honey, too. If found that has filled me up more than other oatmeal recipes.
Interesting thread, so what are your thoughts if I added stewed fruit or blue berries or a banana. Would the sugar in the fruit be detrimental to getting off to sleep?
This is my go-to pre-bedtime (usually consumed around 8:00-8:30 pm or 1-1.5 hrs before lights out).
1/2 or 2/3c of old fashioined oats (lower glycemic and more nutrients than quick oats)
1/2c frozen wild blue berries
Pinch of shredded coconut
1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup
Pinch of sunflower seeds or almonds depending on what I have
Fill with non-dairy milk of choice (I prefer unsweetned almond)
Wish I liked cooked oats. Never have. Texture thing. Some mornings I can tell I am just plain ‘lacking.’ Stop and eat something (spoonful of honey) and I do better for a while.
