Don’t Work Out on Empty: What to Eat to See Results
You’ve done the hard part: You carved out the time, got out of bed, and have been showing up for your morning workouts. Fist pump!
Maybe you feel better, but let me guess…you are still not seeing results.
Can I tell you something that might shock you? It's likely what and when you are eating. Or really, it’s what you are not eating.
There is a lot of confusion out there about how to fuel your body, especially if you’re on social media: Do I do protein powders? Fasted workouts? How about this creatine thing? Greens supplements? Liquid IV? What are meal prep hacks?
My clients ask me all the time for meal planning recommendations to lose extra belly fat or reduce that sluggish mid-morning feel. So a light bulb just went off: Why don’t I just give these women the answer they need?
The Bottom Line: Eat Before You Exercise. Then Again After.
The answer is simple: If you’re working out in the mornings, eat 15 grams of protein before you workout and 30 grams of protein after.
Listen, this is coming from the queen of the no-breakfast club herself. I spent many years, especially when I was working and parenting my toddlers, skipping breakfast completely. But I’ve seen, especially now when I skip breakfast, how I become more stressed, have more cravings, and see less results from my workouts.
Worse yet, my body NEEDS the fuel before I train. This especially applies to those of us over 40.
Here's why: When you exercise without fuel, your body pulls energy from lean muscle. That's the opposite of what we want. We’re here to build, not burn.
I know you are thinking: isn’t every woman different? Yes, you are right! But this is a good baseline to start. And if you are curious to know how many grams will benefit you and your body, with your lifestyle and the different workouts you do, let’s talk!
Here’s Exactly What to Do
Before your morning strength workout, eat 15 grams of protein, ideally about 30–45 minutes beforehand.
Examples of this are:
2–3 scrambled eggs with grated parm cheese
1 boiled egg and ½ slice of whole-grain toast with cottage cheese and/or avocado
A few spoonfuls of Greek yogurt with a scoop of protein powder on top
Blending a high protein powder in your coffee
If you're adding in high-intensity cardio—intervals, Peloton, a MetCon class—you'll actually need more. I recommend for these metabolic conditioning workouts that you intake about 30 grams of protein beforehand, since this type of exercise demands more fuel to protect muscle and improve performance.
Then, regardless of what type of training you do, eat again after your workout with another 30 grams of protein.
This helps your muscles repair and grow, and stabilizes your blood sugar so you don’t crash.
I know. It is so counterintuitive. I train to lose weight and need to eat to lose weight. We were told for decades to eat less and be skinny. It worked…until it didn’t…NOW!
Science says: Women are not men
Are you thinking, wait, my husband, trainer, or co-worker doesn’t do this? And has been telling me otherwise for years?
Well, guess what: Men don’t have the same hormone patterns. They can train fasted and still be fine for up to three hours post-workout.
The science is finally coming out that women’s bodies are different–I know we all could have told the scientists this, but it’s taken a long time for the research industry to catch up.
Now we know for certain that our metabolism, our estrogen, and our muscle mass all require a different approach.
What you need to remember is that all women in midlife need to:
Eat before to protect muscle
Eat after to rebuild it
Do this consistently to see results
How much protein is too much?
The recommended daily consumption of protein is likely going to be more than what many women are used to. But no, it’s not too much, and in fact, most of us are under-consuming protein by a lot. We need to eat as much lean muscle mass we have in grams. Yes, this means you need to get your lean muscle mass tested. Check in with me if you want to know where!
And you don’t need to hit your ideal target overnight. That certainly won’t make your stomach feel great, and it will probably just stress you out from the start. Like my entire approach to wellness, I suggest starting with one small step at a time.
Start with an existing habit, add a little to that, and grow it over time.
For example:
Add just one extra egg at breakfast
Add another dollop of Greek yogurt instead of a few bites, plus sprinkle in some chia seeds.
Add a scoop of protein powder in your coffee instead of other flavorings or creamers
As your protein intake goes up, you'll likely notice fewer cravings, longer-lasting energy, no more "hangry" at 10 a.m., and better results from your workouts
And lastly, no—you will not “bulk up.” That is so “eighties” speak! You would need to consume a lot of protein, massive amounts of carbs and train for way more hours each day to get “bulky” like body builders–I promise. In fact, quite the opposite, you’ll likely start losing belly fat and gaining energy once you incorporate more protein before and after your workouts.
Now let’s make breakfast happen
Sound good? I know, you’re already putting in the effort…or at least thinking about it. So let’s make it count. Fuel your morning workouts. Don’t fast through them.
I’ve said it a couple times already, but I’ll end with it again to hit home. Remember these numbers:
Start with 15 grams of protein before your workout, and aim to eat 30 grams after your workout.
Trust me, that one change could be the missing piece you’ve been looking for.
Need a personalized wellness evaluation? Grab a little time on my calendar and let’s build you a free plan to get started.
