Posted by harryp on May 28, 2004, at 23:47:31
In reply to Exercise Making Me More Depressed/Irritable - HELP, posted by Survector on May 27, 2004, at 0:34:19
I haven't experienced such a severe problem, but I'm personally athletically obsessed and have had problems with "crashes" after hard workouts. I've worked out some nutritional strategies that seem to enhance my mood and reduce exercise fatigue.
I have a few suggestions:
Make sure you eat something with carbs and protein BEFORE your work-out. I'm very partial to Powerbars, since they are easy to digest (not like eating eggs and oatmeal before a run!) and have a good balance of nutrients.
If you have breakfast after you work out, try having a quality whey protein shake, some fruit, and a bowl of oatmeal (oatmeal is one of the best and most slowly digested carb-based foods you can get.)
Don't overeat, but don't skip any meals. Always have something with lots of quality protein, (lean beef, chicken, nuts, or seafood) [or a whey shake in a pinch]. Try to avoid fried foods. (I'm fond of peanut butter and marmalade sandwiches on whole wheat bread with a few apples.)
Avoid anything with high-fructose corn syrup (messes up your metabolism) like sodas, and virtually all pre-sweetened foods. If you want sugar for something, use real sucrose (brown sugar or honey).
If you get hungry a few hours before bed--a whey protein shake is the best evening snack. It will help rebuild your muscles while you sleep, and is not likely to be converted to fat.
In short, go for high quality protein, quality carbs (fats are important too, but will come naturally with the animal protein) [olive oil is the best oil for cooking/salads, etc.].
Avoid fried stuff, carb snacks, high-fructose corn syrup, missed meals, and exercising on an empty stomach.
Hope this helps!
poster:harryp
thread:350992
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040527/msgs/351723.html