A Change in Plans

If you don’t exercise at noon but you do at other times of the day, apply the same principles spelled out in “Eat the Clock”, but adjust them to fit  your schedule.  For example:

► If you exercise in the morning, have a larger dinner (a meat dish, with a side of pasta with red sauce, bread and salad) the night before.  The extra energy will carry over into the morning.  Then have a small snack and plenty of water early in the morning.  A piece of  fruit is fine.  Have a cup of coffee 30 minutes before you hit the gym, it you’re so inclined.  (If you have hypertension, check this out with your doctor first.)  after the workout, have another small dose of carbohydrate (a low-fat muffin, bagel, yogurt)  to replenish your energy stores.

►  If you exercise right after work, make sure you have a little more protein at lunch, to provide the extra mental energy needed to get through the afternoon.  But don’t overdo it.  Sluggishness is more common in people who eat large midday meals.  These are the people you often find unconscious at their desks around 2 p.m, and applying for unemployment benefits shortly thereafter.  Have a small snack—a nut mix or a piece of fruit on the way to the gym.  Have a soft drink, too.  It has considerably less caffeine than coffee, so it’s less likely to keep you up at night, but it may pack enough of a jolt to perk you up.  For dinner, cut back on the meal, because you’ll be eating most of your protein at lunch.  Instead, beef up the meal with carbohydrate-rich pasta.