protein intake before workout

[swordfish151]

Hey guys, quick question...i have been working out now at 5am (due to work schedule) i roll out of bed at 4:45am, and stroll into the gym at 5am...on an empty stomach. I've been lifting like a beast (heavy) question is should i have some kind of protein before i get into the gym? like a shake? Is it ok to consume 15 min before a workout?? i do eat breakfast right after the workout, but i dont know if i should be consuming protein before? thanks guys!

 

[Slyder190]

Yeah, try and get an MRP with both carbs and protein. It's better than nothing and can only help your cause.

 

[Silent Method]

I'd shy away from a MRP proximal to working out. The last thing you want prior to working out is a significant rise or spike of insulin - you will not be able to train as hard. Most MRPs use maltodextrin which has a very high GI (albeit the overall MRP GI may be lowered due to the effect of protein).

Even protein alone can cause a rise in insulin. Protein stimulates enzymes that facilitate a rise in blood glucose.

I'd like to dig up some real data on this, but for now I'd advise that a pure whey protein supplement at about 20-25 grams 20 minutes before working out would be benificial, raising blood amino acid levels but allowing a stabilized blood glucose level.

A better idea is to wake up 60-90 minutes before your workout, eat a small low GI meal and the whey protein, and go back to sleep. It takes some getting used to, but believe it or not, may elite athletes train themselves to eat one or two meals in the middle of the night with minimal sleep disruption.


Having said all that, what really matters is that you get your ass in the gym and wreck shop - regardless of "optimal" eating patterns.

 

[slat1]

This debate has been going at my gym for a bit. One side says flood your body with protien and carbs to make it more anabolic while working out. The other says that by puttin a substance like that in you stomach, a primary organ, your body naturally directs blood to the stomach to break down the food etc... thus not letting the muscles get as large a blood flow while working out.
In the end I agree with silent method. I would get it in there at least an hour before!
Good luck

 

[swordfish151]

wow 60-90 minutes before my workout!! i would have to wake up at 3:30 or something like that....yeah that would need some getting used to...i dont know if once awake i would be able to fall back asleep..im a morning person...but i will try it and see how it works out for me....i do have 100% whey protein that i consume now, it has 22g of protein per serving...would this be good to take?

 

[hammertime30]

Never just go to the gym after going 6-8 hours with no food for you are in a catabolic state at that point. Give your body something to burn on besides stored fat and muscle! Even while on gear!

 

[Silent Method]

i do have 100% whey protein that i consume now, it has 22g of protein per serving...would this be good to take?

I'd feel comfortable consuming this 20 minutes or so prior to exercise.

I will not consume any carbohydrate less than 60 minutes prior to working out.

 

[MrRTTB]

training on an empty stomach, and also just after you wake up Is't something I would suggest anyone doing. In your case I would take some medium fast carbs like a slice of bread, with this a whey shake. Alternative would shake + a banana, those fast carbswill do shit for fatgains. Post WK, bring a dextroseshake, 50g dextrose or some ricecookies, go home and take a shower, then eat your big protein breakfast, whey drink + chocken + oatmeal is a perfect starter. If you take a proteinshake before the workout I beleeve the protein isn'ät needed until breakfast.

I always took a small shake pre WO before then a proteinshake PW with carbs, but then I changed to taking a proteinshake before the session with carbs + zipping on a proteindrink while doing the wokrout, then PW I take only carbs, then 1½ hours later I take 80-100g protein + carbs. That is what has worked the best for me I can tell ya

 

[Judo Tom]

get both carbs and protein in before the workout.. if you hve no choice but to have the shake real close to the workout then just find how much you can stand without taking away from teh intensity of the workout

carbs pre workout really help your body absorb protein after the workout. use rala to keep sugar levels lower during the workout. sip gatorade throughout the workout if you need

after the workout get your protein in

my routine is an apple and whey with rala pre workout
sometimes gatorade during workout
whey shake after workout (ill soon be bulking and will add carbs to pwo shake)
1hr later a real meal (will be adding slin at 3-5ius prior to the meal shortly)

good luck

 

[Silent Method]

sip gatorade throughout the workout if you need

Still not down with carbs immediately prior to working out, but this is a good idea IMO. Exercise responce inhibits significant insulin release during the workout. Siping something like gatorade will have a positive effect on glucose levels.

 

[theposer]

Hey Bro,

Silent method is right! You should be getting up about 90mins before hand and have some oatmeal and egg whites. If you have just slept 8 hours you have already used up whatever that was in your system at the time of going to bed. If you are serious about your training you will pay your dues and get up earlier. THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL you can train really heavy and benefit from your workout without any type of nutrients etc. So think about it or change the time of the day you go and workout. GOOD LUCK!

theposer

 

[pursuit]

Just eat something, anything, it aint right to workout without food!

 

[swordfish151]

yeah you guys are right..i have been advancing in my gains and lifting really heavy and like today for example i was doing shoulders and right in the middle of my lift i got this mean hunger pain!! i mean i wanted to go to IHOP for some food! lol...so gatorade during the workout, i will try that...but yes i am very seriouse about my training right now..my office ordered pizza's for lunch, i had tuna, yam and brocolli for lunch.....i will wake up at least an hour before and intake some protein, i like the shake + banana idea, that would work for me...but it almost seems like i would be eating 8X a day..one shake before, a shake after then an hour and half eat breakfast? is that too much food? i usually eat breakfast, shake, lunch, shake, dinner, and shake before bed?

 

[Silent Method]

...but it almost seems like i would be eating 8X a day..

When I've really got my shit together I eat exactly 8 times a day...

 

[OMEGA]

Seriuosly

take the Ener-G now flavored and mix it with Iso Agb

or a flavorless power or even flavored

consume it before and you WILL have a better workout

 

[yomama]

OR you can do THIS. Wake up say at 3:30am, drink some protein and carb, then go back to sleep, then you wake up and get your ass to the gym.

 

[TheAssholeFomerlyKnownAsDBBT]

When I've really got my shit together I eat exactly 8 times a day...

same here...never go to the gym in the morning on an empty stomach. You WILL destroy any progress on muscle growth in that time period that you are slamming weights. It's a step backwards. Cardio is the only thing that should be done w/ empty stomach, even then you need to take 5g BCAAS...Wake up and down a 700 calorie shake...40g protein, rest is Malto or fruit.

 

[RADAR]

My best morning workouts came from a jug of gatorade and 400 mgs of caffene.


Afterwards My body was absolutley ready to be bombarded with a mega dose of Proteins& Carbs.


RADAR

 

[Judo Tom]

Still not down with carbs immediately prior to working out, but this is a good idea IMO. Exercise responce inhibits significant insulin release during the workout. Siping something like gatorade will have a positive effect on glucose levels.

Silent,

why dont you want carbs within 1hr of your workout?

at times i wont have them before workout to try to enhance the fat burning effects..

Thanks

 

[Silent Method]

Silent,

why dont you want carbs within 1hr of your workout?

Several reasons. I've got to make this quick and skip off to class.

-It takes about an hour for a moderate to low GI carb to be processed to the point where it is #1 of use for muscle fuel and #2 not causing an energy drain for that processing.

-Eating a "quicker acting" carb like those in a MRP proximal to a workout will cause an elevation in insulin signficant enough to inhibit maximal muscle contraction.

-In addition, a quick explination of the short term physiological effect of carbohydrate consumption goes something like this: Carb in -> blood glucose up -> insulin up -> blood glucose down. By eating a carbohydrate immediately prior to the workout you are putting your body in a state wherein it is attempting to store carbohydrate as glycogen - not use glycogen as fuel.

 

[swordfish151]

ok guys, woke up this morning at 3:30am...mixed my protein in water and had 22g of protein + a banana, oh and 5g of creatine...went back to sleep. woke up at 4:45am got my ass up and headed to the gym...i thought that waking up early and going back to bed would really fuck me up, but not really, i did have a little bit of trouble going back to bed...but i did get some sleep in...got to the gym....and wow you guys where right!!!! i had a really intense workout.....i lifted heavier then i have before (i keep a training log) and the gatorade really helped...i wasnt to sure why you would not want your insulin levels to peak while training, but would like to know why? got home, took a shower and afterwards had oatmeal 5 eggwhites and some water. thanks guys! it really made a difference!

 

[Judo Tom]

Nice work.. glad it worked out for you

 

[Judo Tom]

Several reasons. I've got to make this quick and skip off to class.

-It takes about an hour for a moderate to low GI carb to be processed to the point where it is #1 of use for muscle fuel and #2 not causing an energy drain for that processing.

-Eating a "quicker acting" carb like those in a MRP proximal to a workout will cause an elevation in insulin signficant enough to inhibit maximal muscle contraction.

-In addition, a quick explination of the short term physiological effect of carbohydrate consumption goes something like this: Carb in -> blood glucose up -> insulin up -> blood glucose down. By eating a carbohydrate immediately prior to the workout you are putting your body in a state wherein it is attempting to store carbohydrate as glycogen - not use glycogen as fuel.

Thanks silent.. K your way!

 

[Singleton]

ok guys, woke up this morning at 3:30am...mixed my protein in water and had 22g of protein + a banana, oh and 5g of creatine...went back to sleep. woke up at 4:45am got my ass up and headed to the gym...i thought that waking up early and going back to bed would really fuck me up, but not really, i did have a little bit of trouble going back to bed...but i did get some sleep in...got to the gym....and wow you guys where right!!!! i had a really intense workout.....i lifted heavier then i have before (i keep a training log) and the gatorade really helped...i wasnt to sure why you would not want your insulin levels to peak while training, but would like to know why? got home, took a shower and afterwards had oatmeal 5 eggwhites and some water. thanks guys! it really made a difference!

3:30? You're nuts!

you go to sleep at like 8:30?

 

[swordfish151]

lol, no i usually go to bed at 10, but im going to start getting up at least an hour to an hour and a half to consume protein, go back to bed then wake up at around 5 to head to the gym...like recommended...didnt affect me that bad waking up so early....felt really good in the gym!

 

[Slyder190]

I still say use and MRP before your workout. I'd try and get it in 30 min before if possible, but definately take in carbs/protein regardless.

 

[gregory]

All i can say is this. As an experient i started having 50grams of dextrose and 75 grams of penta pro 45-60 minutes before a workout. All i can say is that the pumps became awsome. My strenght went up on just about every workout and never faded. I am convinced that after years of having inconsistent workouts i found the magic formula for myself. Even body parts that were notorious for not getting a pump like my bi's would blow up. Sweet.

Also i was not hungry for about 2 hours after the workout. But then i just ate a high protein meal and fealt fine and again the gains continued while fat dropped and all training was natty.

See my idea is that you should have a formula that works great when you are training naturally and makes you get gains easily. Then when you add (orange) juice you'll make incredible gains.

 

[swordfish151]

yeah that makes sence gregory, i was working out on an empty stomach, but felt fine, just got really hungry in the end, but today i did what was told and man did i have a pump...something like that can make a difference in your workout.....i just want to say that im greatfull for this site..and all you guys with the extensive knowledge..man i can remember when i was a kid and all i wanted to do was bench everyday....but because of people like you and great magazines i have learned alot...and am still learing...when i logged on to this site i thought..oh yeah i know about working out and supplements...i look at it now and laugh....im a freaking novice compared to many here..but that is why im here to learn....again...thanks to eveyone for all your knowledge...