Exercise and frequent meals....how do you manage both?
I know that we are supposed to eat every 2-3 hours. But, then I have also read that we are not to eat from 2-3 hours before a workout, and then wait an hour afterwards. For me, I usually eat a mid afternoon meal around 3-4 pm. I get off work at 5:30, am working out about 6:15, and I workout for an hour. I don't get home till usually close to 8 on my workout days. So, that is anywhere from 4-5 hours between meals.
I was drinking a protein or MRP shake on my way to the gym after work, but I read that I should workout on an emptier stomach, and not to eat carbs before I go to the gym.
I have to say that I never really worried about the amount of time after my workout when I was doing my BFL challenge. I used to commute over two hours to work so when I got home it was around 6.40 so my workout started at 7pm. After my workout I used to just shower then cook my dinner, so I was eating maybe 30mins after i finished my workout. I always found that I was starving after my workout, and I never found it to be a great feeling ( I remember reading in a mag once that some guy like the feeling of being hungry 'cause it meant he had worked out hard. Yeah right Sorry, i just don't agree with that.)
I don't really have a heads up on pre and post workout nutrition but I think you just have to do what you feel comfortable with. If you do get home late after a workout and want to eat dinner, go ahead. If you find that having some time between a workout and meal work better, then do that. As long as you are happy, you should be fine.
Robin- I think you are confusing programs here. BRX says nothing about waiting an hour after exercise to eat, and even in BFL that is really only applicable to cardio.
BRX also says nothing about waiting 2-3 hours after eating to lift. I normally eat breakfast 60-90 minutes before I go to the gym and have never have a problem with cramping etc.
Don't try and make it more complicated than it has to be with information overload.
When I go in the early morning: I don't eat before going but have a P shake as soon as I get home.....
If I work out later in the day: I eat 2 hours before the gym, so it can be fully digested before I get there.... workout for an hour + then as soon as I get home I eat.... this could be anywhere from 3-4 hours after my last meal....
I really do think, (unless you want to compete), you have to do what works for YOU, and what feels comfortable too.... If you eat 2 hours before the gym and you don't have energy when you get there, then play with it and eat 1.5 hours before going... DO whatever works for YOU....
First, as Laura said, you are confusing programs. Second, do what works for you. If I do cardio early, I do it on an empty stomach before breakfast, then head for the kitchen. It's the only way I can get to work, and get meals in, and I'M HUNGRY. I never, ever, after 1 spectacularly disastrous attempt, lift on an empty stomach. Given my work/workout schedule, I usually eat 1 hour before I lift. It's never been a problem. I'm usually at the gym for 1 1/4 hrs, drive home, and EAT. All the waiting to eat instructions in bfl left me wanting to just eat anything that crossed my path.
Laura - Actually, I am not confusing programs. I know BRx says nothing about this. I have been reading various articles off of other bodybuilding websites, and I thought in BFL it said to workout on an empty stomach, even for the weights - maybe I read it wrong. I guess I am just trying to get the maximum out of my workouts.
I don't know if I wrote it wrong, but I meant to say that I read we are not supposed to eat for 1 hour after a workout, not 2-3. My concern was in that we are supposed to eat every 2-3 hours to get 6 meals in. If I don't eat right before I go to the gym, it ends up being about 4-5 hours and I wasn't sure if this was good or not. I was drinking a protein shake on the way to the gym after work. It didn't bug me, and if nothing else took the edge off of the hunger I started getting right about then - after all, it is dinnertime What can I say old habits die hard!!
Again, the BRX book does not specify waiting either before or after, either an hour or 2 or 3 or 4. I think with all the heavily scientific material Dr. C gave us, if it was an important point we would have heard about it.
And, if you insist on dragging BFL into this; many people who do BFL never wait the hour after lifting no matter what the book says. Lifting is NOT supposed to be "fatburning".
But once more; don't try and mix programs; it is rarely successful.
Thanks for that. Actually this was cleared up on another board. My main concern was not to mess up my meal spacing of 2-3 hours between meals, and my workout was doing that, and i know the book is specific on the meal spacing. When I drank a shake prior to my workout I was fine - if I don't, I am going to long.
Now I got it figured out. I don't mean to confuse things, but I like to be educated on what is out there and how it may apply to me. Guess I need to KISS like the book says. I have a tendancy to be too much into details
Exercise and frequent meals....how do you manage both?
Sorry, i just don't agree with that.)
What can I say old habits die hard!!
