Random thought…
I had two tough workouts in the past few days. Both sucked due to feeling nauseous halfway through the session.
I just want to point out that there were still 0 pukes!
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I’ve transitioned to training fasted most of the time. Nothing before my workout but a preworkout, and if I’m particularly hungry a small spoonful of peanut butter holds me over. Used to get nauseous a lot during training but it hasn’t happened since I’ve cut out the preworkout meals in the morning. Of course, I know people who get nauseous if they DONT eat so who knows.
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When I did my morning work it was a protein shake upon waking up and a tablespoon of raw honey…30 minute drive to the gym…workout then breakfast.
I have to have something in me but I’ve managed to screw up the balance. I used to just eat a Nature Valley crunchy granola bar during my 8 minute drive to the gym and I did just fine.
I’ve also done well with a banana and protein shake but that’s been mid morning about 20-30 minutes before I start my warmup.
The early morning sessions don’t allow any extra time to digest. And I can’t get out of bed any earlier than necessary. I’m doing good to get the workout in at all.
It looks like it’ll be 12 ounces of powerade from now on.
I’ve noticed that I get nauseous when I do big movements that rapidly increase my blood pressure. Squats, deads, and ice gotten the sick feeling doing DB snatches in a Metcon session. My theory is that so if my blood is sent to the working muscles causing rapid blood loss from my stomach. The result is an angry stomach, bloating, acid reflux and the urge to vomit.
That only happens when I eat before training. I’ve never experienced it fasted.
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I’d lay off the ice if it makes you nauseous!!
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Have you tried a bowl of oatmeal before bedtime? should fill the muscles for an early training session. Then just drink water before you get to the gym, then start filling on fast carbs during warmup.
When I did bike races, I’d get up 4 hours prior to the race (sometimes 3 in the morning) then back to bed. Had nothing before warm up, but during warm up and during the race I had my carbs.
@#$%! I don’t even remember what word I was going for…either way, my phone had its own plans.
Nutrition information is so conflicting. I know I need carbs to fuel my workouts. If I don’t have fuel available then I’ll have to tap in to my muscle glycogen stores. That’s bad because cortisol is released to break it down and it’s catabolic. I try to avoid catabolic processes while I’m trying to stimulate anabolic conditions.
I’m not even sure how long it takes for carbs to be absorbed, stored, or used. I eat plenty of carbs so it’s possible I don’t need anything for a 5am workout.
When I think of what little information my brain has retained in regards to nutrient timing I remember that I need carbs for fuel pre-workout for the above mentioned reasons. I also need carbs post-workout to replenish my glycogen stores. Well if I was successful with my pre-workout nutrition then that makes the post-workout replenishing stuff unnecessary, right? But I also know carbs/sugar help shuttle nutrients around the body so they have that purpose.
It’s funny. I try to get this stuff right but at the end of the day it seems like I’m just supposed to eat. I’ll keep trying to nail my nutrient timing but I must admit I’m not sure if I’ll ever get it right or if it’s necessary. I’ve read (I have no idea where now) that I should aim for 40g protein and 80g carbs pre and post-workout. I should also maybe hit that during the workout. That’s going to end up being 120g protein and 240g carbs in about a 2.5 hour window. I’m just not sure if my body can actually use all of it that fast.
Science is hard.
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Unless you want to experience a great deal of stomach pain I’d not do that, during workouts you don’t really want to be digesting a large amount of protein, if you want to have it use amino acids (10-15 grams will do just fine)
After/during training your body is as insulin sensitive as it’ll get, so by eating most of your carbs in the peri-workout zone you’ll make sure they are used as efficiently as possible.
I’d have a bit, say an intra-workout drink with 30-50 grams of maltodextrine/vitargo/etc and 10-15 grams of amino acids (both BCAA and EAA) also salt, I usually throw in about 5 grams.
If that’s not enough have a banana with some whey a bit before training, the fructose will fill up your liver’s glycogen stores so you can get straight to using that intra-workout drink as a fuel source. (Your body prioritizes liver glycogen)
I’ve never tried the mid-workout thing. And what’s the difference between peri and preworkout? Don’t they both mean “before”? Anyway, I don’t train long enough to need much food during. If I feel like I’m going strong for a long time then I’ll eat some Starbursts between sets. I also sip BCAA’s.
Peri-workout zone includes your pre-, intra- and post-workout drinks/snacks, essentially it’s everything you’ve consumed from ~half an hour before training to ~half an hour post training
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Hey Big J this might turn into a bit of a rant. Sorry. I’m having a day off, so well I have time to hang here in the forum section 
The 4 hour is as far as I remember what it takes the body to absorb the nutrients. When the insulin is raised during the absorbing period, then there’s a lot of carb on the way to the muscles, If you start to work hard the body will look at the carbs in the blood and just use all of it in no time and then turn to the carbs in the muscles and use them too because it’s already in carb burning mode. Leaving the tank empty for the latter part of the bike races. (that was the theory). For endurance it’s vital to use fat as fuel for as long as possible.
But for a workout for about an hour I think it’s okay or even great for the body to have carbs to use.
I’ve read somewhere that the narrow window of putting in protein and carb is more of a big barn door. As long as you eat a big meal within a couple of hours after work it really doesn’t matter that much, when and what you eat.
I try to get some carbs before training, and have a shake with whey and carbs with me, that I sip during workout. Doesn’t bother my stomach.
Then from the Hog’s log, you mentioned cross fit.
If you’re ready to work really hard with sup max weights and break sweat and do stuff a bit out of form, and you have the opportunity to do it now before and during the summer break.
Do it, come back in the autumn and pick up your program again. You’ll never be able to create the atmosphere from the box by yourself. I’ve never done Cross fit now a lot that does it, and they love it.
I think you would love it too. But I think there are some twists and turns, some running and stuff that might might not bother your hip.
BUT give it a go man, try it out. If you don’t like it, well then stop.
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Thanks for the info, Mort!
I’m still finishing my program. I need to be disciplined. I think the reason I haven’t reached (or come closer) to my goals is my changing priorities. It’s similar to program hopping.
At the end of last year I decided to focus on strength for the year. I was supposed to do some part of 5/3/1 at all times but I’ve already drifted from that. I don’t mind because the program I running actually feels a bit harder than 5/3/1.
As a matter of fact, I just checked the calendar. I’ll finish this program in mid-June. I’ll actually have 6-8 weeks to try CrossFit whole heartedly…if I decide to do it.
The only reason I’m emphasizing that time frame is because my wife will be off work and I’ll have three days a week where I can train at any time.
Once I lose that then I might have to train at 5am if I want to take part in the group workouts. And I hate mornings.
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I don’t really know about all this sciencey stuff, but in the past when weight training, i’d have a much better workout/ more energy when eating 30 mins prior.
1 hour is okay but I noticed the difference and 1:30hrs + my performance drops a bit.
From there upwards it just gets worse as i get hungrier/less energy. My favourite thing before a workout was oats blended with some banana and milk.
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I’ve learned that the workout has a lot to say about how I feel. A demanding leg day is always tough and has the potential to leave me nauseous if I mess up my nutrient timing. An upper body workout usually won’t get to me regardless of when I eat UNLESS I do supersets (like last Wednesday).
I have my best workouts mid to late morning. I’m not sure if it’s because I have more time to eat and time things right or if my body is just ready to train.
CT has written some stuff about training even your body has naturally elevated cortisol levels. This occurs a couple times a day. The first one is when you wake up naturally. If you don’t set an alarm and just wake up when your body wakes you it’s cortisol that helps that happen (I think).
It happens again naturally one or two more times throughout the day. It could be best to train during one of those times.
I think my cortisol could hit one of its natural peaks mid-morning because that’s when I finally feel like moving around.
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Well I have kind of the same experience about training, early morning I hate it, but some time before noon is quite good, while afternoon training is a bitch, It’s even worse than early morning.
And the cross fit thing it was just that you mentioned you would have the time for it, when the missus was home.
I surely can understand you want to finish what you’ve started
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If I remember correctly, these cortisol “hits” occur at 3 hours after waking up and again at 11 hours after waking up, according to Poliquin
We’re going to have to find the articles now lol!
I thought it was a cortisol spike that helped you wake up naturally…?
4.9.18
Woke at 232.2 lbs.
Guaranteed Simple Strength & Size
3 LAP DYNAMIC WARM UP
SQUAT
135 x 8
185 x 5
225 x 8 x 5 sets (belt used for last set)
POWER CLEAN
135 x 3
185 x 3
205 x 3
225 x 3
DEADLIFT
295 x 8 x 5 sets
WALKING LUNGES
35s x 8 ea x 5 sets
RDLs
175 x 8 x 5 sets
FARMERS WALKS (TRAP BAR)
225 x 45ish meters
While this took a minute to write out it took 90 minutes to complete. I am glad this is the final leg workout with 8 rep sets! I get to move on to 5s now. I survived the first three weeks!
This phase is called the Preparatory Phase. The next three week phase is the Accumulation Phase. I sure feel like I’ve been accumulating plenty these past 11 workouts!
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I’m really against anything intra-workout besides water, or if someone wants more preworkout or BCAAs. Even food 30 minutes prior seems crazy to me, that puts your body right in the middle of digestion. Just spells trouble, and must affect the pump as well. I think I just haven’t bought into the philosophy of nutrient timing in general.
Couldn’t find the original
Ths suggests it was 4-5 hours and 11-12 hours after waking institute f 3 and 11, so maybe I just remembered wrong
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