Couple of questions I’ve been researching on this site and found different answers for. First, starting to consistently work out in the morning…I roll out of bed, warm up, and work out (I have weights, bench and rack at home, all decent stuff). I usually don’t eat anything prior to this, as I’ve never been a person that gets hungry as soon as I wake up. I’ve been having an MRP with carbs about an hour after I finish. Should I wake up super-early to eat something before, and if so, how early/how much, or can I get away with sipping some Surge before the workout? Since I’ve seen people say different things about this, maybe there are different answers, so what do I look for to find the right answer for me?
Also, looking into starting T-Dawg 2.0…when you count carbs, would you only count net carbs when you eat bars (I eat one or two a day) or do you count all? Any suggestions is appreciated…
I would pass it without taking in something before my morning workouts, and I have never been an eater of large breakfasts, but I do understand how different our appetites can be in the morning.
However, I just can’t see how going all night without any food intake, then waking up in the morning and blasting your body is going to do you any good. I would at least try to get something in your stomach before working out, even if it’s just part of a shake.
Yes, you need to get some food in… And waiting 1 hour post workout to eat is nuts, unless you are having something during workout and not counting it.
Pre-during-post workout is probably the most vital time to eat. Skip those times and you might as well not do the workouts, unless your workout goals are to burn muscles.
I count all the carbs in the bars, net is misleading IMO. Thus on tdawg I rarely if ever eat a bar since they can’t make them without the carbs, and I prefer to use my carbs around workout time and breakfast.
I’m pretty much in the same boat as you Shiggy. I work evenings so, generally get out of bed around 10 AM, start my workout at 11:30 or so and have to leave for work by 2. (I also have decent equipment at home.) I neither feel like eating nor think a stomach full of solid food would be good so close to workout time. I generally have a scoop of Low Carb Grow, flax and fish oil, and my vitamins about 45 to 30 minutes before and start sipping a grape juice/water/maltodextrin mix about 10 minutes pre workout. I continue the mixture during and have another serving of Grow PW. After my shower I usually have a banana or some Shredded Wheat. I was using Surge but find it just too damn sweet in the AM.
I don’t know if the oils are a good thing at this time. I feel fine but, know that P+C+F is generally considered a no-no.
So, I basically agree that you should have some type of food prior to your workout. I don’t know if what I’m doing is all correct but, it seems ok so far.
Take something before you train, even if it is directly before.
Surge or similar, relatively dilute right before and during the work out would be better.
And dont wait 1/2 an hour before taking in the post training meal. Potentially ok if you are taking a preworkout meal, but waiting that with nothing after an entire night the best method.
Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I think it comes from the fact that I am not a morning person…you need to warm up your body before you work out…I feel like I need to warm up my body before my stomach can accept food. Strange…I do like the all-day pump from morning work-outs and it is much more convenient for me, so I think I will try to start slow with the surge type of thing immediately pre and during, and then if I can get my body trained to accept food that early, wake up earlier to have a couple scoops of protein. Maybe slowly introducing my stomach to food in the morning will get me to where I eventually need to be.
As time goes on, you will get more used to working out in the morning, so the workouts should get better (not saying they’re bad know, just don’t know) and I think you’ll learn to eat as well. Just a possibility.
actually John Berardi has stated that it’s actually not a bad idea to consume your efa’s first thing in the morning with a carb meal. It helps to drive the fats into the cells with the insulin. Makes sense, as those are the fats you want in the cells.
Boxer Al, I’d also like to see where JB suggested taking EFAs in the morning with a carb meal. I don’t remember seeing that, but I want to read it.
Shiggy, I want to encourage you to try Surge with your morning workout. Keep it very diluted with water. Start to sip it during your warmup and continue to sip it during your workout, finishing it off at the end of your workout if there’s still anything left. Then eat your regular whole food meal about 60-90 minutes later. I think you will have better workouts and retain more lean muscle while dieting if you do this.
I would count all the carbs in any bar you eat. But I would not recommend eating any bars at all while on the t-dawg diet.
Snipe, I have also that Surge is too sweet for my taste first thing in the morning. I workout at 5:30 a.m. I have been adding green tea to my Surge to take some of the sweet taste out. I brew two green tea bags in hot water, then pour that in my jug and add lots of ice, pour in my scoop of Surge and top off with water. It makes it a nasty brown color, lol, but I like the taste. Maybe I am just weird and nobody else would like this, lol, but it is working for me!!
I read that Berardi article and that was helpful. I am gonna start sipping some Surge pre warmup and continue it through the workout. Berardi’s suggestion of having Surge and about 30g of carbs of gatorade if you’re not eating until you work out…damn…on the t-dawg diet, that would be almost my whole entire carb allotment for the day right there! I’m gonna start with the surge for a couple of weeks and see how that goes…I’ll modify when necessary. Helpful replies…
Lisa… Nasty brown color or not, I’m game to try the tea/Surge combo. I’ve been thinking about adding instant coffee or cocoa powder to Surge like I do with my vanilla low carb Grow! (As you may remember from a previous thread.) Did you ever try the coffee in your Grow? It definitely rules!!! I even think Julia Child would like it.
Hey Lisa,
I found a jar of Nestea, Decaf., unsweetened ice-tea mix and added 2 tsp. to my vanilla LC Grow. I like it!
Interesting taste. When I get more Surge I’ll try it with that too.
