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I've been doing heavy weight training first thing in the morning with only a 100 calorie protein drink(17 grams) immediately before my workout. I've recently learned that I need to take in carbs pre-workout for better gains. This is a problem for me because of my schedule. I don't have the time to have a meal and then wait some time before I worked out.I was thinking that I could mix my protein in orange juice instead of water in order to get some carbs.
Do you think this would be o.k.? And can I do this right before my workout?
How many carbs would I need pre-workout?
Do you have any other suggestions?
 
Posts: 37 | Registered: 04-07-03Report This Post
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The protein pre-workout has no positive effect on your workout. Its only advantage for you is that you get more protein, spread out, throughout your day. But the trade off isn't a good one. It's only 100 cals, but it's 100 cals that is interfering with your workout because it's sitting in your stomach and not digested. Better to get it at another time.

So you have three options for morning workouts, and here are the pros/cons of each:

no food: This makes your ability to perform based on what you've eaten the night before. If you are eating restricted calories and, especially, low carbs, then chances are you don't have much stored muscle and liver glycogen. If you are doing heavy resistance training, chances are you will bonk (run out of energy late in the workout). This is an advantageous plan for those trying to lose weight since they find a regulatory point in their bodies where they are sure they are not overeating (but then they should start eating more). Also, if you are doing moderate exercise, under your AT, then this will train your body to more efficiently use its stored fat for fuel. However, this process has its limitations during hard outputs. I'm assuming (gaining mass) that is what you are doing, so I would not choose this option.

eat carbs right before you start: If you try eating nothing and bonk, this is plan 2. Eating some easily-digestable carbs right before you begin (like a banana or some Gu), will break down and become usable as blood glycogen near the end of your workout, when you'd bonk otherwise. If this helps you than you've found your problem, which can be addressed the day before. (of note is that eating in the hour before will speed up your body's use of glycogen, resulting in using your glycogen stores too quickly, which can become limiting if you are truly training at your highest level. So eat right before, or more than one hour before).

add carbs the night before: The easiest and most effective thing to do in your situaiton is to add a serving of complex carbs to your dinner the night before. As long as you give yourself 3 hours, they will digest and become readily availble to serve you the next morning for up to an hour of intense exercise. If you are training hard this is your best option, especially if you aren't concerned about weight or are bonking during am workouts.
 
Posts: 8762 | Registered: 02-27-01Report This Post
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