Hi There guys and gals! I have started attending my local gym as i want to get fitter so that my kung fu will benefit more. Im also hoping to run the london marathon (already applied just waiting for the repsonse) so im looking to train for that quite a bit. At the moment i have breakfast, go to work, have 2 cheese and ham sandwiches for lunch, then go to the gym....trouble is im starving by the time i get to gym.....and i then have to workout. Any ideas as to what i should eat prior to the gym and how long before the gym i should eat? Also do things like protein drinks and what have you curb that hungry whilst your working out? All replies appretiated.
i have a protein drink within 30 minutes of beginning lifting and another within 30 minutes after. i use GNC whey protein. it is 21g protein and 4 g carbs per serving and it tends to keep me full for a while. my suggestion to you is seriously skip the sandwich and instead eat more protein. if you must have sandwiches eat them on multi grain or sprouted bread. studies have shown that protein will keep you fuller longer. so stick with eggs, chicken, lean cuts of beef. stuff like that. for endurance sport training i would look into trying things like shot blocks or the sports gel/ sports gu. i do triathlons and those tend to suit me just fine before and during races. although you have to be careful not to over do it. i have seen ppl eat way too many thinking they need that many carbs/calories and then they just throw up half way through their run.
Here's one of my schedules including meals and workout: Breakfast: snickers oatmeal Snack: yogurt and fruit Workout: 4x6x275 T bar DL 3x5,4,4xbw fat bar pullups 3x5x150 BP Circuit: 3x12x55 floor press 3x12x55 one arm DB row 3x10xbw GHR 3x20,20,30x20 bus drivers 3x15x55 KB swings 3x12x35 neck extensions 3x12x40 neck flexions Snack: PW shake Lunch: Beef salad Dinner: Kiev Salmon and Shepards salad I'm not usually hungry. Additionally, fats increase the time it takes for your meals to absorb, so eat more fat and protein with your pre-gym meal. Additionally, sg516 has the right idea - cushion your workouts. If you really want to go all out and have the best recovery, drink gatorade and protein powder before, during, and after your workout.
More information. Hot or cold? You must have mustard or maybe horseradish????? What's in the salad? MMmmmmmmmmmmmm I'm hungry now!
I'll post a recipe (hot beef salad) made from a mishmash of 2 recipes: Dressing: 2 T soy sauce 2T rice vineager 1/2 t sugar 1/2 t hot paprika or cayenne pepper 2 t sesame oil 1 1/2 T sesame seeds (preferrably toasted) 1/2t black pepper roughage: 6-8 romain lettuce leaves 1 sweet onion Beef: 2 lb beef tenderloin or sirloin 1/2 C soy sauce 1/3 C sugar (I use waaaay less, like less than 1 T) 3 T sake, rice wine, or sheerry 2 T sesame oil 8 cloves garlic 4 scallions 2 T sesame seeds (toasted, preferrably) 1/2 t ground black pepper Cut beef into 1/4 inch slices/strips and marinate beef for 1 hour, then cook on grill or in skillet. Serve over roughage or on the side and dress with salad dressing. Delicious
Thanks guys. Yohan: Thanks for the receipes and suff, although by your post you do your workout before work? Im only able to do so after work and the gym is opposite where i work so i dont stop home to eat (dont drive either) so i literally turn off computer and then go to the gym. What would you suggest for a lunch i can take to work. (cheese and ham sandwiches are made from brown bread by the way, i prefer it to white) Thanks again for you helps guys, keep it coming
Hey Cobalt, I was in a very similar situation to you a while ago (check the sig!!) and I found a very simple solution: Nuts and Bananas. All these protein shakes and specific diets are awesome, but I'm an amazingly busy guy who barely gets five minutes to myself, so I really don't have the time to be preparing a hot beef salad (am I the only one who giggles at that - HOT BEEF salad?? No? Just me? Fine.....) Anywho, I think if you are aiming to be 'the body beautiful' and 'uber-athlete' then a strict diet and protein shakes are essential, but if you are just hitting the gym to supplement your training and get fitter, then *opens can of worms* you don't really need them..... I trained for, and ran, the marathon this year, and I didn't toucha protein shake. I lift weights, and train hard, and since running the marathon have become quite lean. No majorly strict diet. I think it's a personal preference. But seriously, you don't need to be spending 20/30 quid on a tub of whey protein powder. Just get down to your local asda or tesco and get a bunch of bananas, and a bag of mixed nuts (fresh ones, not dry roasted KP types.) Snack on the nuts throughout the day, particularly in the afternonn, and then chow down on a couple of bananas about ten minutes before you hit the gym. Bye bye hunger pangs.... Oh, you definitely wanna check out the carb gels for the marathon though - essential kit!!
Thats great advice, i LOVE bananas and nuts are quite good too. I have a tescos next door to work too which is good. Thanks again everyone. Was really not a fan of tummy rumbling whilst i was working out, can be rather distracting to say the least! C60
I don't know about everyone else round here, but I have to be really careful that I leave at least 2hrs (preferably 3hrs) between eating and vigorous exercise, otherwise I feel really sick during and afterwards. If I'm in work and have an evening (say 6pm) session planned, I try to eat around 3pm. I usually have half a tub of low fat cottage cheese and pineapple and a banana, or a small sandwich and a banana and I find that keeps me going for till after I've trained.
For a protein snack you could pick up some of that beef jerky in a packet. The tesco express by my work sells it, very tasty!
Actually you don't need them and you should over use them. It's way better to get protein from food as it provides a more complete amino acid profile. The only reason I use protein powder and gatorade is because it's liquid and it hits your system almost immediately after a workout. For a guy like me who has 8-10 intense workouts a week, I really need that extra boost in recovery time so I can recover. Like I said, you don't need them. When it comes to cost, protein powder is exceptionally cheap. One or two servings of protein is practically a full meal. 2 scoops will give you 50 g of protein and 200 calories. You can mix a scoop up with some nut meal and egg and bake it into a protein bar. Protein powder is a cheap, lean, versatile protein source.
I've really been enjoying that one this week. I always eat good stuff - check out my fitness log (link in sig). If you ever want recipes I'll be happy to provide them. I love to cook and talking shop is always a good time for me.
is it better to eat before or after the gym? I usually eat before just because I am too hungry after i get back from work to wait until later...