Thread: What to eat Pre-workout?

I always have a protein shake and a fruit!

You can have a solid meal ~1.5-2h prior training or a shake ~45min prior.

I converted into a morning trainer as of this morning so my preworkout is as follows

1 heaping scoop ICE
5g creatine
1 serving Neurostim
Banana

Postworkout
2 scoops whey
5g creatine
1 heaping scoop ICE
Banana

whey and oats 1 hour before workout

CEE, BCAAs, taurine and glutamine (3-4g of each) about 20-30 mins before workout

Originally Posted by truth

I converted into a morning trainer as of this morning so my preworkout is as follows

1 heaping scoop ICE
5g creatine
1 serving Neurostim
Banana

Postworkout
2 scoops whey
5g creatine
1 heaping scoop ICE
Banana

I'm not sure what's in Neurostim, but i've heard 30-50 grams of whey and 50-75 grams of simple sugars are good pre-workout because both of these are processed quickly. You can get simple sugars from fruit (as "truth" did above) or from a glass of fruit juice.

I use 40 grams of whey and between 50-100 grams of carbs (from whole oats) depending on what body part(s) I'm training.

fruit is a poor pre WO carb since most of the sugars are fructose.

Originally Posted by LAM

I use 40 grams of whey and between 50-100 grams of carbs (from whole oats) depending on what body part(s) I'm training.

fruit is a poor pre WO carb since most of the sugars are fructose.

Right, but I train in the morning..

I believe that fruit at breakfast (or preworkout for me since I train first thing) is a good thing because your liver glycogen levels are low. And since that triggers breakdown of muscle protein, the fructose in fruit goes straight to your liver to replenish glycogen stores and halts catabolism.

I think fruits are fine pre-workout, especially if you are working out in the morning, and esp if it is a banana (this is a high glucose fruit).

The grams of fructose is actually not that high (eg: in a banana, and it offers you starch, water, glucose, vitamins/minerals as well.

A medium banana, for example, offers you about 28g total carbs. Of this about 7-8g is starch, 5g is fructose, 6-7g is glucose and 3g is sucrose with about 3g fibre as well.

So this means it will give you instant energy (glucose), help keep you anabolic (don't underestimate the anabolic effects of a higher liver glycogen store), give you a slower release of energy as well (starch and fructose - which is released slowly from the liver when blood glucose lowers during exercise, and this can be used for energy by your muscles if required), and supplies your body with water (good before a workout), vitamins (B vitamins which are great for energy, a little Vit C which is a good anti-oxidant and potassium which is helpful in replacing electrolytes lost during exercise).

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

I think fruits are fine pre-workout, especially if you are working out in the morning, and esp if it is a banana (this is a high glucose fruit).

The grams of fructose is actually not that high (eg: in a banana, and it offers you starch, water, glucose, vitamins/minerals as well.

A medium banana, for example, offers you about 28g total carbs. Of this about 7-8g is starch, 5g is fructose, 6-7g is glucose and 3g is sucrose with about 3g fibre as well.

So this means it will give you instant energy (glucose), help keep you anabolic (don't underestimate the anabolic effects of a higher liver glycogen store), give you a slower release of energy as well (starch and fructose - which is released slowly from the liver when blood glucose lowers during exercise, and this can be used for energy by your muscles if required), and supplies your body with water (good before a workout), vitamins (B vitamins which are great for energy, a little Vit C which is a good anti-oxidant and potassium which is helpful in replacing electrolytes lost during exercise).

Took the words right outta my mouth!

Excellent, Emma. I see why you are a mod.

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

I think fruits are fine pre-workout, especially if you are working out in the morning, and esp if it is a banana (this is a high glucose fruit).

The grams of fructose is actually not that high (eg: in a banana, and it offers you starch, water, glucose, vitamins/minerals as well.

A medium banana, for example, offers you about 28g total carbs. Of this about 7-8g is starch, 5g is fructose, 6-7g is glucose and 3g is sucrose with about 3g fibre as well.

So this means it will give you instant energy (glucose), help keep you anabolic (don't underestimate the anabolic effects of a higher liver glycogen store), give you a slower release of energy as well (starch and fructose - which is released slowly from the liver when blood glucose lowers during exercise, and this can be used for energy by your muscles if required), and supplies your body with water (good before a workout), vitamins (B vitamins which are great for energy, a little Vit C which is a good anti-oxidant and potassium which is helpful in replacing electrolytes lost during exercise).

i'm now eating bananas at breakfast and before my workouts

eating a complex carb like whole oats would be much better than fruit

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

A medium banana, for example, offers you about 28g total carbs. Of this about 7-8g is starch, 5g is fructose, 6-7g is glucose and 3g is sucrose with about 3g fibre as well.
.

Emma- Nice breakdown

LAM- Oats do give me more energy than a banana for pre-workout

Originally Posted by LAM

eating a complex carb like whole oats would be much better than fruit

Oh - Don't get me wrong! If you have enough time to eat oats prior to exercise then go right ahead. They are an excellent fuel for workouts as well - offering you starchy carbs, fibre and vitamins/minerals as well...

But it does require that little bit more time to get the energy into your system - about an hour is usually the minimum that wholegrain rolled oats would need before you would get the proper benefits of using them as a pre-workout meal.

Infact, a combination of oats + a banana + whey (or another high quality protein source such as egg whites) would be an excellent pre-workout meal. It combines the anabolic effects of all of these things.



Note for Jodi: Cutting (that is, during the last few weeks of contest preperation) is an exception where I suggest the individual be careful as to the use of a lot of fruits in their diet.

would a combination of banana and oats with whey protein for post-workout is ideal?

Oatmeal & egg whites.

How about this:

1 serving Surge
1/2 cup oats
1 banana
5 grams creatine
1 cup of green tea

Originally Posted by sara

would a combination of banana and oats with whey protein for post-workout is ideal?

I do that when cutting...

LAM, What you do when you maintaining?

I'm so not a banana fan when it comes to cutting. I too feel they are not the best choice for a pre-workout or PWO. It's a matter of opinion and experiences but I feel there are better things to use while cutting for energy and glycogen refill

I saw your note Emma However, other than berries, grapefruit or apples, I would NEVER use any other fruits in a competition diet, especially not a banana.

Originally Posted by sara

LAM, What you do when you maintaining?

whey, 1/2 cup oats, 1/2 banana and 25 grams dextrose

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

A medium banana, for example, offers you about 28g total carbs. Of this about 7-8g is starch, 5g is fructose, 6-7g is glucose and 3g is sucrose with about 3g fibre as well.

This depends on how ripe the banana is. The more ripe the banana the higher the glucose/starch ratio is. The way I often eat them, almost all the starch has hydrolyzed to glucose.

I think some people misunderstand how various sugars are used by the body. You can replenish your liver glycogen faster with glucose than fructose. Glucose is already in the form of energy all body tissue uses--including the liver--and is absorbed the fasted.

Originally Posted by Jodi

I saw your note Emma However, other than berries, grapefruit or apples, I would NEVER use any other fruits in a competition diet, especially not a banana.

and peaches?

No, I even stay away from peaches with a comp diet.

oh, ok

10 oz. Egg Whites International
2 scoops whey
1 cup Old Fashion Oats
2 packets splenda
5 grams Glutamine
3 ice cubes
Blend and serve. 1 hr before training.

Post workout:

Serving of Max Muscle "Full Blown"
3 scoops whey
5 grams Glutamine.

i made a thread earlier about this but only got 1 response.. so it seems somewhat appropriate here..
a buddy of mine told me that after a work out (lifting) you should eat carbs first instead of protiens. his logic was that since your body is tired and such it needs energy, so you should eat carbs first to sustain your bodies energy and then eat protien so that your body has sufficient energy to distribute the protiens throughout the body. instead of eating protien right after a work out because your body will just use the protien as an energy source and not as a source to build muscle..is that whack or no?!? i understand the concept and could agree with it.. but im not sure.

Originally Posted by j rizz

i made a thread earlier about this but only got 1 response.. so it seems somewhat appropriate here..
a buddy of mine told me that after a work out (lifting) you should eat carbs first instead of protiens. his logic was that since your body is tired and such it needs energy, so you should eat carbs first to sustain your bodies energy and then eat protien so that your body has sufficient energy to distribute the protiens throughout the body. instead of eating protien right after a work out because your body will just use the protien as an energy source and not as a source to build muscle..is that whack or no?!? i understand the concept and could agree with it.. but im not sure.

consume them both at the same time.