Yeah should be no probs. I find it best to work out maybe 1-1.5 hours after a meal. As for your energy level, guess it depends on your day's activities.

thanks Rock and back at ya!

Way off topic (and forum) I know but I learnt about JC (ha ......JC !!!) through months, nay years of reading investing/trading books and doing my own research and experimentation. Basically, I learnt that with enough analysis of the self (largely the Ego and it's tributaries) you come to understand that the answer you seek is already inside you, and is a part of you.
Anyway that's a bit deep this time of night (it's 9pm here).......hey Rock you only got 5lbs for your goal deadlift weight? what then?

I have a question if you don't mind guys....

Some of you here have said 'don't lift on an empty stomach'. Why is that? I have been doing this for 8 months now and have seen both a dramatic decrease in fat and an impressive increase in mass (well impressive for me as I've never seen muscle on this body until recently - I'm 39 years old and feel awesome now) . I hit the weights for half an hour, and do cardio for half an hour 5 days a week WITHOUT FAIL.

in the morning-afternoon. I agree with you that your body releases huge amounts of CORTISOL which is a catabolic hormone, but not necessarily in catabolic state. Your body does this because when you sleep it needs to grow, (releasing growth hormoneS) when your body does something it always tries to equal out its act. Your body tries to stabalize itself. Or keep things equal, this is called equalibrium.

But you do grow in your sleep.. if you were in catabolic state all the time when you woke up or when you were sleeping you would indeed never grow....

I agree with you that your body releases huge amounts of CORTISOL which is a catabolic hormone, but not necessarily in catabolic state.

This is true, but your hormones only go so far. You run out of the proper nutritional items your body needs by the time you awake from sleeping 7 hours or more. Not enough energy and amino acids means no increase in muscle mass. You're fine, as long as you eat when you wake up. Exercising exacerbates the situation.

the body is always in one of two states, anabolic or catabolic, there is no inbetween. the body begins to enter catabolism when the lower GI is empty which that can be 2-3 hours after the last meal depending on the nutritional content of that meal..