Pre/Intra/Post Workout?

thehoss316

All -

I'm curious to see what people do in this regard....What are your thoughts on pre/intra/post workout nutrition/supplementation. Do you eat before working out? Do you supplement after? Is nutrition timing a bunch of bunk?

Here's what I do which I find works very well for me (at least when I work out first thing in the morning:

Pre: Lean1Pro Shake and Beachbody Energy & Endurance
Intra: Sometimes some BCAAs. I prefer Xtend or Best BCAA.
Post: Optimum Nutrition Whey immediately after, Shakeology about 45 minutes after that.

That little number gives me great energy and keeps me full through lunch.

amphilion

I usually work out after work during the week, so we arrive at the gym around 6pm
Pre-workout - Homemade granola bar / homemade whole wheat carrot and raisin bread
During my workout, I only drink water
Post work out - dinner, thus protein, greens, and a little bit of carbs (rice, quinoa, etc)

If I work out in the morning or afternoon on the week-ends,
it usually a chocolate milk post work out

Been working great for me during this past year!!

singletrackmtbr

http://relentlessgains.com/truth-about-post-workout-nutrition-timing/

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/the-window-of-opportunity.htm

There is a lot of different information out there about if the "window" is real, or just a way for businesses to sell their supplements.

I do a pre-workout (a half-dose of C4) before every workout, but it's really more about the ritual for me. For some reason that taste puts me in the right frame of mind, and completes my commitment for what I'm about to put myself through.

I do a post-workout shake (H2O, Combat Protein Powder, Flax, banana, frozen berries) usually within an hour after a workout. While I'm not sure I believe in a window, I do believe a good dose of carbs and protein post workout helps with recovery.

AverageJoeFit

I don't use a bunch of supliments or anything like that.

Breakfast: 2 cups reduced sugar vanilla almond milk, 2 cups coffee, 2 servings of special k protein cereal.

Workout

If I do a hardcore workout I drunk ARM lime. It is the only supliment I use. If it was a laid back workout I drink Gatorade on cardio or muscle milk lite on weight days.

I am a big beliver in protein on lifting days and carbs on cardio days.

Dana_E

I exercise as soon as I roll out of bed, trying to get it done before the kids wake up, so I don't eat anything before I workout. I eat breakfast with my kids right after I'm done. My go to for breakfast is a bowl of oatmeal with blueberries, walnuts, and flaxseed meal and a plate of steam sautéed red onions, mushrooms, and spinach. If I'm feeling a little depleted before or during my workout, I'll throw a packet of ElectroMix in my water.

mystcfolly

I eat whatever meal is closest to my work out before... like today, it will be lunch which is a salad with protein.... Mid work out I have a EAS Carb control protein shake. Post work out, I drink a V8 and a serving of nuts. I always must take a ThermaTab after to replenish my sodium. If I find I really need it, like during my swim I cramp, I'll eat a protein bar of at least 20 grams of protein. I do not like any of the pre-work out drinks. A lot of them cause me migraines. And if it has caffeine in it, forget about it. After noon, there's no extra caffeine or I won't sleep.

Weights4me

In playing with my macros I finally settled on a breakfast that has both protein (eggs) and carbs (oatmeal, fruit) to fuel my morning workout.

Roughly 30 minutes prior to working out I use 1.5 scoops of Gaspari SuperPump. That specific pre-workout was temporarily discontinued when the company had issues, during which time I tried a variety of other pre-workouts. Whether it was the beta-alanine or creatine making my skin crawl, I was thrilled to hear SuperPump was being sold again and switched back.

During my work-out it's water only!

Immediately after my workout I drink 3/4 - 1 scoop of Jay Robb's whey protein (NOT egg-white protein which tastes like snot) mixed with 6-8 oz. water. I used to do a protein shake with a higher carb to protein ratio, but an hour later I'd be starving... and that shake would blow my calories for the afternoon. Now, within an hour of my protein mix I try to get in a meal of protein/carbs.

Later in the evening I've been trying to follow my gf advice (she's a bodybuilder) in cutting carbs and increasing fat. I find when I do I don't have as many evening cravings.

I too have read a lot of information about "Windows", and have tried to follow the "rules", but finally realized I needed to do what was best for me. I certainly think all bodies react differently so it's finding the solution that makes you perform your personal best.

jeninne

Going to switch things up for this challenge. I am NOT a morning person but as spring approaches I'm going to try- therefore not eating first or just a piece of fruit.
I usually use xtend also Hoss before and/during. Then EAS protein shake and fruit after.