Strength training then Cardio...when should I eat?!

nichell88

So I've literally been looking into this for months and have not been able to find a great answer. In my current workout plan, I currently do three days of strength training followed by low intensity steady state cardio for about 60 minutes immediately after. Am I doing myself a disservice if I dont eat after my weight training session? Like by the time I get home its over an hour after Ive lifted. I eat immediately once I get home, but I'm wondering if I am losing muscle mass by not eating in between my strength training and cardio. A couple of times I brought a rice cake with peanut butter with me to eat in between but I wasnt sure if it really made a difference.

Cherimoose

You won't notice a difference in strength or muscle size.
If you ever decide to become an elite athlete, consider eating soon after working out.

lorrpb

Take a snack with you like nuts or a protein bar, so you can get some protein within 30-60 min of working out.

nichell88

Cherimoose wrote: »

You won't notice a difference in strength or muscle size.
If you ever decide to become an elite athlete, consider eating soon after working out.

Ok, but after strength Training or after cardio? That's the question

Chieflrg

Eat when you want. It makes no difference as long as its doesn't effect your training.

Everybody is different since strength training/cardio can have different intensity, volume, and frequency.

I would look at your energy level during ST and/or cardio and decide for yourself what you need.

annette_15

If you dont wanna eat until you get home, maybe drink some BCAAs while doing your cardio or drink a protein shake in between your lifting/cardio. Personally I wouldnt worry about it if you have enough energy to finish without it.

sijomial

Am I doing myself a disservice if I dont eat after my weight training session? Highly unlikely. You have loads of fuel onboard already and won't digest that food immediately anyway.

Like by the time I get home its over an hour after Ive lifted. Doesn't really matter. There isn't a magic hour after training.

I'm wondering if I am losing muscle mass by not eating in between my strength training and cardio. Of course you aren't, you lose muscle mass through inactivity/atrophy, not through moderate exercise.

I brought a rice cake with peanut butter with me to eat in between but I wasnt sure if it really made a difference. - Doubt it, going to take time to digest anyway. I would most likely see a snack twice if I ate in between!

Concentrate on your training and your overall diet, the rest is really only of concern to the elite few who need to maximise every fraction of 1% and/or train multiple times a day or for very extended duration.

nichell88

sijomial wrote: »

Am I doing myself a disservice if I dont eat after my weight training session? Highly unlikely. You have loads of fuel onboard already and won't digest that food immediately anyway.

Like by the time I get home its over an hour after Ive lifted. Doesn't really matter. There isn't a magic hour after training.

I'm wondering if I am losing muscle mass by not eating in between my strength training and cardio. Of course you aren't, you lose muscle mass through inactivity/atrophy, not through moderate exercise.

I brought a rice cake with peanut butter with me to eat in between but I wasnt sure if it really made a difference. - Doubt it, going to take time to digest anyway. I would most likely see a snack twice if I ate in between!

Concentrate on your training and your overall diet, the rest is really only of concern to the elite few who need to maximise every fraction of 1% and/or train multiple times a day or for very extended duration.

Myfitnesspal just posted an article about post workout nutrition pretty much fueling my question. I want to make sure I'm repairing my muscles after working out. I'm really focused on sculpting my body and my body composition as a whole. The article was helpful

NorthCascades

MFP's article says to eat some carbs within a couple hours of doing intense or very long duration cardio, because that's when you're fastest at restoring glycogen. Has nothing to do with weight training.

@sijomial is spot on with his advice.

cityruss

lorrpb wrote: »

Take a snack with you like nuts or a protein bar, so you can get some protein within 30-60 min of working out.

Why?

What happens if I wait 2 hours.

What happens if I just concentrate on hitting my protein macro throughout the day?

Is their a proven tangible real world benefit of consuming protein in a 30-60 minute window post exercise for the beginner/intermediate athlete?

sijomial

nichell88 wrote: »

sijomial wrote: »

Am I doing myself a disservice if I dont eat after my weight training session? Highly unlikely. You have loads of fuel onboard already and won't digest that food immediately anyway.

Like by the time I get home its over an hour after Ive lifted. Doesn't really matter. There isn't a magic hour after training.

I'm wondering if I am losing muscle mass by not eating in between my strength training and cardio. Of course you aren't, you lose muscle mass through inactivity/atrophy, not through moderate exercise.

I brought a rice cake with peanut butter with me to eat in between but I wasnt sure if it really made a difference. - Doubt it, going to take time to digest anyway. I would most likely see a snack twice if I ate in between!

Concentrate on your training and your overall diet, the rest is really only of concern to the elite few who need to maximise every fraction of 1% and/or train multiple times a day or for very extended duration.

Myfitnesspal just posted an article about post workout nutrition pretty much fueling my question. I want to make sure I'm repairing my muscles after working out. I'm really focused on sculpting my body and my body composition as a whole. The article was helpful

Here's a better one.
http://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-10-5

Get the big ticket items optimised first (training, overall diet).
Nothing in the description of your routine suggests nutrient timing is at all important.

nichell88

NorthCascades wrote: »

MFP's article says to eat some carbs within a couple hours of doing intense or very long duration cardio, because that's when you're fastest at restoring glycogen. Has nothing to do with weight training.

@sijomial is spot on with his advice.

But weight training depletes muscle glycogen. I feel like that has to be replaced, at least based on what I've read and General biology

nichell88

sijomial wrote: »

nichell88 wrote: »

sijomial wrote: »

Am I doing myself a disservice if I dont eat after my weight training session? Highly unlikely. You have loads of fuel onboard already and won't digest that food immediately anyway.

Like by the time I get home its over an hour after Ive lifted. Doesn't really matter. There isn't a magic hour after training.

I'm wondering if I am losing muscle mass by not eating in between my strength training and cardio. Of course you aren't, you lose muscle mass through inactivity/atrophy, not through moderate exercise.

I brought a rice cake with peanut butter with me to eat in between but I wasnt sure if it really made a difference. - Doubt it, going to take time to digest anyway. I would most likely see a snack twice if I ate in between!

Concentrate on your training and your overall diet, the rest is really only of concern to the elite few who need to maximise every fraction of 1% and/or train multiple times a day or for very extended duration.

Myfitnesspal just posted an article about post workout nutrition pretty much fueling my question. I want to make sure I'm repairing my muscles after working out. I'm really focused on sculpting my body and my body composition as a whole. The article was helpful

Here's a better one.
http://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-10-5

Get the big ticket items optimised first (training, overall diet).
Nothing in the description of your routine suggests nutrient timing is at all important.

That was a good read, thank you. It did say to eat protein asap preceding a workout when you most recent meal was more than 4 hours prior to the workout, which is the case for me since I work out after work. They said this was of importance if the goal is muscle growth or retention, which is the goal for me. I will probably bring a shake with me to sip on before and during my cardio routine