Eat more the day before lifting, or the day of?

Do you work out in the morning or evening?

Both?

I eat the same cals weather it is a gym day or not. I have recently started carb cycling though and do try to put most of my carbs surrounding my workout. I haven't decided if it is beneficial for me yet, time will tell.

i dont think it matters. but for what it's worth, i notice i'm hungrier on my non lifting days than on lifting days. if i'm hungrier then i eat more.

Do you work out in the morning or evening?

Good point! Late afternoon/evenings, usually. I average 500-600 cals, 30% protein for all main meals, and get another 200 in snacks, for around 1900-2200 total. Have maintained on this for a year.

(I like to save snack cals for before bed, or risk not sleeping.)

5'7, 125 lbs, consistently lifting for just over a month.

Calorie cycling is a pretty common thing to do to make sure you get more energy on the days you need it. So, I would suggest that you eat your calories (or at least most of them) on exercise days - that way you are automatically get more food (read energy) on those days. Make sure you eat in the day prior to your workouts.

If you usually eat to a static number, just look at what you eat in a week and play around with them to give yourself more on workout days and less on non workout days.

As long as your weekly deficit is on track, you will be fine.

ETA: the above is for fueling your workouts. Recovery is mainly rest. You could also drink milk, chocolate milk or some other post workout recovery drink.

Do you work out in the morning or evening?

Good point! Late afternoon/evenings, usually. I average 500-600 cals, 30% protein for all main meals, and get another 200 in snacks, for around 1900-2200 total. Have maintained on this for a year.

(I like to save snack cals for before bed, or risk not sleeping.)

5'7, 125 lbs, consistently lifting for just over a month.

Calorie cycling is a pretty common thing to do to make sure you get more energy on the days you need it. So, I would suggest that you eat your calories (or at least most of them) on exercise days - that way you are automatically get more food (read energy) on those days. Make sure you eat in the day prior to your workouts.

If you usually eat to a static number, just look at what you eat in a week and play around with them to give yourself more on workout days and less on non workout days.

As long as your weekly deficit is on track, you will be fine.

ETA: the above is for fueling your workouts. Recovery is mainly rest. You could also drink milk, chocolate milk or some other post workout recovery drink.

Thank you Sarah, that makes perfect sense!

When you say `eat in` the day before workouts, do you mean eat at maintenance?

Sorry, I suppose what I'm trying to ask: is there any value in consuming at or above maintenance calories the day before lifting, or is the fueling period a shorter window (2-4 hours)?

Sorry - typo/bad sentence structure there. I meant to say that you should make sure you eat enough prior to your workouts on the day of your workouts.

Just spread your calories over the week, weighting more to workout days. You actual calories for the week will depend on your TDEE and whether you are trying to lose weight, maintain or gain muscle.

Energy levels are very individual and so you should play around with the timing of your meals (making sure not to eat to close to a workout) to see what works best for you.

I eat the same every day. You should have plenty of energy for working out from the most recent meal before working out. If you train fasted, at least have some little something, even if it is just some bcaa in juice.

Some guidelines (like New Rules of Lifting) will tell you to always eat more on the days you lift. I haven't found this to be necessary. Calculate your TDEE -15% (good place to do it is http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/) and eat that everrrrryyyyy day. Unless you have a massive burn day, like I sometimes do (I'm a half-marathoner and run pretty long on the weekends), in which case, make sure you at least NET your BMR.

Other than that, just have a protein shake or something really protein-y (cottage cheese, greek yogurt, Cliff builder bar) within thirty minutes of your lifting sesh, and it's all good! :flowerforyou:

Does the conversation change if you're trying to gain weight?

For me it seems I'm hungrier on lift days. I'm rather new to it but it seems to work for me to eat more calories on lift days.

Work for you how? Seeing better results? Better energy levels?

Some guidelines (like New Rules of Lifting) will tell you to always eat more on the days you lift. I haven't found this to be necessary. Calculate your TDEE -15% (good place to do it is http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/) and eat that everrrrryyyyy day. Unless you have a massive burn day, like I sometimes do (I'm a half-marathoner and run pretty long on the weekends), in which case, make sure you at least NET your BMR.

Other than that, just have a protein shake or something really protein-y (cottage cheese, greek yogurt, Cliff builder bar) within thirty minutes of your lifting sesh, and it's all good! :flowerforyou:

Does the conversation change if you're trying to gain weight?

I don't think it has to. I am working on gaining, and I eat the same every day.

I eat a few more carbs during the day if I'm lifting that afternoon.


So yes, on off days I do eat slightly less, because the bottom line is my body doesn't need as many calories on days that I don't train.


When bulking I eat around the clock regardless of what day it is.

For body composition purposes I have yet to see anything convincing that suggests that cyclical intakes are beneficial.

As such, I just use a steady intake method for simplicity.

For body composition purposes I have yet to see anything convincing that suggests that cyclical intakes are beneficial.

As such, I just use a steady intake method for simplicity.

This is true. I've seen some people who do it, but I haven't read any studies saying that it would be advantageous.

I just eat more on heavy days because I'd rather not risk being hungry while training.

^ To note also, I could see at least some merit to varying intake for performance reasons. I'm strictly referring to net change in LBM or fat.