If gaining lean tissue is your primary goal do you lift weights in a fasted state or eat first?

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Replies

  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    MityMax96 wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    MityMax96 wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    dieselbyte wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Muscle building happens the day after, so it really doesn't matter how you lift (fasted or not) the day before. Your nutrition should be consistent and ensure you consume enough protein on your rest day.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Well won't a pre workout meal have better performance which could stimulate more fiber tears right?

    No, meal timing is personal preference for performance sake. Some individuals need a pre-workout meal. For others, if they eat within a few hours of training, it causes all types of issues and lowers performance.

    You didn't answer my question. Also I am talking about performance so your first sentence was already said in my quote.

    He did answer your question.

    A person's performance in the gym will be determined by that person and how he feels.
    If I felt I wasn't able to go 100% in the fasted state, then I wouldn't.
    But my lifts have been great for 2 years now....

    So you go fasted right. What if you took for example C4 your performance would be hinder?

    I do fasted. Yes
    I don't do a pre-workout other than Xtend BCAA's
    I have done Psycho pre-workout by scivation....and performance was about the same.....but there was a difference.....slight difference.
    But still workout was on par w/ others that were not with a pre-workout.

    Slight difference in what way. More reps? less reps?

    If I can recall, cause it has been a while....
    I think I had a little bit more focus
    I was a bit more anxious...I guess is how you could describe it....

    But it wasn't enough to keep me wanting to continue to the buy the product......
    Because over time, your body will get used to it....so you do need to take a break from it...

    Which I have, and just never bought anymore.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    MityMax96 wrote: »
    dieselbyte wrote: »
    MityMax96 wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    MityMax96 wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    dieselbyte wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Muscle building happens the day after, so it really doesn't matter how you lift (fasted or not) the day before. Your nutrition should be consistent and ensure you consume enough protein on your rest day.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Well won't a pre workout meal have better performance which could stimulate more fiber tears right?

    No, meal timing is personal preference for performance sake. Some individuals need a pre-workout meal. For others, if they eat within a few hours of training, it causes all types of issues and lowers performance.

    You didn't answer my question. Also I am talking about performance so your first sentence was already said in my quote.

    He did answer your question.

    A person's performance in the gym will be determined by that person and how he feels.
    If I felt I wasn't able to go 100% in the fasted state, then I wouldn't.
    But my lifts have been great for 2 years now....

    So you go fasted right. What if you took for example C4 your performance would be hinder?

    I do fasted. Yes
    I don't do a pre-workout other than Xtend BCAA's
    I have done Psycho pre-workout by scivation....and performance was about the same.....but there was a difference.....slight difference.
    But still workout was on par w/ others that were not with a pre-workout.

    My point exactly. Everyone is different. I don't take C4 or any pre-workouts, because it makes me jittery more than anything. I took it once, thought I was having a heart attack, and had to stop mid-workout lol! A cup of coffee a day is more than enough to keep me going for hours at work. But that's me. Meal timing should be considered for performance. Performance and programming will dictate muscle growth.

    LOL
    I remember the first time I did that w/ a pre-workout or used Cellucor SuperHD

    Felt the same way....thought my heart was gonna explode out of my chest.

    Lucky you, I was hospitalized for an anxiety attack because i thought i was having a stroke. Slurred speech, racing heart, hands shaking, numbness in my face, and unable to concentrate.

    This was from the old formula of Jack3d.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    MityMax96 wrote: »
    dieselbyte wrote: »
    MityMax96 wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    MityMax96 wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    dieselbyte wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Muscle building happens the day after, so it really doesn't matter how you lift (fasted or not) the day before. Your nutrition should be consistent and ensure you consume enough protein on your rest day.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Well won't a pre workout meal have better performance which could stimulate more fiber tears right?

    No, meal timing is personal preference for performance sake. Some individuals need a pre-workout meal. For others, if they eat within a few hours of training, it causes all types of issues and lowers performance.

    You didn't answer my question. Also I am talking about performance so your first sentence was already said in my quote.

    He did answer your question.

    A person's performance in the gym will be determined by that person and how he feels.
    If I felt I wasn't able to go 100% in the fasted state, then I wouldn't.
    But my lifts have been great for 2 years now....

    So you go fasted right. What if you took for example C4 your performance would be hinder?

    I do fasted. Yes
    I don't do a pre-workout other than Xtend BCAA's
    I have done Psycho pre-workout by scivation....and performance was about the same.....but there was a difference.....slight difference.
    But still workout was on par w/ others that were not with a pre-workout.

    My point exactly. Everyone is different. I don't take C4 or any pre-workouts, because it makes me jittery more than anything. I took it once, thought I was having a heart attack, and had to stop mid-workout lol! A cup of coffee a day is more than enough to keep me going for hours at work. But that's me. Meal timing should be considered for performance. Performance and programming will dictate muscle growth.

    LOL
    I remember the first time I did that w/ a pre-workout or used Cellucor SuperHD

    Felt the same way....thought my heart was gonna explode out of my chest.

    That not how I felt after drink like a 1/3 serving of C4. I used some of my friends. I did think I was the incredible hunk but don't remember reaching any PRs that workout.

  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »

    Lucky you, I was hospitalized for an anxiety attack because i thought i was having a stroke. Slurred speech, racing heart, hands shaking, numbness in my face, and unable to concentrate.

    This was from the old formula of Jack3d.

    Fun times LOL
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    MityMax96 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »

    Lucky you, I was hospitalized for an anxiety attack because i thought i was having a stroke. Slurred speech, racing heart, hands shaking, numbness in my face, and unable to concentrate.

    This was from the old formula of Jack3d.

    Fun times LOL

    Yep. hahaha. I stick to just the BCAAs now.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    edited April 2015
    MityMax96 wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    MityMax96 wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    MityMax96 wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    dieselbyte wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Muscle building happens the day after, so it really doesn't matter how you lift (fasted or not) the day before. Your nutrition should be consistent and ensure you consume enough protein on your rest day.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Well won't a pre workout meal have better performance which could stimulate more fiber tears right?

    No, meal timing is personal preference for performance sake. Some individuals need a pre-workout meal. For others, if they eat within a few hours of training, it causes all types of issues and lowers performance.

    You didn't answer my question. Also I am talking about performance so your first sentence was already said in my quote.

    He did answer your question.

    A person's performance in the gym will be determined by that person and how he feels.
    If I felt I wasn't able to go 100% in the fasted state, then I wouldn't.
    But my lifts have been great for 2 years now....

    So you go fasted right. What if you took for example C4 your performance would be hinder?

    I do fasted. Yes
    I don't do a pre-workout other than Xtend BCAA's
    I have done Psycho pre-workout by scivation....and performance was about the same.....but there was a difference.....slight difference.
    But still workout was on par w/ others that were not with a pre-workout.

    Slight difference in what way. More reps? less reps?

    If I can recall, cause it has been a while....
    I think I had a little bit more focus
    I was a bit more anxious...I guess is how you could describe it....

    But it wasn't enough to keep me wanting to continue to the buy the product......
    Because over time, your body will get used to it....so you do need to take a break from it...

    Which I have, and just never bought anymore.

    So then you are agree that the pre workout did allow for more time under tension which we know what happens with that.

    Also my apologizes for saying comment didn't answer my question. It did but the person I quoted knows that when I ask him a question that I want what he has seeing in the field and what he has studied.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    I don't recall it being more TUT
    Just I didn't take into account other distractions in the gym.....
  • AKDonF
    AKDonF Posts: 235 Member
    It really is not that complicated, but people add more than necessary. Training and nutrition are totally separate things but there is interaction. In my opinion, THE single most important thing in training is intensity and intensity requires focus. So whether training fasted or fed is best decided by what give the most focus and intensity. Training itself is catabolic in that it breaks down muscle.

    Nutrition takes that stimulus and uses it to produce muscle. Timing is relatively unimportant and as @dieselbyte has pointed out, feeding prior to training is not going to increase muscle glycogen. In the end, as has been stated, it is nothing more than a preference really. A preworkout is for some a way to increase intensity, but for others it is a distraction. Again, a personal decision.

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    joejccva71 wrote: »
    Maybe I'm getting old then because i have a hell of a time remaining focused on heavy Squats and Deads while fasted. :)
    You're getting old.

    Not saying that training fasted is best for everyone. Find you niche and work with it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    AKDonF wrote: »
    It really is not that complicated, but people add more than necessary. Training and nutrition are totally separate things but there is interaction. In my opinion, THE single most important thing in training is intensity and intensity requires focus. So whether training fasted or fed is best decided by what give the most focus and intensity. Training itself is catabolic in that it breaks down muscle.

    Nutrition takes that stimulus and uses it to produce muscle. Timing is relatively unimportant and as @dieselbyte has pointed out, feeding prior to training is not going to increase muscle glycogen. In the end, as has been stated, it is nothing more than a preference really. A preworkout is for some a way to increase intensity, but for others it is a distraction. Again, a personal decision.

    Well said!
    /end thread
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Muscle building happens the day after, so it really doesn't matter how you lift (fasted or not) the day before. Your nutrition should be consistent and ensure you consume enough protein on your rest day.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Well won't a pre workout meal have better performance which could stimulate more fiber tears right?
    Maybe, maybe not. I've done preworkout several times and most make me feel anxious (like hurry up and get done) rather than focusing more on just the movement itself.
    After I stopped using them, I didn't notice any difference in my intensity of workouts.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Muscle building happens the day after, so it really doesn't matter how you lift (fasted or not) the day before. Your nutrition should be consistent and ensure you consume enough protein on your rest day.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Well won't a pre workout meal have better performance which could stimulate more fiber tears right?
    Maybe, maybe not. I've done preworkout several times and most make me feel anxious (like hurry up and get done) rather than focusing more on just the movement itself.
    After I stopped using them, I didn't notice any difference in my intensity of workouts.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    I am going to experiment with pre workouts to see if it makes a difference. Not looking forward to C4 test but I think I should do that with a max day. What I do know is having more carbs early in the day for me I perform way better for workout time.(intensity wise)
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Muscle building happens the day after, so it really doesn't matter how you lift (fasted or not) the day before. Your nutrition should be consistent and ensure you consume enough protein on your rest day.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Well won't a pre workout meal have better performance which could stimulate more fiber tears right?
    Maybe, maybe not. I've done preworkout several times and most make me feel anxious (like hurry up and get done) rather than focusing more on just the movement itself.
    After I stopped using them, I didn't notice any difference in my intensity of workouts.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    I am going to experiment with pre workouts to see if it makes a difference. Not looking forward to C4 test but I think I should do that with a max day. What I do know is having more carbs early in the day for me I perform way better for workout time.(intensity wise)

    I'm not sure if you're sensistive to preworkouts/stimulants but i would suggest trying atleast a 1/2 serving the first time. Then if you're all good try a full dose.

    I know i'm a female, weigh less, and am smaller, but i wasn't joking when i said i thought i was having a stroke.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Muscle building happens the day after, so it really doesn't matter how you lift (fasted or not) the day before. Your nutrition should be consistent and ensure you consume enough protein on your rest day.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Well won't a pre workout meal have better performance which could stimulate more fiber tears right?
    Maybe, maybe not. I've done preworkout several times and most make me feel anxious (like hurry up and get done) rather than focusing more on just the movement itself.
    After I stopped using them, I didn't notice any difference in my intensity of workouts.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    I am going to experiment with pre workouts to see if it makes a difference. Not looking forward to C4 test but I think I should do that with a max day. What I do know is having more carbs early in the day for me I perform way better for workout time.(intensity wise)

    I'm not sure if you're sensistive to preworkouts/stimulants but i would suggest trying atleast a 1/2 serving the first time. Then if you're all good try a full dose.

    I know i'm a female, weigh less, and am smaller, but i wasn't joking when i said i thought i was having a stroke.

    I usually don't need a pre workouts but I have trained my mind to get in the zone for workouts at around 3 50 pm after work. I took a little C4 before and I though I was the world strongest man. That workout was years ago so I can't recall the results of the workout.

  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
    Bollocks to that - if I have been farming all day, I'm gonna have a bowl of cereal or something before the gym, or I'll just feel weak/tired.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I lift typically right after work and before Dinner so it's been about 5 hours for me....but sometimes I eat first. Not often...

    Typically for me (which may be weird) how I perform is based on my food from hours or even the day before...I find that if I don't get in my calories on the weekend in a "good" way or not enough all my lifts suffer on Monday....
  • musclegood_fatbad
    musclegood_fatbad Posts: 9,809 Member
    I tried training in a fasted state and never felt like I had the same energy. A small meal about 30 minutes before I train helps out.
  • buckiaj
    buckiaj Posts: 2 Member
    Lots of good information in this thread; so I thought I would throw in my two cents.

    I personally workout everyday at 5am. The only thing i consume beforehand, is my preworkout which has some BCAA's in it (5g total, 3g Leucine). I have practiced intermittent fasting for the past 3 years or so, and my eating window doesn't start until Noon most days. So after i'm done lifting at 6am, I typically will sip on 10g of BCAA's post workout, and again at 10am. I know "technically" BCAA's ruin a fast, but I don't practice IF so much for the fasting, but for the ability to then eat a larger dinner than I would if i ate in the mornings.

    But, this should be taken with a grain of salt as i'm currently cutting on this plan, not bulking/adding muscle. This plan is strictly to maintain the muscle mass I have now. So far, so good.
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    buckiaj wrote: »
    Lots of good information in this thread; so I thought I would throw in my two cents.

    I personally workout everyday at 5am. The only thing i consume beforehand, is my preworkout which has some BCAA's in it (5g total, 3g Leucine). I have practiced intermittent fasting for the past 3 years or so, and my eating window doesn't start until Noon most days. So after i'm done lifting at 6am, I typically will sip on 10g of BCAA's post workout, and again at 10am. I know "technically" BCAA's ruin a fast, but I don't practice IF so much for the fasting, but for the ability to then eat a larger dinner than I would if i ate in the mornings.

    But, this should be taken with a grain of salt as i'm currently cutting on this plan, not bulking/adding muscle. This plan is strictly to maintain the muscle mass I have now. So far, so good.

    Many who follow IF remain flexible outside of their eating window and sip low calorie drinks, tea or black coffee. BCAA's post workout if you aren't eating until 12 is a smart move, since going without amino acids that long probably isn't optimal. And larger dinner = winning!
  • aprilricks86
    aprilricks86 Posts: 67 Member
    I usually lift weights fasted because I work out in the early morning most days and don't want to have to get up any earlier than I'm already up! I take a pre-workout--usually 1.5-2 scoops of c4 and I'm good to go most days! Sometimes on leg days I'll have half a banana or apple 15 minutes or so before working out. It's not ideal--I can tell I'd have better workouts if I ate beforehand because like ^^ this guy said I get hungry mid-workout sometimes and I'm not 100% awake / energized from eating a full meal. BUT, it works for me and my schedule.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    AKDonF wrote: »
    It really is not that complicated, but people add more than necessary. Training and nutrition are totally separate things but there is interaction. In my opinion, THE single most important thing in training is intensity and intensity requires focus. So whether training fasted or fed is best decided by what give the most focus and intensity. Training itself is catabolic in that it breaks down muscle.

    Nutrition takes that stimulus and uses it to produce muscle. Timing is relatively unimportant and as @dieselbyte has pointed out, feeding prior to training is not going to increase muscle glycogen. In the end, as has been stated, it is nothing more than a preference really. A preworkout is for some a way to increase intensity, but for others it is a distraction. Again, a personal decision.

    ^^yep.

    The only other recommendation is that if you are training fasted, you would want to get some protein in within a reasonably short time of lifting as a cya re MPS.

    Other than that, the primary reason for meal/macro timing is to produce the better workout.

    Personally, I am good for a short session fasted, but tend to need something for a longer one. I usually have a high protein + carby drink pro/intra workout as I cannot stomach food first thing. The protein in the drink is just an easy way to get a bolus within a reasonable time of lifting - so I do not have to remember after as I am usually running late for work at that time. The carbs are for more sustained energy. It really is an individual thing.

  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Muscle building happens the day after, so it really doesn't matter how you lift (fasted or not) the day before. Your nutrition should be consistent and ensure you consume enough protein on your rest day.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Well won't a pre workout meal have better performance which could stimulate more fiber tears right?
    Maybe, maybe not. I've done preworkout several times and most make me feel anxious (like hurry up and get done) rather than focusing more on just the movement itself.
    After I stopped using them, I didn't notice any difference in my intensity of workouts.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    I am going to experiment with pre workouts to see if it makes a difference. Not looking forward to C4 test but I think I should do that with a max day. What I do know is having more carbs early in the day for me I perform way better for workout time.(intensity wise)

    I'm not sure if you're sensistive to preworkouts/stimulants but i would suggest trying atleast a 1/2 serving the first time. Then if you're all good try a full dose.

    I know i'm a female, weigh less, and am smaller, but i wasn't joking when i said i thought i was having a stroke.

    I took a full dose or C4 once a few months ago. Ended up getting tired and napping an hour later lol. Got my workout in, but hours after I was expecting too!

    I still have the container - full except that one dose.
  • DedRepublic
    DedRepublic Posts: 348 Member
    edited April 2015
    If your goal is to add lean tissue while minimizing the addition of adipose tissue Do you lift weights in a fasted state or do you eat first? Why?

    I workout in the evening, but do fasted cardio in the morning....I eat 6 times a day...for whatever that is worth.

    I always make sure I'm carb loaded going into the workout. I'll drink a 50 gram protein shake with a 50 gram carb powder inside in the meal before the workout..usally 2 hours before...so around 4 pm for me. I drink a 25 gram carbohydrate and BCAA drink during the workout...and get 100 grams or 50 grams of carbs with the post workout meal (usually white rice with honey) depending on whether I'm bulking or not.

    On a cut most of my carbs are taken Peri workout (Before, During, After)

    Cheers.

    Robert
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