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  #1   ^
Old Wed, Apr-09-08, 08:37
Cleave's Avatar
Cleave Cleave is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 223
 
Plan: Atkins/Southbeach
Stats: 315/225/200 Male 73
BF:17.6%
Progress: 78%
Default ? for early morning lifters

So here we are, the afternoons are getting more hectic with the kids activities and such, so it looks like I am moving my time at the gym to the mornings. I've also picked up a new workout buddy and we're going to hit the weights together in the am. Up until now, the last 6 months I've been doing my own thing; a combo cardio and machines. It's worked until now but it's time to kick it up a notch and get started on a more structured program.

Here's my question. What do you early morning lifters eat for breakfast? Or do you eat?

My current LC breakfast is usually a couple of eggs and some bacon. The thing about moving my workout to the am is also the time factor. Do I have time to fit in breakfast, and time for my food to "settle?" Or can I get by with just a snack to get me jump started? Would a hard boiled egg and a cup of coffee be enough to get me through a hard lifting program?

I did my first morning workout this morning and all went fine on an empty stomach, but I have a feeling that as our weight lifting gets more intense I should have some fuel in my system.

This morning I got up at 5, downed a big glass of water, had one cup of coffee along the way (set on timer overnight to brew at 5,) and was at the gym at 5:30 when they opened. I really don't want to get up at 4:30 just to work in breakfast. I think I can make the 5am time work.

I don't like having much on my stomach when I work out. How about one of those EAS Advent low-carb protein drinks?


Cleave

Last edited by Cleave : Wed, Apr-09-08 at 09:22.
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  #2   ^
Old Wed, Apr-09-08, 09:38
leaddog66 leaddog66 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 414
 
Plan: who knows???
Stats: 208/173/175 Male 66"
BF:
Progress: 106%
Default

Personally, I cant work out on a full stomach but I dont like to be hungry either. Carbs definitely impact my workouts (in a positive way), and I always try to have some (even if its just 10-15 gm) before going to the gym.

If you are talking about getting up at 5 and starting your workout at or close to 5:30, I think a quick infusion of carbs is the only thing that will hit you fast enough to be of any use. A few sweet tarts, a small reese cup, something just for that initial boost. A good meal afterwards is a must, even if its a protein drink with heavy cream.

my 2 cents.
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  #3   ^
Old Wed, Apr-09-08, 12:01
Cleave's Avatar
Cleave Cleave is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 223
 
Plan: Atkins/Southbeach
Stats: 315/225/200 Male 73
BF:17.6%
Progress: 78%
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by leaddog66
Personally, I cant work out on a full stomach but I dont like to be hungry either. Carbs definitely impact my workouts (in a positive way), and I always try to have some (even if its just 10-15 gm) before going to the gym.



I can't workout on a full stomach either but I just don't know if I'm ready to incorporate any more carbs just yet. I still have a lot of weight to lose and I'm very happy with my diet (diet as in what I'm putting in my mouth.)

So, if I eat a small amount of protein before my workout will it not be beneficial?
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  #4   ^
Old Wed, Apr-09-08, 12:49
Michelle H Michelle H is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 174
 
Plan: modified Atkins
Stats: 230/150/165 Female 69 inches
BF:22% (calipers)
Progress: 123%
Location: New Zealand
Default

I'm still pretty much a novice at weight lifting, but I have been having bacon, eggs, coffee and sometimes half a banana before arriving at the gym about 20 min after eating. I wondered about whether or not it was a good idea but it seems to be working for me, especially as I go on to work after that and it simplifies and reduces the amount of food I have to take with me. I might have the other half of the banana afterwards or nothing until about 10.00.

I'm doing a full body routine with 5 min on a bike to warm up and cool down. I love it and feel really energised afterwards.
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  #5   ^
Old Wed, Apr-09-08, 18:04
gary_demp gary_demp is offline
New Member
Posts: 4
 
Plan: generic
Stats: 160/170/160 Male 5'10"
BF:12%
Progress:
Location: santa barbara, ca
Default

For weight lifting, why not just have a protein bar? You should have no prob lifting with one of those in your stomach. I guess you have to experiment on yourself to see if you can take carbs during/after exercise without stopping the weight loss, seems to be no hard advice out there on this topic. Good luck.
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  #6   ^
Old Thu, Apr-10-08, 05:18
dane's Avatar
dane dane is offline
muscle bound
Posts: 3,535
 
Plan: Lyle's PSMF
Stats: 226/150/135 Female 5'7.5"
BF:46/20/sliced
Progress: 84%
Location: near Budapest, Hungary
Default

Yeah, you definitely have to experiment with food here, but you DO want a little somethin' before lifting. If you'll be lifting at least an hour after eating, then have a regular meal (protein, fat, perhaps some carbs if you want--something "slow" like oatmeal).

If you'll be lifting within an hour of eating, or if you have a problem lifting with food in your stomach, then try the whey protein shake. Even just 20-30g of protein powder in water is fine. It is fast digesting, gives an insulin spike too, so it may be all you need for a good workout. If you're still having a hard time getting through your lifting, you can experiment with "faster" carbs, like the smarties (american) or some gatorade or something like that. Along with the whey protein!

After workout, if you can eat a regular meal within the next 2 hours, you're fine. If not, then it'd be a good idea to take some more whey powder but slow it down with some fat.

Hardboiled eggs are perfectly fine here, too, but at 7gP per egg, you'll want to eat like 3. These aren't optimal for pre workout (anything less than an hour away) nutrition, by the way--fat slows digestion.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cleave
This morning I got up at 5, downed a big glass of water, had one cup of coffee along the way (set on timer overnight to brew at 5,) and was at the gym at 5:30 when they opened. I really don't want to get up at 4:30 just to work in breakfast. I think I can make the 5am time work.
Add a scoop of whey protein powder to the water and you're good to go. Coffee is also excellent. Check prices and protein/carb/fat levels--the EAS may be more expensive than a regular whey protein isolate or concentrate blend.
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  #7   ^
Old Thu, Apr-10-08, 07:08
Cleave's Avatar
Cleave Cleave is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 223
 
Plan: Atkins/Southbeach
Stats: 315/225/200 Male 73
BF:17.6%
Progress: 78%
Default

Thanks for the reply Dane. Good advice.

I think I'm going to try some kind of protein powder type of drink just to get me going and through the workout because I will a have time for a full breakfast after.
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  #8   ^
Old Fri, Apr-11-08, 11:07
gary_demp gary_demp is offline
New Member
Posts: 4
 
Plan: generic
Stats: 160/170/160 Male 5'10"
BF:12%
Progress:
Location: santa barbara, ca
Default

I use a 4/1 ratio carb/protein mix before running in the morning or for hard workouts, works great, you can try that, I use 12g of whey protein w/ 48g of maltodextrin, with some glutamine, and stevia for sweeter flavor. you can buy it all at bodybuilding.com
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  #9   ^
Old Sat, Apr-12-08, 06:37
ellenalesa's Avatar
ellenalesa ellenalesa is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 196
 
Plan: Modified Atkins
Stats: 194/192.5/184 Female 5'3"
BF:
Progress: 15%
Default Protein shake

The ONLY way I can work out is to do it first thing in the morning, or it just doesn't happen.

I make a protein shake and drink it.

When I first started I made egg muffins.

Cook up some breakfast meat. Scramble some eggs. Add some cheese.

Spray the little tin muffin pan liners w/Pam. Put the meat in the bottom, add eggs and cheese. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or a half hour.

After they cool, peel off the liners (you can reuse them if you want) and put the muffins into little baggies.

Nuke 'em for a minute for a nice hot breakfast. Low carb! Easy!

These got me thru the winter....
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  #10   ^
Old Tue, Apr-15-08, 21:32
kbfunTH's Avatar
kbfunTH kbfunTH is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,240
 
Plan: UDS
Stats: 199/190/190 Male 69
BF:12%/11%/6%
Progress: 100%
Location: Pflugerville, TX
Default

I think after several weeks you'll start to find it easier to train on more of an empty stomach. When I was training in the early A.M., even with a minimal carb intake, I just ate whatever I felt like eating, usually a little peanut butter or some yogurt. It was a matter of what felt the best in my stomach at that time.

Back then, I almost always had left over, chicken and some pasta or something similar in the fridge that I would grab a hand full of on the way out the door.

Give it time, you'll get it figured out.
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  #11   ^
Old Wed, Apr-16-08, 06:14
Cleave's Avatar
Cleave Cleave is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 223
 
Plan: Atkins/Southbeach
Stats: 315/225/200 Male 73
BF:17.6%
Progress: 78%
Default

Yesterday I drank half of a low-carb EAS protein drink on the way to the gym and that seemed to fuel me through my whole workout. I left the other half in the truck and drank it on the way home.

I'm fine for the first 30 or 45 min but it's those last few exercises where I'm running out of energy. The protein drink seemed to do the trick.

I also had one big glass of cold water immediately when I got up and one cup of coffee.
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  #12   ^
Old Wed, Apr-16-08, 20:42
Ghoulia's Avatar
Ghoulia Ghoulia is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,214
 
Plan: Moderate Low-Carb <100g
Stats: 130/110.2/115 Female 5'3.5
BF:00/00/00
Progress: 132%
Location: Cal-i-forn-ia
Default

I've been weight training on coffee and a whey shake ONLY, for months now.

I don't have to be at the gym at the butt crack of dawn like you do, so my coffee is at 8, and my shake is at 10 - then I'm usually at the gym and starting by 10:20 - rarin' to go.

So, not exactly your situation, but I'm just sayin'.

I usually don't "eat" any "real food" until about 12 or 1PM.

Anyway, it works for me - and I do lift heavy. No pink weights here......


Julia
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  #13   ^
Old Thu, May-01-08, 12:06
willow972's Avatar
willow972 willow972 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 237
 
Plan: Somersizing-Level 1
Stats: 223.6/220.4/145.0 Female 63inches
BF:
Progress: 4%
Location: Ontario, CA
Default

I begin my mornings with fruit...either some strawberries or a fruit smoothie with mango, papaya, raspberries and some orange juice. Then on my way to the gym, about a 15-20 min drive, I take along some skim milk and these low-carb, no sugar whole wheat bagels to eat right before my workout. Then when I get to work later, I have some string cheese or bring eggs, cheese and sausage to microwave. I try to prep everything the night before so I can just get my workout clothes on in the wee hours of the morning and get going.
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  #14   ^
Old Thu, May-01-08, 12:09
willow972's Avatar
willow972 willow972 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 237
 
Plan: Somersizing-Level 1
Stats: 223.6/220.4/145.0 Female 63inches
BF:
Progress: 4%
Location: Ontario, CA
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ellenalesa
The ONLY way I can work out is to do it first thing in the morning, or it just doesn't happen.

I make a protein shake and drink it.

When I first started I made egg muffins.

Cook up some breakfast meat. Scramble some eggs. Add some cheese.

Spray the little tin muffin pan liners w/Pam. Put the meat in the bottom, add eggs and cheese. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or a half hour.

After they cool, peel off the liners (you can reuse them if you want) and put the muffins into little baggies.

Nuke 'em for a minute for a nice hot breakfast. Low carb! Easy!

These got me thru the winter....


I make these too...quite handy
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  #15   ^
Old Sat, May-24-08, 15:48
Delphoene's Avatar
Delphoene Delphoene is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 219
 
Plan: Anabolic Diet
Stats: 118/127/127 Female 5"8
BF:
Progress: 100%
Default

It just so happens that I switched to early morning workouts last week. Since I started LCing, my preferred workout fuel is caffeine and lots of it. This may be very bad, but it works for me. Here is what I did last week, on my lifting days:
4am:Up and drink 2 cups of coffee, with Splenda and cream, along with fish oil and women's multi.
4:30am:Walk to railway station. Spend an hour on the train to the gym (just down the road from my college.) On the train, I have a bottle of sugar-free energy drink, plus some water and pre-workout creatine pills.
6:00am:Arrive at the gym, work out for </=90min, downing another sugar-free energy drink between sets (and water of course!)
7:30am: Shower, dress and stroll up the road to college, where I will have a whey protein shake or 2, along with my post-workout creatine. If I am still hungry, I might eat a packet of raw macadamias.

Last edited by Delphoene : Sat, May-24-08 at 16:07.
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