posted Tue, 12/11/2012 - 14:16
1031
Four questions regarding carbs and fats..
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1) Ok so i have noticed that for some reason my workouts are alot better when i eat high fats and protein pre workout. Why might the reason be for this? I get awful workouts with carbs pre workout (oats). Im thinking since i train at 5 get all my carbs by 1pm then high fatty meal with prot pre workout at 3:30 even for bulk.
2) do you prefer fast digesting, slow, or mix for carbs if they are pre workout
3) do you still eat carbs if you train say 2-3 hours before bed?
4) thoughts on fruits pre workout...
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1/2 hour before workout peace of fruit apple, pear iso protein and beta alanine works pretty well for me.
Anoni can address some of these. but first, can you be more specific about what you're eating (carbs) prior to your workout and how long before?
Oats 1 1/2 hours prior
Anonis this an am or pm workout?
Pm
Anonthis is such an odd series of questions..
a few things to know about carbs are that they are ultimately converted into glucose. glucose is the body's desired source of energy. when glucose levels are insufficient, the body will seek out other fuel sources to synthesize the needed glucose. although fats can be converted, the process is so elaborate that it takes too long to provide what's needed for immediate energy demands. that leaves one alternative as the primary substitue - protein.
yes, protein can be converted much easier than fats. however, this process is rather elaborate as well. so elaborate that the conversion process actually burns energy to make energy. this is the reason carb manipulation is so effective.
in terms of sports nutrition, proteins still impose some limitations for meeting immediate demands, though not to the extent that fats do. it is for this reason that carbs should always be ingested prior to the activity to ensure that optimal glucose and liver glycogen is available at the onset.
digestion takes some time to breakdown nutrients for absorption. until foods can be broken down into molecules small enough to be absorbed, they cannot enter the blood and be made available for energy purposes. as a result, ample time must be given to allow for both complete digestion and assimilation. the timeframe typically should be 3-4 hours prior to activity.
good choice on choosing a complex carb for this meal. my suggestion would be to consume this meal 3-4 hours prior to your workout. this will provide sufficient time for the nutrients to be broken down, absorbed, and assimilated by the cells in need of glycogen replenishment. the remaining will circulate in the blood stream to be made available at the onset of activity.
another thing to consider would be the total composition of your meal. proteins take longer to digest than carbs do, and fats actually slow the digestive process. what ends up happening is the digestive system will still be operating when you begin your workout, if ample time is not given. this is not a good thing..
the digestive process requires A LOT of blood to both aide the digestive process and to allow for the absorption of nutrients. for this blood to be made available an agonistic/antagonistic process takes place - vaso-dilation and vaso-constriction. because the volume of blood in our bodies remains relatively constant, when a portion of the body requires an increase in blood flow, the blood vessels in this portion will dilate (vaso-dilation). to allow for blood to be rerouted to this area, blood vessels in all other areas will constrict; therefore, restricting the amount of blood available to those areas.
without getting into a full blown biology lesson here... simply put, the body cannot support both the working muscles and the digestive system at the same time. the lack of blood flow compromises the working muscles because it does not allow optimal removal of waste or nutrient enrichment. this causes a more rapid feeling of fatigue. eventually the brain receives the signal from the muscles to increase blood flow here, so digestive blood vessels are constricted and the working muscles' blood vessels are dilated to meet the immediate demands. problem here is that digestion is still occuring, but blood flow has now been restricted. this can cause symptoms of cramping or nausea. this back and forth reaction continues to occur until activity is halted or digestion is completed.
chances are that your perception of increased energy levels post fat/protein meals is just a coincidence. i would look back at what meals you've eaten prior to those, and this could be the cause of your increased energy. then consider that digestion may still be occuring during the workouts following the carb meal. i would try giving more time between the meal and the activity. if that still doesn't work, i would consider some liquids to be consumed 1 hr prior. for this, i would used casein (not whey) protein. casien is to protein what complex carbs are to carbs. provides a more constant flow rather than dumping in all at once.
hope this was helpful
Nice, this explains a lot. Good shit thanks for the post!
AnonYou bet
Anon+1 I really like the last part...hope this was helpful!
Anon+1 brother
Fk yea it was helpful. Kinda explains why after 1 hour of weight lifting i have more energy during my cardio. So ill wait 2 1/2 jours instead of 1 1/2 and ser how that pans out. So the 75g of carbs from oats is still ok pre workout just wait longer correct?
Anonyeah that's a good number. you want 300-400 cal as a preworkout. 75g is 300. i'd go with that.
Thanks alot man i really appreciate it. Your one of the only people who claim something and back it ip i like it. Most just say something and thats it. Ill let u kno how it goes tomorrow:)
Anonjust glad to help.. i'm gonna do some editing and post this to a thread of its own. if energy levels don't improve for you soon, refer back to it in my forums. there's a couple options in there for you.