Mid work-out meal

[wapoti]

Does anyone have a meal mid work-out? I don't mean a square meal but more like a handful of crackers/pretzels/cookies, etc. I usually eat an horu before I lift but I feel exhausted about mid way through some of my workouts, esp when i do heavy squats. I'm usually so beat at the end I end up skipping the post-workout cardio. I've occasionally had a few animal crackers about 3/4 way through and it really seems to give me a boost to help me through. Anyone else try anything similar? Is this detrimental in any way?

[itsbruce]

How long are your workouts?

Eating during a workout isn't going to do you any good; digestion requires energy and blood supply, so eating actually sets your stomach up in competition with your muscles during a workout. Besides, the only things that can deliver any energy to you quickly enough are sugar-loaded things like orange juice, which will give you a rush followed by a dip as your insulin level spikes. I suspect the crackers (and the rest while eating them) are largely giving you a psychological boost.

Try eating an ounce or two of nuts about 40 minutes before the workout. I know that a lot of people find that helps (and it seems to work for me).

[wapoti]

Thanks, your suggestion makes sense, my diet is pretty low in fats, mostly carbs/protein. My workouts typically run about an hour and a half.

[itsbruce]

Why is your diet low in fat? Fat is an important part of your diet and contains substances necessary for muscle growth that are hard to find in other foods.

[killerdude494949]

Try eating more fats, maybe thats why you can't make it through your workout.

[wapoti]

well I guess it's not so much that it's low in fat so much as that the fat is more in my breakfast 16oz whole milk and whatever animal fat may be on the protein i'm consuming. I do generally push myself through the workouts, still hitting the 1x5 DL at 285 but I'm more exhausted than I'd like to think I should be.

[killerdude494949]

I think this is a diet issue. Eat more food and fat, drink more water, try drinking 1-2 cups of milk 30 minutes before going to the gym, if you really need it then consider sipping a protein and carb drink throughout your workout, get some clean carbs in post workout, eat the most for breakfast and after working out. these are all things i find that allow me to unleash the fury of hell most consistently in the gym.

[Leot]

I generally go through about 500mL of milk during my workout, then down the balance of 1L when I'm done. I find I am strongest maybe an hour after a decent meal.

[Van]

I'm currently experimenting with gatorade+whey, both digest quicky and shouldn't take up too much resources. So far, it's not hampered my lifting. In the past I tried drinking whole milk during workout, while I was lifting lighter then, I can't say that I felt any negative effect.
The best way is still to eat a lot pre-workout. your body will easily assimilate all those calories to move those weights. And don't feel bad, I almost always skip my post workout cardio. The heavier the squats get, the less you'll feel like doing anything after your last set.

[Dada]

For energy during a workout I like to have some caffeine (either coffee or energy drink)and maybe a piece of fruit pre-workout. Other than that just water during the workout if anything. I save the big meals for post workout.

[dmaip]

It's highly recommended to take intra-workout meal...especially a fast absorbing protein and carbohydrate supplement..such as a mixture of gatorade+whey that VAN was talking about..for more information on this..send me a message

[ExoduS]

I do eat protein bar between my lifting and cardio. I am currently on a cut, so eating that protein bar right before cardio, makes me burn even more calories during cardio.

[kali]

i have to agree with itsbruce, anything requiring digestion is pointless during the workout, for all the reasons he gave.

dmaip, i eat an hour or less before workout, often just a lot of milk, and i take a post workout shake, jarrows formula that has lots of carbs and fibers as well as protein, so it mimicks what Mehdi talks about in his post workout blog, more of a complete meal, but with more rapid digestion.
now, you say its "recommended" to eat during a workout? please provide the source?

[ExoduS]

i have to agree with itsbruce, anything requiring digestion is pointless during the workout, for all the reasons he gave.

dmaip, i eat an hour or less before workout, often just a lot of milk, and i take a post workout shake, jarrows formula that has lots of carbs and fibers as well as protein, so it mimicks what Mehdi talks about in his post workout blog, more of a complete meal, but with more rapid digestion.
now, you say its "recommended" to eat during a workout? please provide the source?

I don't have a source, but I read somewhere that protein shake or protein bar is good to drink after 3/4 of the workout, so after you done, digestion starts, or absorption whatever you want to call it. Now I know this might be BS, and it might not, or makes very little difference than eating after the workout.