All you Bozo's out there in Training Land

[Tough Old Man]

Ha got your attention. ​

Ok sorry about that but I want to know how many of you guys (not bozo's) train on an empty stomach. I found myself having a hard time training even an hr and a half after eating a small meal. I feel lethargic and weak. Every Wed I leave my house and go to the states grocery shopping. I never eat anything and as soon as I get home I train and i always feel good during and afterword. The other days I eat and then I don't feel like training but I do and then I'm fucked the rest of the day.

So for the past week I tried the I/F diet and trained on an empty stomach and I found I had twice the energy and was a hell of a lot stronger. Now maybe it's my age have no idea but shit something going on. Today I went back to eating my regular 6 meals and trained 2 hrs after eating. I was weaker and stopped after my second exercise due to exhaustion.

 

[-Z-]

Only on leg days do I not have as much food in me before training. If I load up on food before legs, I feel like dying about 1/2 way through a workout.

Otherwise, I like to get 3 solid food meals in before training.

 

[Kingcreole]

I feel sick if I eat to close to leg workouts also.

 

[waynaferd]

I do fasted cardio, but try to eat an hour or so beforehand, and take my NO PWO drink mix 1/2 hour or so before I do actual lifting.

Since I'm just getting into FST-7 I am being sure to get some good natural proteins in ( like cheese or PB) instead of just grainbars or trail mix. Still no big meal, though.

I think that's a pretty important part of the program, so there's plenty of nutrients to get shuffled into the pumped muscles.

All in all workouts seem to go the same, unless I'm stuffed with carbs or something and need a nap

 

[renewlyf]

I feel sick if I eat to close to leg workouts also.

X2

 

[maldorf]

Well, when you eat your body ends up directing a larger portion of your total blood volume to your stomach and gut. The blood vessels there dilate. So it makes sense that you would have less energy and be more lethargic when all of that extra blood is in your digestive system rather than being pumped to your muscles. I do think that sometimes when you exercise hard the body will direct some of that blood away from the digestive system and maybe that is what can cause the indigestion because the food just kinda sits there.

 

[ScottMcD1]

My goals are different than most here but I've done several months of fasted/near fasted(BCAA) sessions and enjoy it. Martin Berkhan (leangains.com) has a lot of writing on the subject as a of his clients train that way.

For a frame of reference I'm in a fat loss phase and train pretty low volume

3 work sets of dips
3 sets of neutral grip chins
3 sets of dumbbell rows
2-4 sets of laterals/face pulls/john meadows style rear delt swings

is a typical workout so not exactly high volume.

 

[kingpeon]

Training on a semi-empty stomach is how I prefer to do it. Semi-empty to me means taking amino acids 30 minutes before, during and immediately after working out. Just killing the two-hour window of opportunity with the aminos.

I never get an upset stomach no matter how hard I push myself, tons of energy, spares the muscle tissue better than any carb drink and I'm strong as an ox doing it this way.

I use Beverly's Mass aminos by the handfuls and just eat an hour after the training.

 

[Elvia1023]

Well, when you eat your body ends up directing a larger portion of your total blood volume to your stomach and gut. The blood vessels there dilate. So it makes sense that you would have less energy and be more lethargic when all of that extra blood is in your digestive system rather than being pumped to your muscles. I do think that sometimes when you exercise hard the body will direct some of that blood away from the digestive system and maybe that is what can cause the indigestion because the food just kinda sits there.

This pretty much covers it imo.

 

[AlphaMaleDawg]

I just can't see how this is effective in any way

 

[kingpeon]

I just can't see how this is effective in any way

It is effective, very much so. Why split your energies in two trying to digest food and also providing the large amount of energy required to pump weight for 45 minutes or so?

Digesting food is supposedly the most energy consuming activity the human body does.

I'd say if you don't get indigestion from training with food in your stomach, go for it.

 

[rmtt]

Training on a semi-empty stomach is how I prefer to do it. Semi-empty to me means taking amino acids 30 minutes before, during and immediately after working out. Just killing the two-hour window of opportunity with the aminos.

I never get an upset stomach no matter how hard I push myself, tons of energy, spares the muscle tissue better than any carb drink and I'm strong as an ox doing it this way.

I use Beverly's Mass aminos by the handfuls and just eat an hour after the training.

+1.

I train at 5:00am, and been doing it this way for years. But I'm also using GH in the morning..so I may not get my first solid meal until 9:00am most days.

Haven't had any issues.

 

[Max55]

I've been doing IF for about six months. I never bring it up because people don't believe it is a good idea because they believe all the dogmatic views about having to eat breakfast, eat 5-6 or more meals a day even though they're just going on what they've been told they should instead of doing some research. Hey I was that way too until I did my research and realized all the BS about meal frequency and going “catabolic” from not eating every few hours. Sorry but a meal is not completely digested in a few hours, you don't go “catabolic” from not eating every 2-3 hours. Since I started IF I've never looked better and I've never felt better. It's much more convenient to eat this way. I've always hated eating breakfast anyway but forced it down because that's what I was “supposed” to do. And the meals are much more satisfying. I can eat 2-3 big meals and not be hungry instead of spacing it out over 5-7 meals. I still get the same calories and protein with less meals. And my digestive system isn't overloaded from constantly shoving in food. I'm not bloated anymore and my “pot belly” has disappeared.

And I've never had any problems with strength when hitting the weights. I do take some BCAA's before my workout but that's it. And after the workout I can have a huge meal and it's like your muscle just suck everything up.

I won't argue with anyone because everyone is different and if someone likes eating breakfast and many meals then they should do it. All I know is this working great for me. It's so much more convenient and much easier to stay lean.

Like Scott said, check out Leangains for a lot of good info.

 

[maldorf]

I've been doing IF for about six months. I never bring it up because people don't believe it is a good idea because they believe all the dogmatic views about having to eat breakfast, eat 5-6 or more meals a day even though they're just going on what they've been told they should instead of doing some research. Hey I was that way too until I did my research and realized all the BS about meal frequency and going “catabolic” from not eating every few hours. Sorry but a meal is not completely digested in a few hours, you don't go “catabolic” from not eating every 2-3 hours. Since I started IF I've never looked better and I've never felt better. It's much more convenient to eat this way. I've always hated eating breakfast anyway but forced it down because that's what I was “supposed” to do. And the meals are much more satisfying. I can eat 2-3 big meals and not be hungry instead of spacing it out over 5-7 meals. I still get the same calories and protein with less meals. And my digestive system isn't overloaded from constantly shoving in food. I'm not bloated anymore and my “pot belly” has disappeared.

And I've never had any problems with strength when hitting the weights. I do take some BCAA's before my workout but that's it. And after the workout I can have a huge meal and it's like your muscle just suck everything up.

I won't argue with anyone because everyone is different and if someone likes eating breakfast and many meals then they should do it. All I know is this working great for me. It's so much more convenient and much easier to stay lean.

Like Scott said, check out Leangains for a lot of good info.

Heck yeah. A nice 18 hour fast from dinner until your lunch the next day actually does your body really good and I get a great lift in when I do it right before I eat my lunch so ive been fasting for about 16 hours or more.
Right now ive only been eating 2 meals a day and 2 protein snacks inbetween and I am much more lean and look a hell of a lot better than when I used to force myself to eat every 4 hours or so. There is a lot to be said for eating when hungry.

 

[Tom]

6 oz of greek yogurt and a banana 2 hours pre-workout. never had any issues doing this.

 

[DOHCrazy]

Heck yeah. A nice 18 hour fast from dinner until your lunch the next day actually does your body really good and I get a great lift in when I do it right before I eat my lunch so ive been fasting for about 16 hours or more.
Right now ive only been eating 2 meals a day and 2 protein snacks inbetween and I am much more lean and look a hell of a lot better than when I used to force myself to eat every 4 hours or so. There is a lot to be said for eating when hungry.

A big x3 from me for looking better, feeling better, and having more freedom with IF.

 

[firebird454]

im trying i/f this week training on a little sugar free energy drink and aminos and feel great and crazy energy then eat 12=13 after last pm meal ...im liking it

 

[Jugghead]

I usually eat about 1.5hrs prior to workout, I don't stuff myself. If I'm doing legs I'll either eat atleast 2hrs before or eat a relatively small meal. I'm gonna switch to eating much sooner or just using 1 scoop of whey with BCAAs pre-wo. I too have been feeling lethargic/weak/poor stamina for my workouts. I'm just sick of eating! By the end of the day/night my mid-section is so bloated I look like I'm freakn pregnant!!! Gonna switch it up to 2-3 meals, 1 shake a day, with some fruit as snacks.

 

[Bionic]

Hey TOM, it's just like I told ya! I'm shocked (pleasantly) to see so many IF fans here!

 

[comedycentral]

how long are we looking at for a meal to fully digest so your body isnt processing it instead of using the energy to train.

say a 3-4 egg omlette and oatmeal??