Handful of Random Questions

[Kvon]

Most of these have to do with nutrition so I think this is the right place.


#1.) Food at Night
What does everyone really eat at nighttime?  I know I'm not the only one who is repulsed by Cottage Cheese and Tuna, and cooking up some eggs or chicken isn't all that appealing right before bedtime.  The best thing I do now is crack open a can of chunk chicken and pound that down, but that's not all that nice either.  Isn't there something quick and easy that'll get the job done?  Lately I've been having a bowl of Total or some other semi-healthy cereal and throwing a scoop of protein in it, but that's not too good because of the carbs (correct me if I'm wrong).

(And that's in regards to a "cutting phase" diet)


#2.) Post-Workout Nutrition
I know I'm supposed to get that post-workout shake in immediately after my workout, but what exactly is "immediately"?  I have about a 10 minute drive home from the gym so I get my shake in around 15 minutes after I complete my workout.  In addition to that, should I be factoring in the time I take to stretch after a workout or would that be considered part of the workout as well?  Same thing with cardio; should I workout, have a shake, then do cardio or do I workout, do cardio, then have my shake?


#3.) Post-Workout Nutrition II
Simple carbs with the protein, right?  Does that mean I can just add plain sugar to my protein shake and get the same effect as eating something sugary or processed?


#4.) Late-Night Workouts
I generally workout about 3-5 hours before I go to sleep.  How much will the carbs in the post-workout shake and the hour-or-so later meal affect my ability to get cut?  I know I should try to avoid eating carbs before I go to bed, but I also know I need them post-workout.  I just don't want to be shooting myself in the foot, ya know?


#5.) Cardio
This is more of a training question, but while you're here: is there such a thing as too much cardio (assuming the diet is proper and that I can handle the load)?



Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Even if you can only answer 1 out of 5, let me know what you know.

Thanks,
-Kevin

[WhiteHulk4]

#1: Food at Night

Definitely do NOT eat a bowl of cereal right before bed if you're trying to cut up.  Just have a low-carb MRP with a good blend of proteins.  Or just a protein shake with Casein in it.  Having a teaspoon of flax oil will also help slow down the absorption and help you burn fat during the night.  Another option is try one of those "protein puddings" by Instone or Muscle Milk before bed - might even seem like a dessert.

#2: Post-Workout Nutrition

You've got roughly an hour window of time to get your post-workout shake in after your workout.  The longer your workout is, the quicker you want to get that shake in you.  But, if you're getting it in in 15 minutes, you're good to go.  As for doing cardio after your weights, you don't want to do your post-workout shake right before your cardio, because then it will be used to fuel your cardio and not to help you recover.  So do your cario immediately after your weights, then get home and have your shake.

#3: PWN II

When you're cutting, you don't need to be adding sugar to your diet at ANY TIME.  Drink a whey protein isolate shake right after you workout, then 30-60 minutes later, have a whole food meal that includes low-GI carbs.

#4: Late-Night Workouts

The above recommendation should solve this problem.

#5: Cardio

Yes, there is such a thing as too much cardio!  This is up for much debate (as is most of what I've written so far!), but when you're cutting calories, you drastically raise your risk of overtraining.  Do too much cardio, and you're going to feel very lethargic.  You're best bet is to do some high intensity cardio for about 15-20 minutes right after your weights, and that's it.

[Kvon]

Thanks for the advice; just a few more questions...

Regarding the post-workout shake: don't I need simple carbs mixed with the protein?  I thought the simple carbs were necessary to replenish glycogen stores and help move nutrients into the muscles (insulin spike).  That's why I mentioned adding the sugar.

Also, let's say I train back and triceps (back first, triceps last).  If it takes longer than an hour from when I finish the back workout to when I get my shake in me, do my back muscles benefit less from the shake than do my triceps?  Know what I mean?

[Luolamies]

I think you should have at least some simple carbs right after your workout, even if you are "cutting" or else it wont do the job itīs suppose to. Just have some maltodextrin like 40-50 grams. If you are doing your cardio right after the weights you should take some aminos in between to preserve lean muscle ,at least if you are training hard. You can also take some aminos midway in your workout if it takes over an hour. If it does take them midway.

[WhiteHulk4]

People need to remember that "protein efficiancy" and "insulin spike" don't go hand in hand.  You don't require insulin to digest and assimiliate protein.  Protein is not creatine.  Your body will use the protein it's given, as needed.  The excess, will be pissed out.

So yes, drinking some sugar or high GI carbs after a workout will help to replenish glycogen, but it really doesn't have a lot to do with your body's use of the protein you take in.

One of the FASTEST ways to burn fat, is to NOT replenish glycogen immediately after your workout.  Give yourself some protein, to make sure that you can repair the damage done, but leaving your body "wanting more" is how you turn on the fat-burning process.

[Tapeworm]

http://timwescott.proboards18.com/index.cgi?>

[MidniteRambo]

I'm a big fan of protein intake at night.  I've done the low fat cottage cheese thing at times, but other times I've done the following: (1) dessicated liver tabs-  30 (2 installments of 15) and (2) aminos 4 (2/2).  If you drink a quart of water beflore bed, you'll probably need to get up at least twice- at least I do.
If my fat intake is falling below acceptable levels, I may add three fish oil caps as well and I've experimented with arginine/lysine combos for GH purposes.

Let the supplementation occur as part of your natural sleeping pattern, rather than an alarm setting, set-time type of thing.

[liberty]

How do you have a normal sleep pattern if you drink a quart of water before bed where you have to get up twice?

[MidniteRambo]

How do you have a normal sleep pattern if you drink a quart of water before bed where you have to get up twice?

It's natural in comparison to the alarm clock ringing in your ear at hour X and then again at X + 2, ala Jay Cutler.  You wake up when your body tells you to.  I suppose it's not as natural as dead sleep for 8 hours.  In essence, it's a compromise between Cutler's method and the latter, which allows you to get some additional nutrients during the night.