QUOTE(Seager @ Feb 8 2017, 08:07 PM)
Hi guys,
Quick background:
- Haven't hit the gym in over a YEAR! - lost a significant amount of muscle mass & size
- Hectic work schedule, usually FILO (First in, last out)
- There's no way I am able to find time after work to head to the gym
There's an Anytime fitness branch near my office and I thought of getting in workout before starting work.
The idea is to wake up circa 5.15 AM, and I should be at the gym by 6.30AM-ish
I am planning to dirty bulk, strength/ size training - so I will likely have a good serving of mass gainer afterwards.
My questions are:
1. What should/ can I eat before heading to the gym?
2. Are they any general dos and don'ts or any risks that I should be aware of since I'd be hitting the gym on a potentially empty stomach - with little or no sufficient time to digest food before working out?
Thanks!
Some thoughts;
1) Buy barbells, squat rack, and bench and workout at home then go to work because I think this can save a lot of time. I first started only with a pair of dumbbell and barbell because gym isn't an option for me, until today.
2) If coffee isn't an option, maybe you can try green tea or green tea capsules. I read some lifter gain energy from green tea capsules, plus they have fat burning effect. Here are some of my morning pre-workout meal which I prepared in the past. Be creative and improve the recipe, use milk, whey, chocolate powder, greek yogurt;
- Overnight oat. I add whey, chocolate powder, dates, fruits and even chia seeds.
- Same as above, blend them all except chia seeds.
- Bread with a thick layer of peanut butter and honey, and a serving of whey.
- Cook some oat with dates nuts etc and drink whey.
- 2-3 fried/ boiled whole eggs with whey.
- 1-2 tablespoon of peanut butter and whey.
Good thing about overnight recipe is they're simple, easy and healthier than mass gainer IMO. Just prepare them before bed, wake up the next morning, eat or drink, go to shower, dress up and head to the gym. Digesting time will be vary, depending on the food and one digestive capability.
3) I think you'll find more don'ts than dos regarding fasting (empty stomach) workout but also there are some who live with. Just in case you interested to read about fasting workout, you can read about LeanGain fasting protocol which I think the most flexible and the easiest among all. He fully explain his protocol and thoughts in his website including fasting workout in the morning, afternoon or evening. I been training in fasting state for more than a year and I am way stronger than before, with some muscle gain. It took me a lot of try and error before I found what suitable for me.
4) About the risk, some will said fasting will lead to muscle loss and wreck your metabolism etc, and I won't touch that topic. But be aware that workout in fasting state can be very hard. First and second day can be damn body and mental challenging. The reason I share about fasting training is because you mentioned about "hitting the gym with empty stomach."
Different people got different goal and different method. Keep trying and exploring.