Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Any suggestions for pre-work out nutrition? I am finding myself very hungry in the gym and losing energy at the end of my workouts. Example: today's workout was a 30 minute run with 40 mins of shoulders/abs. Pre-workout was 1/2c oatmeal and 4 strawberries. I burn about 550cals during my workouts. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

When are you eating your pre-workout meal?

My preworkout meals differ depending on if I go to the gym after breakfast or after midday:

Breakfast
300 calories steel-cut oatmeal
250 calories scrambled tofu
100 calories banana

Midday
200 calories wheat bread
100 calories nut butter
100 calories tofurkey
100 calories apple
130 calories scoop of brown rice protein

And tons of water with each meal and leading up to the gym so my muscles are fed. Back in the day I used to hit the gym 2.5 hours after my preworkout meal, but lately I've been hitting the gym sooner and sooner because of the same problem you described. Now I usually take my PWO exactly 1.5 hours after my preworkout meal. This way I feel that the energy from the complex carbohydrates is slowly feeding me up to the very end of my lift.

Half hour before....espresso, banana (large) & peanut butter.

Also bcaa's can help

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"Don't fall for that crap that people are peddling on the message boards, in magazines or on TV. Get your shit in order, and get your training in order. Start kicking ass, and take out the crap that doesn't matter" Jim Wendler

Also increase you oats to 1 whole cup. If you're lacking energy then you need to increase something before you train. How often are you hitting cardio?

_________________
"Don't fall for that crap that people are peddling on the message boards, in magazines or on TV. Get your shit in order, and get your training in order. Start kicking ass, and take out the crap that doesn't matter" Jim Wendler

Buff: pre-workout meal 4am. Workout starts at 5am.
Veggie: I forgot about BCAAs. I will add those back in. I hit cardio about 5 days a week. I can't seem to handle a full cup of oats pre-workout, too hard on my stomach.

An hour isn't really enough time, I allowed almost 2.5 the other days & when I hit some weighted side bends I was mini sicking:/

On a serious note; if I train on a day off usually I eat round 8:00, set off at 10:30 & finish by say 12:00.
15 mine before I'll down 10g of bcaa & about 5 right after, simply because I haven't eaten much. If its where I'm in on an evening/after a night shift & I've eaten plenty of food I just use 5g in the morning & post workout. Also things like this are awesome!

http://www.myprotein.com/uk/products/exceed

A good pre workout meal I kinda stumbled on is this: Wholewheat bagel, banana & agave syrup with PB

_________________
"Don't fall for that crap that people are peddling on the message boards, in magazines or on TV. Get your shit in order, and get your training in order. Start kicking ass, and take out the crap that doesn't matter" Jim Wendler

veggie: I wish I had more time for pre-workout meal but I am up at 4am and in the gym by 5am. I think I am going to go back to 2sc of powder (rice/hemp/gemma) with one banana and 2 scoops of BCAAs. That is what I used to use and for some reason I stopped using that as my pre-workout meal. I think it was because I thought I was too low on carbs pre-workout but I think I really need to get those BCAAs in. I will try that over the next couple of days and see if that works. If it is not enough I will add in 1/2c oats also. Thanks for the feedback.

Ye it's about finding what works...you made find that a pre workout type shake will give you a pick me up. Personally they do nothing for me, not matter how much I take haha

Don't overlook a pre bed meal, as you train early

_________________
"Don't fall for that crap that people are peddling on the message boards, in magazines or on TV. Get your shit in order, and get your training in order. Start kicking ass, and take out the crap that doesn't matter" Jim Wendler

veggie: what do you use for your pre-sleep meal? I struggle with this one a bit since I am asleep by 8 and sometimes don't feel like eating after my 5:30pm dinner.

I started drinking 20 grams of protein (pea or rice) along with my breakfast of quinoa and almond milk. I feel like the protein has helped me keep up my endurance and strength for my morning workouts.

For the past three days I started drinking 30 grams (15 grams of actual protein) of hemp protein first thing in the morning and I've found that it fills me up so much that I don't have room for my breakfast. I've only worked out twice during this time but my energy has been great so far.

I also take 5 grams of BCAAs right before my workout and I feel that helps too.

Protein is great and all, but if you aren't getting enough carbs your body will start converting proteins to burn for energy and the process will make you feel sluggish. I take that information and just say, "Ok, I'll go high carb (1000(g)/day from mostly fruits)" and only take in a very moderate amount of protein (70-80(g)). You do what you feel is best for you, but if you are going high protein and low carb you will feel sluggish, it comes with the territory.

You could always rely on stimulants, coffee, tea, chocolate, pop, NO2. That may not be a good idea, but it's where many people turn.

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Justin Morgan

http://www.youtube.com/user/RawVegaCaliBB

Pre bed meals I just take a home made protein bar or a shake, I can eat well so I don't do a pre bed anymore.

When I did I'd just have something like a oat topped wholemeal bagel with PB. I'd get two down me with loads of PB & drink a pint of milk (usually rice milk).

My advice is to try eating a bigger meal post workout, if you can. Failing that you have the option of using higher calorie foods if you struggle to eat.

A fav of mine is pesto, wham that over 120gram of pasta. If you have a protein shake as a snack during the day, pre make it & add 2 bananas...whizz it up. That's an extra 200ish calories with little effort.
It's things like adding hummus to a fake cheese/meat salad sandwich. 50 calories here, 30 there soon stocks up.

My gym pal isnt a big eater (he eats meat) so he cooks in cocoanut oil, butter ect obviously this isn't our path but the idea is sound. He is doing very well with this method.

How often are your cardio/gym sessions? Put up a typical week of cardio/weights & a typical days worth of food:)


Read up on carb back loading as you eat last rather early. You have almost 12 hrs without food.

_________________
"Don't fall for that crap that people are peddling on the message boards, in magazines or on TV. Get your shit in order, and get your training in order. Start kicking ass, and take out the crap that doesn't matter" Jim Wendler

Typical week of training: 2x per week 1 hour of spinning; 2x per week 30 min run with 45 mins of weight training, 1-2x per week 1 hour of fitness routine training; 5x per week 50 push ups, 50 v-ups, 50 bench dips
typical food day: 1/2c oatmeal and 2c coffee pre-workout; post workout 1/2c oatmeal 2 sc powder, some strawberries, 9am apple, 12:00 2 cups pumpkin and 2 c green beans; 3pm apple, 5:30 large bowl of romaine lettuce steamed broccoli with 1T of flax oil and balsamic vinegar, sometimes I add seitan and then sometimes 2 sc powder.

So you're doing all of that with that much food? Pretty obvious why your engery levels are low, that's not to sound like a d-bag.

What is it you're trianing for?

_________________
"Don't fall for that crap that people are peddling on the message boards, in magazines or on TV. Get your shit in order, and get your training in order. Start kicking ass, and take out the crap that doesn't matter" Jim Wendler