Tweak my workout - advise on Pre and Post workout nutrition....

[T-Bird]

Looking for critique and suggestions:

My basic workout is 20-30 minutes strength training/20-30 minutes cardio, M-F generally. With the strength training alternate upper body/lower body, but do some core everyday. Take a super hot sauna for 10-20 right after the cardio - that's my treat!

I would like to build muscle and lose weight as quickly as I can. I've got about 30 lbs to lose, and just being raw and working out isn't doing the job. (lost 1-2 pounds the past month:mad:).

To maximize muscle gain and fat lose - what would you suggest to have pre and post workout, and exactly when, like 30 min before/immediately after, etc.

For example - I should do a green smoothie with hemp seed after I think - to build muscle - but is it immediate - or when exactly?

I used to do cardio first - but then I read that to maximize fat burn - do the weights first which can only come from available supplies, then cardio that can pull from either - so to first exhaust available energy supplies so cardio will have to pull from fat.

So that was one change I made.

Thanks to any who can help out!

[Veronica01]

What about decreasing nuts and overt fats? Also I read that Doug Graham recommends consuming juicy sweet fruit within 15 minutes of working out to fuel your muscle reparation.

[Johnny B]

T-Bird,

To generalize on the nutrition end:

Pre-Work-Out: Don't have anything for at least 45 minutes before you begin the session. Studies have shown that giving yourself that 45 minute window with nothing in the gut pre-session results in maximum peak growth hormone levels post workout. An exception here may be if you've eaten nothing all day or you have a some form of medical contingency standing in your way, then you may want to have something to eat in the form of a "sugar".

Post-Work-Out: Piggy backs right off of the previous study I mentioned. Growth hormones are shown to peak at about 20-30 minutes after an intense bout of exercise. Putting anything in your mouth before then will drop GH levels back down. I've found it best to simply have a normal meal afterwards if possible. If not, I'll go with a shake (sun warrior protien, frozen berries, a banana, coconut milk) - something balanced.

As for the Work-Outs:

I'd keep the sessions short, no more than 30 minutes. If you're actually working hard, anything more than 45 minutes starts to deplete your glycogen stores and release cortisol, which competes with your anabolic hormones for dominance. Separate your weight training from your cardio.

Weight Training: Go heavy with a lower volume, or go moderate, in circuit fashion with a quicker pace. Alternate the two types of strength work outs.

"Cardio": Unless you love to run, forget conventional cardio programs for your physiological goals. High Intensity Interval Training. Sprint intervals, bike intervals, even strength training circuits with moderate weights but with high intensity interval protocols.

Compensation: Please do not ignore the importance of active recovery. Mobility work, yoga, massage, sauna, etc, in my opinion, are more important in terms of longevity and sustainability.

Please keep in mind that these are generalizations.

[rkk]

Great tips, thanks! :)

[T-Bird]

Thanks so much Johnny B!! I appreciate the time you took to answer!

One questions on this?


Separate your weight training from your cardio.

Separate days? Or AM/PM?

Would you advise to do like 45 minutes weights one day, 45 cardio the next.

Or do 30 minutes weights, have a protein drink/sm meal, then do cardio 2 hours later.

Also:


Compensation: Please do not ignore the importance of active recovery. Mobility work, yoga, massage, sauna, etc, in my opinion, are more important in terms of longevity and sustainability.

Not sure what compensation is. Wondered if you could elaborate.

Thanks again!

[Johnny B]

T-Bird, no problem.

Okay, so this is where things get a little sticky. It all boils down to your goals.

I'm going to use myself as an example. In regards to pure body composition, my goals are to maintain or build a little more lean body mass (muscle) and keep my body fat down. Long duration "cardio" is both ineffective and a waste of time for this - plainy, it's not optimal.

When trying to put on a little more muscle mass, I'll do something akin to 30 minute sessions of a strength circuit with heavy weights, focusing on getting more volume (reps, sets, distance, time under tension, etc.). As a very general body weight example, I may do the following circuit: 5 sets of 5 reps of single leg squats, chin ups and down dog push ups. Rest a minute and a half in between sets.

When trying to cut some body fat I'll still keep my sessions short as well, but up the intensity with regards to time and recovery. For this I may do the following: 20 reps of body weight squats, 10 Hindu Push Ups, 5 pull ups. I'd do the exercises back to back with no rest in between. I'd start out resting two minutes in between rounds and work to decrease the rest until I'm doing 5-10 rounds straight through.

So, as you can see, different goals with require different methods. A good replacement for "cardio" can be jump rope, sprint or cycling intervals, where you'd go hard for 20-30 seconds than rest or go slow for 90-180 seconds and repeat for about 20 minutes. I never do this type of work out on the same day as a strength work out. Always peppered in between them.

Compensation is balancing/restoration. The human body is adaptive and creates compensations for everything you do. For example, I work at a computer all day, which means my body has adapted well to the flexed position. To compensate, I focus on a lot of extension in my yoga when I get home. Another example would be the strength session I mentioned earlier in the post. To compensate for squats and push ups, I'd hit an inverted table pose in my yoga. To compensate for the strain the chin ups can put on my shoulders and elbows, I'd do mobility work.

To compensate for a long day of sitting, I'll spend the evening working out and going for a walk with my girlfriend. To compensate for a long day in the garden, I'll get a massage and spend the evening with a good book. Think of it as addressing your "work" in the opposite direction.

Hope that helps.

[T-Bird]

Great! Thanks again! Wonderful info and things to think about!

[snoops]

great information johnny b. Thanks from me too.