What to eat before, during, and after 3 hours of continual exercise

[maDKient]

What do you guys suggest to eat to sustain the workouts that I will do over a typical week for me especially on the days when I train or exercise for > 3hours+? My schedule includes low to moderate intensity of cycling as a form of transport to and from home and work and that's 30mins each way.

I'm in pretty decent physical shape but wondered how much fitter and efficient I could be if I bothered to eat properly. I'm about 170cm and 82kgs, probably about 5-7kgs to lose. By no means am I fat but could lose that dead weight. I have read the FAQs but can't really find anything that is 'tailored' to me (unless I missed something). I have no specific goals but rather than to have a decent base of training and diet.

I currently do the following training schedule but only eat twice a day (albeit usually large meals). The meals I eat are just whatever I feel like, some days i will be a good boy and eat Subway or salad, other days I eat noodle soup or curry. I don't supplement or watch what I eat per se.


Monday - weights + cycling (30mins)
Tuesday - kickboxing 1.5hrs + BJJ (1.5hrs) + cycling (30mins)
Wednesday - Judo (1.5hrs) + cycling (30mins)
Thursday - kickboxing (1.5hrs) + BJJ (1.5hrs) + cycling (30mins)
Friday - weights + cycling (30mins)
Saturday - optional fun exercises such as boxing pad work, cycling with buddies, judo/BJJ or whatever the hell I want but nothing serious (1-2hrs)
Sunday - rest.

Thanks in advance guys.

 

[ColonelAngus1]

During exercise, you need energy. But you also don't want to east something that is going to slow you down or make you feel "loagy". Complex carbohydrates are good for energy, but you also want something portable. One thing you could try is pinole. It is ground roasted corn (more like maize than American-style sweet corn) and it is an excellent complex carbohydrate. You can mix it with water in a water bottle, with as much or as little as you like.

 

[maDKient]

During exercise, you need energy. But you also don't want to east something that is going to slow you down or make you feel "loagy". Complex carbohydrates are good for energy, but you also want something portable. One thing you could try is pinole. It is ground roasted corn (more like maize than American-style sweet corn) and it is an excellent complex carbohydrate. You can mix it with water in a water bottle, with as much or as little as you like.

Alright does it resemble something like these "cocaine bars"? As in it supplies the energy required for training?

 

[leftovercrack]

Are you having problems with a lack of energy when training or throughout the other parts of your day? Are you losing muscle mass/strength or losing weight? Do you know approximatley how many calories you are eating with your 2 large daily meals? Is one of your meals after you train or both before?

Do you want to be strong for competition? After all, your training this much for a reason I assume instead of just being deadly guy at the party.

Answers for these question would go along way for someone who is willing to give proper advice/guidance. I ususally find that diet has to be conducive to your goals. Your goal could be to lose 8 kgs, or to compete at a certain weight class.

The answer to your question could definatley be found in the answers to the questions I asked. Good luck!

 

[maDKient]

Are you having problems with a lack of energy when training or throughout the other parts of your day? Are you losing muscle mass/strength or losing weight? Do you know approximatley how many calories you are eating with your 2 large daily meals? Is one of your meals after you train or both before?

Do you want to be strong for competition? After all, your training this much for a reason I assume instead of just being deadly guy at the party.

Answers for these question would go along way for someone who is willing to give proper advice/guidance. I ususally find that diet has to be conducive to your goals. Your goal could be to lose 8 kgs, or to compete at a certain weight class.

The answer to your question could definatley be found in the answers to the questions I asked. Good luck!

Thanks for the input, I'll answer your questions happily.

I would have thought and was hoping I would actually lose weight with all this cardio that I am doing, but I've gained weight since lifting the iron (I do a powerliftig type of routine with 5x5 for squats, deadlifts, and benches only). But I've gotten bigger, muscle and fat wise. But actual weight wise is quite constant ~81-82kg.

In terms of what I eat, I just eat coffee and a small piece of cake for breakfast, lunch (1pm) and dinner (11pm). Training is usually after work so around 6ish pm. I eat snacks like chocolate and ice cream too every now and then. God reading this I do seem like a fat shit lol.

Energy wise I guess I'm doing okay, I haven't hit the wall at any time. I am probably above average fitness guys in all the classes that I am in so I'm doing okay is my honest assessment. But in saying that I can be more fitter I suppose and more efficient by dropping the dead weight.

Eventually I would love to compete in an amateur kickboxing bout. But that's not even the current goal, I just want to be a well oiled machine and be fitter than I currently am. And plus it's fun, I just enjoy training and if I could train harder and longer then why not. So hopefully I can set myself a solid base so I when getting into peak fitness for a bout would be "easier".

The more I read this the more the answer starts to appear lol. But I do wonder what should I eat to maintain the required intensity during Tues and Wed when i do the lengthy training sessions.

 

[leftovercrack]

well if you are happy with your weight and bodyfat and strength gains you could do exactly what you do now and bring some food to training with you and eat it between sessions. When I was bulking up to fight at heavyweight I always brought a tupperware full of cut up meat with brown rice and chopped greans and ate it inbetween the 1 hour of conditioning and the 1 hour of drilling/sparring at my mma class.

By getting a proper nutrtional plan together though, based on your goals in sport, life and strength, you will be alot closer to being on the path towards your quest to be a well oiled machine.

edit

I just read where you said you are only eating coffee and cake three meals a day and are not losing weight but gaining muscle. This is so confusing. It must be 1000 cal slices of cake for you to be training this much and keeping weight the same. Or I am being trolled haha

 

[maDKient]

well if you are happy with your weight and bodyfat and strength gains you could do exactly what you do now and bring some food to training with you and eat it between sessions. When I was bulking up to fight at heavyweight I always brought a tupperware full of cut up meat with brown rice and chopped greans and ate it inbetween the 1 hour of conditioning and the 1 hour of drilling/sparring at my mma class.

By getting a proper nutrtional plan together though, based on your goals in sport, life and strength, you will be alot closer to being on the path towards your quest to be a well oiled machine.

edit

I just read where you said you are only eating coffee and cake three meals a day and are not losing weight but gaining muscle. This is so confusing. It must be 1000 cal slices of cake for you to be training this much and keeping weight the same. Or I am being trolled haha

Yeah I might try making those cocaine bars (recipe in the link in my second post) and eat it between classes. I got it from a cycling forum.

Lol, I swear I'm being honest. It's a small cake 1/2 size of my palm. It's an orange cake to precise I cant keep my hands off them, damn you coffee cart. I don't know how to answer but it just looks like I'm getting bigger? My gf has noticed I have thickened up all over. I have my days when I feel pretty good and lean and then others I feel a bit chubby in the face like I've gone fatter or something. But then again I eat like shit, some days I eat better than others lol.

 

[leftovercrack]

Well I'll tell you I lift 3 time a week pull/push/squat, run 6 days a weeks, and do 2 hour mma training of striking grappling and sparring 3 days a week eat 10x the amount of food you claim to be eating and thats for cutting weight. My daily caloric intake is around 2600 and I've went from 235 to 216 and retained my strength and musculature.

There is no way I could keep that amount of training going on 3 slices of cake and coffee so unless your snacks of ice cream and chocolate are happening more like 3 times a day your definatley have to be eating alot more than cake and coffee or your training at a place with a bunch of malnourished weak people and out perform them to stay "above average" as you stated in your assesment of your fitness level.

 

[maDKient]

Well I'll tell you I lift 3 time a week pull/push/squat, run 6 days a weeks, and do 2 hour mma training of striking grappling and sparring 3 days a week eat 10x the amount of food you claim to be eating and thats for cutting weight. My daily caloric intake is around 2600 and I've went from 235 to 216 and retained my strength and musculature.

There is no way I could keep that amount of training going on 3 slices of cake and coffee so unless your snacks of ice cream and chocolate are happening more like 3 times a day your definatley have to be eating alot more than cake and coffee or your training at a place with a bunch of malnourished weak people and out perform them to stay "above average" as you stated in your assesment of your fitness level.

Well I guess you have to put certain things in context. The cycling is very cruisy, you dont even have to spin your legs to kee moving so 30mins is total time including actually spinning and resting. It's nowhere intense as running which I do none of. Weights is even easier, at least I sweat during cycling. With weights I do three exercises (squat, deadlift, then bench) and I don't push myself probably 70% at most.

The hardest days are definitely when the grappling and striking take place and I eat a heap of food after that workout (don't know how many calories that is but its a lot). I do notice that I take the striking down a level by going again at 70% so I can reserve some for grappling. I'm more competent at striking than grappling. And also, I do have another meal late at night if I feel like it so in total sometimes three meals a day (I dont count coffee and cake as a meal).

Lunch and dinner are my most heaviest meals where I eat to the point just short of being stuffed. But enough to make me feel lazy and sleepy after. Very non-precise in terms of measurement I know so my apologies!

What I hadn't mentioned is I do eat a lot of nuts, chocolate, and fruit throughout the day. I used to eat a lot of cheese too but noticed I was getting really soft (fatter) with the cheese so I cut that out. But nowadays, before I go to bed, nuts/chocolate and whole milk is a favourite snack.

I'm not sure how tall you are, but I am pretty short so maybe you need more calories than me?? I used to do a lot of bodybuilding but then cut it out cause I hated dieting and lifting weights got boring. That's why I probably let loose now and do activities purely out of enjoyment rather than being goal driven lol.

EDIT: My fellow classmates in the kickboxing gym are average Joes so nothing special there being more than these guys, so maybe I am fish in a big pond there. But my grappling gym are full of guys who take it more seriously and are athletic. Maybe that's another reason I take a step back during kickboxing.

 

[leftovercrack]

I misunderstood, I thought you were saying you only have cake and coffee 3 times a day. But I see your saying you eat 2 or 3 other huge meals a day. Like I said before if you are happy with everything and are just looking to have more energy through your workout eat some food in between.

If you want to lose 8 kgs like you stated in your first post then you def. need to take better control of your diet

 

[xilliun]

I normally have a protien/carb shake and a banana or something similar half an hour prior. Bottle of gatorade during and when I'm back home another shake and whatevers been made for dinner normally.

I get to the gym at 5, might go for a run and generally warm up. Muay thai starts just before 6 and can go on from 7:30 to 8 most days and I'm normally pretty well right for energy. Just have a few good meals during the day and normally you'll be right.

 

[pliftkl]

In terms of what I eat, I just eat coffee and a small piece of cake for breakfast, lunch (1pm) and dinner (11pm). Training is usually after work so around 6ish pm. I eat snacks like chocolate and ice cream too every now and then. God reading this I do seem like a fat shit lol.

Unless I'm misreading this and "cake" is a code word for "meat and vegetables", then I'd suggest that this might be the first place to make adjustments.

Edit: Sorry - just read your other post. Your diet still sounds horrible. If your meals are making you sleepy, it's (to some extent) an indication that they are eliciting a strong insulin response, which may not be what you are looking for.

 

[cooks1]

Thanks for the input, I'll answer your questions happily.

I would have thought and was hoping I would actually lose weight with all this cardio that I am doing, but I've gained weight since lifting the iron (I do a powerliftig type of routine with 5x5 for squats, deadlifts, and benches only). But I've gotten bigger, muscle and fat wise. But actual weight wise is quite constant ~81-82kg.

In terms of what I eat, I just eat coffee and a small piece of cake for breakfast, lunch (1pm) and dinner (11pm). Training is usually after work so around 6ish pm. I eat snacks like chocolate and ice cream too every now and then. God reading this I do seem like a fat shit lol.

Energy wise I guess I'm doing okay, I haven't hit the wall at any time. I am probably above average fitness guys in all the classes that I am in so I'm doing okay is my honest assessment. But in saying that I can be more fitter I suppose and more efficient by dropping the dead weight.

Eventually I would love to compete in an amateur kickboxing bout. But that's not even the current goal, I just want to be a well oiled machine and be fitter than I currently am. And plus it's fun, I just enjoy training and if I could train harder and longer then why not. So hopefully I can set myself a solid base so I when getting into peak fitness for a bout would be "easier".

The more I read this the more the answer starts to appear lol. But I do wonder what should I eat to maintain the required intensity during Tues and Wed when i do the lengthy training sessions.

I am not quite sure how one gains muscle AND fat, yet does not gain any weight whatsoever. If that is really the case, you may want to make sure you are properly hydrated.

Raw oats are a great complex carb, and are pretty portable. They can be mixed with yogurts (natural yogurt is best) to make a good snack. Throw in some nuts as well if you like.

From the look of it, I think you would have a lot more energy if you just replaced some of your simple, refined, fast release carbs with complex, slow release carbs. How much protein are you getting?

 

[maDKient]

I misunderstood, I thought you were saying you only have cake and coffee 3 times a day. But I see your saying you eat 2 or 3 other huge meals a day. Like I said before if you are happy with everything and are just looking to have more energy through your workout eat some food in between.

If you want to lose 8 kgs like you stated in your first post then you def. need to take better control of your diet

Yeah, upon reflection I should make it more sensible in order to reach my goals. But I admit it up front, I am lazy in terms of dieting. I did it before for so long now I couldn't be assed lol.

 

[maDKient]

I normally have a protien/carb shake and a banana or something similar half an hour prior. Bottle of gatorade during and when I'm back home another shake and whatevers been made for dinner normally.

I get to the gym at 5, might go for a run and generally warm up. Muay thai starts just before 6 and can go on from 7:30 to 8 most days and I'm normally pretty well right for energy. Just have a few good meals during the day and normally you'll be right.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. Protein shakes, meh, but what ever works right?

Unless I'm misreading this and "cake" is a code word for "meat and vegetables", then I'd suggest that this might be the first place to make adjustments.

Edit: Sorry - just read your other post. Your diet still sounds horrible. If your meals are making you sleepy, it's (to some extent) an indication that they are eliciting a strong insulin response, which may not be what you are looking for.

lol, nah, cake is cake. No code words there haha.

Is that true with the insulin response leading to sleepiness? That's interesting, how does those two link together?

I am not quite sure how one gains muscle AND fat, yet does not gain any weight whatsoever. If that is really the case, you may want to make sure you are properly hydrated.

Raw oats are a great complex carb, and are pretty portable. They can be mixed with yogurts (natural yogurt is best) to make a good snack. Throw in some nuts as well if you like.

From the look of it, I think you would have a lot more energy if you just replaced some of your simple, refined, fast release carbs with complex, slow release carbs. How much protein are you getting?

Yeah I dunno, I'm purely judging from appearance? I look musclier and shapelier but the waist still looks doughy and wider but the scales stay the same.

I'm pretty knowledgeable when it comes to healthy eating since I used to be into bodybuilding and etc. So the whole slow fast release carbs thing is something I'm already aware of.

Protein wise I prob take in about 100g at the very most I would say??? And that's a conservative estimate, it's probably even lower. I don't measure out anything anymore.

 

[pliftkl]

Is that true with the insulin response leading to sleepiness? That's interesting, how does those two link together?

Your brain relies on glucose for energy. When you eat a big meal with a lot of carbs, your body reacts by releasing insulin to lower your glucose levels (that are high from the food). The increased insulin levels cause your blood glucose levels to drop. As your blood sugar levels drop, your brain feels tired and wants you to take a nap.

 

[ASEGSEA]

I work out from 4:00pm to 7:00pm with no intermission.

I eat light an hour before, swig a Gatorade Prime right before, drink Gatorade during, and then chocolate milk after. I still get light headed at times.

 

[quik77]

you could try cutting back on the simple carbs to the point where it starts affecting your performance if you goal is to make it through those work out And to loose weight, so you know exactly how much you need.

Nuts are pretty energy dense, so is dried fruit. you could also be hauling around a little more water weight from the extra water needed to deal with the carbs.

Honestly first thing I would do is cut the simple carbs (no cake, no sugar in the coffee) and just go from there.

the only person I can think of who has gained while leaning out is the leangains blog guy and he went pretty far on his diet/lifestyle () and if you skipped the coffee/cake and ate after your workouts you'd probably get all the benefits of IF anyway Intermittent fasting diet for fat loss, muscle gain and health. Lyle McDonald also has a lot of very practical information Lyle McDonald - Bodyrecomposition.

 

[StM682]

Wow man you are going to overtrain your body with a schedule like that. Coming from someone who has hit that level before trust me its not fun and hard to recover.