I’m trying something new and would like to get your opinions on it.
I typically eat 3 meals a day - breakfast, lunch and dinner, amounting to 2,500kcal or so. I workout late, from around 7pm to 9pm.
Previously this would mean that I’d have around 1,800kcal before my workout, with breakfast at 7am and lunch at 1pm. The problem is I have a big appetite and I workout hard at the gym with heavy weightlifting. So it’s difficult for me to keep to my strict (cutting) diet. Sometimes I feel weak at gym and can’t push as hard as I want to.
My new idea is to eat all of my 2,500kcal allowance between around 7am and 3pm.
This means that I go into my gym workout full of energy and I can lift hard. However, it also means that I eat nothing post-workout and I go to bed empty.
I sleep perfectly fine and I don’t have any troubles eating the calories I need to within my “feeding” period. It’s also easier for me to stick to as I’m fully satisfied and don’t feel the need to cheat during my eating window. Post-workout I’m not very hungry, as it’s so late I just relax, stretch and go to bed.
Do you think I’m losing out on muscle gains by having no food post-workout? Or is it exactly the same, if not better, because my workouts are so strong given I’m fully fuelled?
I think my opinion is obvious. Just curious what you think.
>Do you think I’m losing out on muscle gains by having no food post-workout? Or is it exactly the same, if not better, because my workouts are so strong given I’m fully fuelled?
My understanding is that a lot of what were told about muscle recovery and timing is at best maximining the last few percentage points but mostly fitness industry trying to sell us stuff. Using the muscles and getting daily protein is most of what matters. You’re also going to be in a cut and presumably past the beginner phase. So it’s more about maintaining than gaining in a deficit any ways.
I think as long as you feel good in your workout and properly hydrate after, you’re ok. Depending how much you sweat you may want to make sure you’re replacing salts too. Would have to be a lot of sweat.