Lacking energy - What works?

[RileyMartin]

Hi,

I'm eating well but still lacking energy for my workouts. Are there any supplements that anyone has tried/actually uses and can say works? Thanks.

Riley

[Cradler]

I usually find that if I eat a good (read: large) breakfast the morning of my lift, and then have some kind of preworkout carb (I use malto), I'm fine for energy. Post your current diet, maybe you're just not eating enough to begin with.

[RileyMartin]

Thanks, I just started using a site that was recommended to me called The Daily Plate. Listed below is what I ate. According to TheDailyPlate the breakdown is:

Protein: 46.53%
Fat: 22.84%
Carbs: 30.63%

Totals
------
Fat:64g Cholesterol:376mg Sodium:2,815mg Carbs:192g Sugars:128g Fiber:21g Protein:291g



Breakfast
---------
5oz Light tuna canned in water
1/4cup Fresh Blackberries
1cup Fresh strawberries
1/4cup Grape Juice

Morning Snack
--------------
2 Turkey Burgers
1/4cup Fresh Blackberries
1/4cup Fresh strawberries
1/4 Banana
1/4cup Grape Juice

Lunch
------
8oz. Meatloaf
3tbsp Ketchup
1/2cup Red Cabbage
1/3cup Mixed vegetables

Afternoon Snack
----------------
8oz. Meatloaf
6 Carrot sticks
Netsle Crunch Crisp candy bar

Dinner
------
2 Salmon Burgers
1cup Strawberries

Pre-workout
------------
Protein drink with dextrose, maltodextrose, 1/4 cup grape juice

Post-workout
-------------
Protein drink with dextrose, maltodextrose, 1/4 cup grape juice

[IronKitten]

TheDailyPlate isn't so great. Kane made a fun discovery on there the other day. Look up a grilled cheese sandwich and look at the protein count and tell me if you think that site is accurate

Try something like nutritiondata.com or fitday.com


And just through a glance at your total numbers, you're eating a freaking TON of sugar! If those numbers are anywhere close to accurate, you need to back off on that crap.

[Eric3237]

The dailyplate looks good for brand name and restaurant stuff...at least there is more of it than at nutritiondata. But I'd use fitday for my diet tracking.

[RileyMartin]

Originally Posted by IronKitten

And just through a glance at your total numbers, you're eating a freaking TON of sugar! If those numbers are anywhere close to accurate, you need to back off on that crap.

How much sugar should I limit myself too? I read about protein and getting about 1.5g/lb of lean body weight but I couldn't find anything that said where my sugar or carbs should be at.

Thanks for the help, I need it.

[1quick1]

Originally Posted by RileyMartin

How much sugar should I limit myself too? I read about protein and getting about 1.5g/lb of lean body weight but I couldn't find anything that said where my sugar or carbs should be at.

Thanks for the help, I need it.

Typically as little sugar as possible. Your body doesn't need it so the closest to none you're the better. I won't argue with PWO but I don't even take in sugar in my PWO. My theory is as long as your preworkout nutrition is in order there's no need to take all that sugar in PWO but that's debatable.

Typically a 40p/40c/20f ratio is okay but that can vary per person. Looking at it though I'm think you should add something like a cup of oats, whole wheat bread, sweet potato pre workout. Your sources of carbs preworkout right now lead me to believe that's the reason you're running low on energy.

[Darkhorse]

Sugars:128g

That would certainly account for your energy swings. You've got yourself copius amounts of sugar for your first two meals, a candy bar for an afternoon snack, then your preworkout shake is essentially sugar. I'm sure you feel great for about 15-20 minutes lifting, then totally crash, huh?

Just a thought, but try limiting yourself to your first two or three meals to protein + carbs (low end gi), then protein + fats for all other meals excluding postworkout and postworkout meals.

For most people, it's easier to figure out what to eat when you figure out WHEN to eat. Here's an easy way that I've done it in the past. Using your example, I'll stick with 6 total meals in a day. Divide the six meals into 3 meals Pro/carb, 3 meals pro/fat to start. Over time sticking with the plan, you can adjust to how your body responds.

Non training days would look like this:

Meal 1: protien + carbs (such as oatmeal)

Meal 2: same

Meal 3: same

Meal 4: protein + fats (eat protein, then fats, then fill yourself up with veggies)

same

same

Training days you'd have to accomidate for training. This could work morning or night.

Meal 1: protein + carbs

Meal 2: protein + fats

Meal 3: p + f

Meal 4: p + f

Training

Meal 5: Postworkout nutrition (protien + carbs)

Meal 6: Protein + Carbs

[jocknane]

If you're looking for energy just have a red bull before your workout, sugarfree if you're looking to cut down.

[Darkhorse]

Caffiene is a temporary 30 minute fix for a lot bigger problems he has.