Training at 5am instead of 7pm

Dirk_Diggler

I'm contemplating changing the times I train at in the hope to lose a few pounds. Normally I have porridge for breakfast at 6:30am and am in the car for an hour and a half to work for 8:30am. After training I have pasta/chicken fillet/veg at around 9pm, which for me is quite late to be eating (I'll have a shake before bed at 11ish).

Now, if I was to train early in the morning how should I approach it food wise? Do I eat something right before I train? What do I eat afterwards (I don't have too much time between finishing training and travelling to work). Evening meal would consist of just veg and chicken I presume?

I'm just looking to change things up a little to see if it makes any sort of difference.


Thanks in advance.

dolliemix

I have the exact same problem.....it feels like having dinner at 9 or 9.30 completely beats the whole idea of going to the gym....cos you're left with food siting in your stomach when you go to bed at night......I'd say a small bowl of porridge or a yoghurt 30 mins before training in the morning shoud be ok...

Vampireskiss

Post workout nutrition along with Breakfast is the most important meal of the day you needs to eat carbs and protein to replenish glycogen and help with overall recovery and this is the case even if fatloss is your goal

Now there is some debate that eating at night specifically carbs will be stored as fat BUT this is not the case if you have just worked out so dont worry about it

Dirk_Diggler

I haven't been overly happy with results so far so that's why I'm looking to change it to the morning.

As for porridge beforehand, that will mean I'll have to be up at 4:30am to have this?

unreggd

What are your goals?
Seems you want to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time
Possible, but can be difficult

and what workout are you doing now?

I think its fine the way you're going now. If you're not gettin good results, you prob need to change your workout, and/or diet

If you start gettin up really early you'll prob get less sleep, and if you work out with little/nothing in your stomach, you prob went get as much out of your workout

Once you have an overall deficit, and do high intensity cardio to boost your metabolism, you should get on ok

Dirk_Diggler

Goal - To lose some of the fat that has been building up over the past number of weeks/months. I'm roughly 13 and a half stone currently, would like to see this drop to below 13 (what sort of healthy time frame am I looking at for this goal?)

Haven't worked out in about 10 days now and currently have no set routine. I used to do the 5x5 while eating loads as well. I could bench my own weight a good few reps, but I never really did deads (sore back) and squats were out of the question as I train at home and have no squat rack. So the equipment I have looks like this - Bench, barbell, dumbbells, about 120/130kg in weights and an EZ bar that's never used. I can do chin ups in the local football field but that involves getting in my car and driving 4 mins to it...have done it before but it's damn awkward.

I know you're saying training at night is fine as it is but I'm really looking to change it up for January just to see how it feels. I haven't been feeling great about training of late, espeically travelling home from work in the car I'm tired and don't really feel motivated. Maybe this will change things.


I really appreciate any input you have as I still have to make up my new routine! Thanks.

DAVE_K

well i haven't had much success with heavy weights in the morning but if it's fat loss you're after i'd give early morning cardio a go........and hey you're not limited to having a bowl of porridge you could have a cupful 30 mins before you workout.............and another cupful or two afterwards with a protein shake.......if you have to hop in the car and commute straight afterwards bring it in a lunch box.
For me i've found eating late at night regardless of work done (in workout form) to be totally counterproductive to my workouts

Reyman

Training at 5.00am would be completely out for me. I couldn't get out of bed let alone train at that hour.

I think you have to ask yourself is "am I a morning person"? If you are - give it a go. It means you'll have to be in bed at around 8.00-8.30pm at night and eat very early in the morning. But it could just suit your temperament.

There has been some posts here about some risks in doing heavy lower back work early in the morning but you're not proposing that so you should be ok.

rubadub

I sometimes do one or 2 sets of exercises in the morning. I find I can get about 20% more reps later in the day, so in the mornings I will do some negatives. You could have stuff beside your bed, wake, eat, snooze again and get up when it is just digesting.

You could get some proper grippers to use in your car when stuck in traffic.



Good stress relief too. I bet I could close mine more if I was pumped up with adrenaline stuck in a traffic jam!

Colm_OReilly

What improvements could you make diet wise?

AARRRGH

I recently read a study which proved people who sleep with food in their stomach at night DO NOT have any greater issue losing weight. They found it made no difference.

rubadub

AARRRGH wrote: »

I recently read a study which proved people who sleep with food in their stomach at night DO NOT have any greater issue losing weight. They found it made no difference.

Most of these studies are controlled, and done "calculatedly" and prove things which might miss the original reasoning behind the original "myth".

e.g. I bet that study had say 2 groups, both fed 2500kcal a day, but some at night. Then both groups remain the same and so they conclude it makes no difference when you eat food.

However the anecdotal and real life situation is that the people eat the same during the day, and then unnecessary EXTRA food at night. Now people here might be lifting and calculating what they should eat at night. Many overweight people eat out of boredom, or get into routines of eating. Many do well by enforcing rules, like "no food after 8pm". They simply do not need the energy after that, and would be eating out of boredom. So when they do give up late eating they lose fat and so perpetuate the (alleged) myth that eating late caused them to be fat, or not eating late makes them lose weight.

I also bet the controlled group who ate early on had an easier time during the study!

Al_Fernz

What is your current weekly routine like at the moment?

Do you have any alternatives open to you like doing 5 shorter workouts a week instead of 3 longer ones or joining a gym near work?

I'd be quite skeptical of early early morning training. Firstly and most importantly its going to mess with your sleeping patterns. I know that getting up at 430 to eat and then going back to bed would totally run my body clock out of kilter. IMO it has the potential to stunt your recovery and training performance. Then you must consider your training performance itself. I know that my body would not be fully awake at 6 in the morning. I seriously doubt there are many people who can train as hard and lift as much as they usually do within an hour of waking - especially when their sleeping pattern has been disturbed.

Finally, I'm not sure whether or not you're a morning or evening person, but I know for a fact that training early in the morning and then going in to work would royally pi$$ me off. In fact, I wouldn't enjoy training - and if your not enjoying training you really have to ask yourself what's the point?

That's the my view. Perhaps, there are people who can train like this and maybe you are one of them. Just don't underestimate the importance of good sleeping patterns to your training performance, recovery, general health and overall well being.

unreggd

Al_Fernz wrote: »

I'd be quite skeptical of early early morning training. Firstly and most importantly its going to mess with your sleeping patterns. I know that getting up at 430 to eat and then going back to bed would totally run my body clock out of kilter

it has the potential to stunt your recovery and training performance

Then you must consider your training performance itself.

I know for a fact that training early in the morning and then going in to work would royally pi$$ me off

In fact, I wouldn't enjoy training - and if your not enjoying training you really have to ask yourself what's the point?

don't underestimate the importance of good sleeping patterns to your training performance, recovery, general health and overall well being.

+1

OP, could you post up your general daily timetable, diet and current workout

hallstatt

I would advise 100% defo train 5am. yea its pretty s**t in the winter cause its dark. dont eat anything,just get up,dressed.the usual warm up and get stuck into it. you'll burn calories like crazy. Summer is absolutely great at this time if you can find a beach even drive there first. Its great for the mind jogging watchin the sun come up,having the beach to yourself. but overall morning is best for exercise no matter what.

Canis Lupus

I get up at 6.30 to 7ish to be in the gym by 8 and work by 9. I find it a slog and I'm not bad with early starts.

TBH getting up at 5am to go to the gym.... Well.... I just don't think it's worth it. You might find it a novelty for a week but I'd be willing to bet it'll wear you down.

Dirk_Diggler

Diet

Breakfast: Porridge with some honey
Meal 2: Salad - Spinach, 1 chicken fillet, pepper, nuts, sesame oil
Meal 3: Same
Meal 4: Same
During training: 500ml water, 30g protein
Post training: 500ml water, 30g protein, 30g glucose
Meal 5: Pasta, 1 chicken fillet, pepper, pesto, milk
Meal 6: Nuts, 500ml milk, 30g protein

Workout

Nothing at the moment but it was 5x5 with bench press, rows, shrugs, dips, military presses

Dirk_Diggler

Appreciate any help here guys!

celestial

Do you actually reckon that you are going to have Salad - Spinach, 1 chicken fillet, pepper, nuts, sesame oil three times a day? That is gonna get old fast man. You do not need to have 6 meals a day. It's ridiculously inconvenient and unnecessary for most people imo.

Porridge for breakfast is fine. Have your salad for lunch but would be worth throwing in a wholegrain carb in there if you need it pre-training. Forget the protein supplements and drink water only during workouts. Use whole foods only.

You need more variety in there - where is the veg apart from the spinach?! Make sure the pasta is wholegrain.

AARRRGH

I would change the pasta to brown rice, and double the number of chicken breasts in the evening.

I'd also change the repetitive meals so I don't get bored. This could be something like having tuna instead of chicken sometimes, brocoli instead of spinach, etc.

How long have you been on this diet? IMO you need to pick a diet which is easy to stick to.

BossArky

As an alternative to one of those repeated meals you could have a few boiled eggs. Boil them the night before and bring them to work.

Reyman

Dirk_Diggler wrote: »

Diet

Breakfast: Porridge with some honey
Meal 2: Salad - Spinach, 1 chicken fillet, pepper, nuts, sesame oil
Meal 3: Same
Meal 4: Same
During training: 500ml water, 30g protein
Post training: 500ml water, 30g protein, 30g glucose
Meal 5: Pasta, 1 chicken fillet, pepper, pesto, milk
Meal 6: Nuts, 500ml milk, 30g protein

Workout

Nothing at the moment but it was 5x5 with bench press, rows, shrugs, dips, military presses

Close to zero carbohydrates or vegetables in your diet. I don't know how you're able to train. You can't live on chicken and protein powder. Get some variety into your diet

r3nu4l

Dirk, read some of the stickies in this forum and in the Nutrition and Diet forum. There's some great info there on eating well for weight loss

Al_Fernz

In addition to the excellent comments on your diet I would also recommend that you take a look at re-invigorating your training regime.

5x5 isn't the most efficient way of achieving your goals IMO. A 3 day full body routine or a 3-5 day split with sets/reps of 3-4/8-15 would be better. Also you should look at getting some cardio in on 2 days.

Dirk_Diggler

Going to review my diet in a bit but I do eat other veg and fish.

How good/bad does this look?

Workout A:

Dumbbell Row
Barbell Curl
Barbell Reverse Curl
Dumbbell Concentration Curl

Workout B:

Barbell Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
Tricep Dips
Close Grip Bench Press

Workout C:

Barbell Lunge
Barbell Good Morning
Dumbbell Step Up
Stiff Leg Deadlift
Front Squat

Workout

Military Press
Upright Row
Front Raise
Shrug

Al_Fernz

More back work on workout A I would say.

Chin-ups, bent over rows, Lat Pull down etc.

Dirk_Diggler

Can't do chins at home, am doing dumbbell rows already (ok to do both?) and obviously can't do lat pull down at home.

Thanks btw.

another world

I think you could do the 5am starts if you could get some sort of siesta in during the day. 30 mins to an hour would be grand. Not sure if this would be feasible for you.

Reyman

Dirk_Diggler wrote: »

Can't do chins at home, am doing dumbbell rows already (ok to do both?) and obviously can't do lat pull down at home.

Thanks btw.

Why can't you get on of those bars that go between the door from Argos? They're pretty cheap.

rubadub

Reyman wrote: »

Why can't you get on of those bars that go between the door from Argos? They're pretty cheap.

Or for a cheap way you can stick a bit of wood across your attic hole, and lash a towel or 2 over it and do pullups on it.


I am thinking of making a removable bar for my attic, will post pics if I make it.

I did make a small dip station, at the lowest point my knees are on the floor. It is very good for doing negatives, since if you are straining you just touch the floor if you sort of collapse. I did a load of negatives with 30kg 2 days ago, was fine yesterday but have DOMs today in my triceps.

I am also going to make a few more attachments for my chinup bar, though there is not much space left on it!