Hello everyone,
I have been lifting and gaining weight for around 2 years now. My initial goal was to just do some sport and get my body healthier but I soon noticed that I was also finally be able to gain weight and muscles. Now with the weight gain also came a bit of fat on my stomach and hips which I now want to loose without loosing to much of my gained muscles.
I believe I can easily handle a 16/8 diet or maybe even more (lets say e.g. 17/7 or 18/6), meaning not eating for that time period should be do-able for me. But there are a few things that I want to double check first:
1. Can I drink a whey isolate protein shake in the morning (during my fastening)?
2. Did I understand correctly that I shouldn't consume fat and carbs at the same time?
3. So preferably eat 25% fat pre-workout, 75% carbs post-workout and 50/50 during non-workout-day but in any case, never have fat and carbs at the same time on my plate?
4. How much time should I let pass before switching from my "fat" meal to my "carb" meal?
5. Does it matter if I eat short-chained-carbs or long-chained-carbs after my workout?
6. No cheat days?
7. Below are example schedules, are those fine like that? I highlighted the differences in bold font.
**Example Non-Workout day:**
* 06:00: Wake up, shower, black coffee (Espresso), Whey Isolate Protein Shake
* 13:00: Eat lunch at office kitchen without the carbs (e.g. no noodles, dumplings, bread, potatoes,..). So meat with sauce and vegetables + a salat
* 14:00: Supplements (1x MyProtein Alpha Men)
* 17:30: Whey Isolate Protein Shake
* 18:00: Dinner time (High protein, with carbs, not much fat)
* 19:30: Maybe some raw vegetables or fruits
* 19:45: Whey Isolate Protein Shake
* 20:00: Start fastening
**Example Workout day:**
* 06:00: Wake up, shower, black coffee (Espresso), Whey Isolate Protein Shake
* 13:00: Eat lunch at office kitchen without the carbs (e.g. no noodles, dumplings, bread, potatoes,..). So meat with sauce and vegetables + a salat
* 14:00: Supplements (1x MyProtein Alpha Men)
* **16:00: Full body workout (I have A+B routine workout)**
* 17:30: Whey Isolate Protein Shake **+ Banana**
* 18:00: Dinner time (High protein, with carbs, not much fat)
* 19:30: Maybe some raw vegetables or fruits
* 19:45: Whey Isolate Protein Shake **+ instant oats**
* 20:00: Start fastening
**Weekly Schedule:**
* Monday: Workout
* Tuesday: Non-Workout
* Wednesday: Workout
* Thursday: Non-Workout
* Friday: Workout
* Saturday: Non-Workout
* Sunday: Non-Workout
Basically the difference between workout and non-workout are:
* More carbs on the workout day
* There for also a bit more kcal on the workout day
* Will try to "cut" back a bit on kcal during the meals on non-workout days
Thanks in advance!
Answer
>Can I drink a whey isolate protein shake in the morning (during my fastening)?
Each gram of protein is 4 calories. Protein powder is food. A very lean powder might help you reach calorie goals by replacing a full meal, but it ends a fast.
>Did I understand correctly that I shouldn’t consume fat and carbs at the same time?
There’s nothing strictly wrong with consuming fats and carbs together. Just don’t eat too much and try and opt for better complex carbs.
>So preferably eat 25% fat pre-workout, 75% carbs post-workout and 50/50 during non-workout-day but in any case, never have fat and carbs at the same time on my plate?
>
>How much time should I let pass before switching from my “fat” meal to my “carb” meal?
>
>Does it matter if I eat short-chained-carbs or long-chained-carbs after my workout?
My two cents, this is all fitness industry noise. Eat good foods within your calorie budget with enough protein to support your goals. That’s most of what matters.
>No cheat days?
What are your goals, how fast do you want to achieve them, and how likely are you to stick to it without them? Personally, if you must opt for a cheat meal not a whole day of unrestricted eating.