Reaping benefits of mid-night meal planning?

[B5150]

I have an idea that may kill two birds with ones stone. Just for the sake of discussion I'm going to air it here. The hope is that I can optimize the concept.

I have several situations that cause me some grief but I have had to come to terms with the fact that this is life...get over it.

One situation is I train in the very early AM. I'm up by 3:30-3:45AM and am training by 4:00AM. This poses the issue of pre w/o nutrition. I have plenty of reasonably fast acting stimulants (E/C/cyclo). The issue is not energy but rather nutritional support for performance/training and recovery.

Another issue is I have the problem of poor sleep patterns which has me rising several times a night. This sometimes leads to binge eating. I know I have always been a comfort food sleeper and I often search for foods that will fill me so I can sleep. But in those twilight hours one sometimes is looking comfort in all the wrong places. It goes without saying that these frequent wakings reduce the qulaity of sleep that I can get in one night.

So...long story short, here is what I am contemplating; a planned midnight meal. Not a unaccounted for caloric indulgence/binge, but rather a consumption that is planned and accounted for in my daily caloric requirement (depending upon goals). I would also like to structure/time it that it provides sufficient enough slow sustained nutrition to substitute for a pre w/o shake. And, as a bonus...put me back to sleeping for another 3+ solid hours.

My thought was a slow carb and protein source that would fill me up for satiation, and be sufficient quality clean nutrition to support healthy resistance training several hours later.

My thought was an oatmeal/calcium caseinate combination. I could make a shake or cook the oatmeal and drink the caseinate or a combination of both.

At the very best I get 7 hours of sleep. I know I'm going to wake at regular intervals throughout the night, so likely having it prepared in advance will be make for convenience.

So, supposing I wake somewhere between 11:30 and 12:30 and I down the shake (calories/macros tbd) during that period, would this be too long before my 4:00 w/o to substitue as a pre w/o meal. Is the idea of eating at this time of night a bad idea regarding body composition. Is it a bad idea to condition myself to get the comfort food satiation to achieve the sleep mode.

I'm sorry for being so long winded with the explaination of the idea. I know the answer to most of the questions that I have possed. I just wanted to open the idea up for some dialogue, as I know there is always something to learn.

Thanks for the discussion.

 

[B5150]

 

[exnihilo]

I wouldn't PLAN to get up in the middle of the night bro. I'd see a doctor about your sleep problem, and keep a healthy snack handy if you do get up. Have plenty of it available, and eat some upon waking in the morning too, so you have something in you when working out.

 

[DmitryWI]

I get up in the middle of the night to take my regular piss and when I'm bulking I make protein shake ready (milk, protein, oats) and drink it while taking a piss, I know sounds nasty but I'm too sleepy to remember it anyway LOL All I know is I have empty shaker in the morning and I'm bigger and stronger

 

[B5150]

Thanks for the input guys.
Primary point of interest:

So, supposing I wake somewhere between 11:30 and 12:30 and I down the shake (calories/macros tbd) during that period, would this be too long before my 4:00 w/o to substitue as a pre w/o meal.

I would be less hurried not having to make and consume a pre w/o shake at 3:30-3:45. Plus, am I feeding my workout by ingesting a shake 15 mins prior to my workout or am I just filling my belly for it to be digested and absorbed well after my workout is complete anyway.

Secondary point of interest:

Is the idea of eating at this time of night a bad idea regarding body composition.

I am well over my previous carb phobia, but do have concern with ingesting a significant amount of carbs during a non training period. I know it is a pre workout meal that I am aoming to achieve, but I am not considering this with any 'bulk' diet (there will be no more 'bulk' anything in the future) or anything specific as far as caloric surplus, just rather a general maintenance (+/-) diet.

Who doesn't sleep better with a full belly:

Is it a bad idea to condition myself to get the comfort food satiation to achieve the sleep mode.

I do have some issues that I am sure contribute to my current irregular sleep patern. Excess E/C, MDHT, work stress, family stress, stress stress, etc They certainly need attention.

Thanks for the discussion.

 

[IntensePump]

Hey dude, figured I'd throw in my 2 cents here.

To answer one of your questions, I'd say NO, consuming your shake at 3:30 or 3:45 for a 4:00 workout is not to early. In fact, I would say this is ideal for someone in your situation. Futhermore, I think it would be great if you had both the midnight shake as well as the pre workout shake. I am no expert but I will post a reference for my claims.

The following link is to an article written by a very experienced NUTRIONIST AND BODYBUILDER. The soul purpose of the article is to address pre workout, during, and post workout nutrition. The article is actually the first post of a thread on bb.com so the following replies to the thread contain a lot of great info regarding your issue.

If you want your questions answered with reasoning, research, and experience to back up the claims, read this...

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=272067

Thanks for the input guys.
Primary point of interest:I would be less hurried not having to make and consume a pre w/o shake at 3:30-3:45. Plus, am I feeding my workout by ingesting a shake 15 mins prior to my workout or am I just filling my belly for it to be digested and absorbed well after my workout is complete anyway.

Secondary point of interest:I am well over my previous carb phobia, but do have concern with ingesting a significant amount of carbs during a non training period. I know it is a pre workout meal that I am aoming to achieve, but I am not considering this with any 'bulk' diet (there will be no more 'bulk' anything in the future) or anything specific as far as caloric surplus, just rather a general maintenance (+/-) diet.

Who doesn't sleep better with a full belly:I do have some issues that I am sure contribute to my current irregular sleep patern. Excess E/C, MDHT, work stress, family stress, stress stress, etc They certainly need attention.

 

[DmitryWI]

Quote:
Originally Posted by B5150
So, supposing I wake somewhere between 11:30 and 12:30 and I down the shake (calories/macros tbd) during that period, would this be too long before my 4:00 w/o to substitue as a pre w/o meal.

If you drink slow release protein you'll be just fine (2 scoops of protein and 2 cups of milk, just an example) then get some carbs right before workout, cup of juice or banana.


Quote:
Originally Posted by B5150
Is the idea of eating at this time of night a bad idea regarding body composition.

If you count your cals and include night snack into your total cal consumption, I see no problems with it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by B5150
Is it a bad idea to condition myself to get the comfort food satiation to achieve the sleep mode.


Don't know about that never had this kind of problem, I'd say whatever works for ya.

Quote:
Originally Posted by B5150
Thanks for the discussion.

Always glad to help :drunk:

 

[lifted]

sometimes if I miss a meal or two during the day due to a hectic schedule, I'll have ot actually set my alarm clock for 1-2 different times in order to get those last couple of meals in...lol. It doesn' seem to cause any additonal fat gain though.