TO eat or NOT to eat during sleep?

[drguitar78]

for me, whether or not i eat before bed depends upon the way my daily food sched plays out. i usually work out around 8PM and finish around 9, so my PWO is at 9 and my next full meal is an hour or so later, a little after 10 - this consists of protein and healthy fats/ minimal carbs, usually eggs veggies and olive oil. on non-training days, sometimes my last meal just happens to be around the time i go to bed, so i drink some casein and have a couple tbsp's of peanut butter then hit the sack a little after that.

then before bed, i have a tablespoon or two of natty peanut butter, some glutamine/ leucine in water and fish oils. my sleep never gets disturbed. i don't usually find myself hungry either when i wake up mid-night, mostly cuz i'm too tired to even consider the notion of eating and fall back asleep.

HOWEVER, last night i tried not having anything before bed except some glutamine. i woke up during the night feeling very hungry and actually could not fall back asleep until i drank some BCAAs.

case in point, i think a little food before bed isn't a negative thing at all. in the interest of promoting a fully recuperative sleep cycle and lessening weight gain, i'd only advise against eating a full meal prebed and therefore going to bed feeling stuffed.

That sounds reasonable.

Do you get any bloat or nasty taste from the BCAAs? I bought some unflavored BCAA powder from optimum nutrition and it tastes like rat poison and makes me bloat.

Also, have you tried the Power PB? that stuff is packed with goods: 24 g protein, 8 g fiber, 10 g omega-3! I just bought some and it tastes pretty good.

 

[drguitar78]

If it works good for you, then keep at it. Oryx Goat Whey is a good source of protein to get aminos in the body at night without causing much metabolic distress, as most of the protein is predigested. Goat's milk resembles human milk MUCH more than milk from a cow. It's easier on your system and there's no bloat.

I'll have to try that...I do bloat a little from cow's milk..takes forever to digest sometimes too. thanks!

 

[Force of Green]

If I wake up really, really hungry... Lately it's been happening a lot and I started keeping a few cans of hydrolyzed whey protein nearby. If I wakeup too early, I'll down a can and then drift back to sleep.

 

[Force of Green]

I'll have to try that...I do bloat a little from cow's milk..takes forever to digest sometimes too. thanks!

Yeah man, it's definitely the 'whey' to go. No bloating or metabolic reactions (like gas) from it either.

 

[jbono731]

the cool thing about the cottage cheese as opposed to your whey, is that it is pretty much a substitute for Casein protein. So instead of being fast acting like your whey, it will digest slow and keep a steady flow of nurtients (Protein) to your muscles. I actually eat 1-2 servings of non-fat before I go to sleep so that I don't wake up feeling hungry.

 

[drguitar78]

the cool thing about the cottage cheese as opposed to your whey, is that it is pretty much a substitute for Casein protein. So instead of being fast acting like your whey, it will digest slow and keep a steady flow of nurtients (Protein) to your muscles. I actually eat 1-2 servings of non-fat before I go to sleep so that I don't wake up feeling hungry.

yes...true...but I think there are some drawbacks to cottage cheese (especially in the middle of the night):

PROS:

1. may be longer-acting

CONS:

1. takes more effort to eat, thereby waking you up more in the middle of the night

2. You have to eat more volume to get the same amount of protein you would get in a concentrated whey shake

3. Can cause bloat in some individuals?? refer to 3.

 

[drguitar78]

the cool thing about the cottage cheese as opposed to your whey, is that it is pretty much a substitute for Casein protein. So instead of being fast acting like your whey, it will digest slow and keep a steady flow of nurtients (Protein) to your muscles. I actually eat 1-2 servings of non-fat before I go to sleep so that I don't wake up feeling hungry.

But I can see it having value as PRE-BEDTIME meal as you suggested...I'll have to give it a try.

 

[jbono731]

Yea, sorry I should have clearified. I was suggesting you use it as a PRE-BEDTIME meal. Hopefully you wouldn't wake up, or at least not be as hungry and be able to fall sleep. If you try it keep us posted on the results bro.

 

[beebab]

That sounds reasonable.

Do you get any bloat or nasty taste from the BCAAs? I bought some unflavored BCAA powder from optimum nutrition and it tastes like rat poison and makes me bloat.

Also, have you tried the Power PB? that stuff is packed with goods: 24 g protein, 8 g fiber, 10 g omega-3! I just bought some and it tastes pretty good.

yeah, i do actually notice a bloat from BCAAs. i use bulk BCAAs from nutraplanet and notice a feeling of fullness after I drink them. how many do you take at a time?

nah i haven't tried the pwr PB though, who manufactures it? i just buy this no sodium natty PB from the supermarket, tastes pretty good. i mix it with oats and put it on fruits with meals.

 

[pudzian2]

I just have a full whole food meal about an hour and a half before bed, and right before bed I usually have a scoop or two of whey and a bunch of fish oils, sesamin, cla etc (healthy fatty acids). Treats me well. If I wake up hungry, more whey! whey is just easy, plus I feel so much better eating whole foods than powders and MRP's an things. less bloat, digestion issues etc.

cow's milk tends to bloat me. I've always wanted to try almond milk.... seemed interesting.

 

[Force of Green]

Rice milk and almond milk are not very anabolic (not a good BCAA content either). I'm pretty sure they're typically loaded with carbs too?
The cottage cheese thing I'm pretty sure everyone has tried. I used to have it with some Splenda to sweeten it, but I'd wake up feeling bloated in the belly and groggy.

Healthy fats with good quality whey (like Oryx) will keep you full longer. Fats have a long lasting satiety effect. Blend 2 scoops of vanilla Oryx (or other great tasting whey) with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, a little water, and a little crushed ice. Try that if you must eat pre-bed.

 

[drguitar78]

Healthy fats with good quality whey (like Oryx) will keep you full longer. Fats have a long lasting satiety effect. Blend 2 scoops of vanilla Oryx (or other great tasting whey) with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, a little water, and a little crushed ice. Try that if you must eat pre-bed.

Satiety for sure on the fats. Tonight I am trying cottage cheese and power PB (high in prot/omega3/fiber) 1 hr before bed...ZMA 1/2 hr before that...we'll see how it goes...I've got a protein shake in the fridge just in case.

Do you think whey is the "whey" to go for pre-bed? I have always heard casein for pre-bed because it supposedly digests slower?

 

[drguitar78]

yeah, i do actually notice a bloat from BCAAs. i use bulk BCAAs from nutraplanet and notice a feeling of fullness after I drink them. how many do you take at a time?

nah i haven't tried the pwr PB though, who manufactures it? i just buy this no sodium natty PB from the supermarket, tastes pretty good. i mix it with oats and put it on fruits with meals.

I took 10 g of BCAAs in powder form and got bloat...tried 7g of capsules...bloat again...once again, I have to mention the BCAAs (powder mixed with water) I took tasted like rat poison...anyone else notice this?

the power pb is made my snaclite...I got it at The Vitamin Shop

 

[Flexo]

I always eat something good before bed that's high in slow-digesting proteins and fats, and very low in carbs. I would probably never actually schedule something to eat during sleep. Sleep is important, and you burn less calories during sleep anyway.

Although something you could do would be to have something at bedside just in case you were to wake up for another reason, like you had to go the bathroom, or something like that. But otherwise I say no, don't wake up in the middle of sleep just to eat.

Eat something beneficial before you go to sleep, and wake up to a good breakfast and you should be fine.

 

[drguitar78]

So the ZMA, cottage cheese and Power PB didn't hold me over last night, though I got through about 6 hours without waking up hungry!

I tried to stave off my hunger with BCAAs (~8g, pills) but to no avail. I had to hit the fridge for my backup protein shake...just a little swig got me through the rest of the morning.

The stress caused by trying not to eat in the middle of the night seems to be more disturbing than to just have my protein shake and go back to bed.

I think tonight I will try Force of Green's suggestion with the goat's milk/PB/protein shake in the middle of the night to reduce stress that the cow's milk might have on my stomach through mild bloating.

 

[lilGiant]

Like mentioned, i think you should look at what you are trying to do w/ your body at the time. IF you are trying to bulk or are entering a growth phase, it is very important to get some type of casien protien before bed and eat at least once in the middle of the night if possible. If you are cutting for a show or just to loose weight, my personal opinion would be to not eat in the middle of the night do to mass caloric intake, depending on your body type.

If the cottage cheese didnt do it, add some almonds along w/ the cottage cheese for some monounsaturated fats. this might help

 

[John Smeton]

solid advice. Im going to try the already made shake idea. Good stuff!

 

[AM07]

Unless you're planning on competing in the Mr. O, I don't really see any reason to wake up in the middle of the night to eat.

Some people take this stuff WAAAAYYY too seriously when they aren't even competing.

 

[Force of Green]

Like mentioned, i think you should look at what you are trying to do w/ your body at the time. IF you are trying to bulk or are entering a growth phase, it is very important to get some type of casien protien before bed and eat at least once in the middle of the night if possible. If you are cutting for a show or just to loose weight, my personal opinion would be to not eat in the middle of the night do to mass caloric intake, depending on your body type.

If the cottage cheese didnt do it, add some almonds along w/ the cottage cheese for some monounsaturated fats. this might help

I'm honestly not sure why you'd want to negate the effects of growth hormone by eating at night. You say it is 'VERY' important... when in fact these casein before bed type of claims are marketing ploys.

 

[AM07]

So it doesn't matter if you have a casein shake before bed?

 

[SteelEntity]

Unless you're planning on competing in the Mr. O, I don't really see any reason to wake up in the middle of the night to eat.

Some people take this stuff WAAAAYYY too seriously when they aren't even competing.

Agreed.

 

[beebab]

So it doesn't matter if you have a casein shake before bed?

absolutely not. force of green has a point. when you eat directly before bed you force your body to work on digesting whatever you eat first before your body can begin releasing GH and other anabolic hormones properly. eating too soon before bed really isn't a smart idea b/c A) you delay the release of anabolic hormones that are vital for recovery purposes and B) your metabolism almost temporarily shuts down when you sleep so why force your body to digest additional cals with a very slow metabolism -- unless you're not afraid of adiposity. if you're dead set on having casein, drink it about 2 hours before bed. or better yet, have a meal a couple hours before bed then go to bed w/o feeling completely full. your muscles will not catabolize as you sleep. as green said, this is largely a marketing ploy by companies so that you will readily buy their products. a proper sleep cycle is anything BUT catabolic. if you wake up starving sip on some BCAAs or drink a fast digesting whey isolate. otherwise, get a good deep night's sleep and eat again in the morning. from my own experiences, i know that if i wake up during the night the last thing i'm thinking about is having a protein shake. i just wanna fall back asleep. and if i do eat something, i have a hard time going back to sleep.

as for morning cortisol, i think it's largely overhyped. for an experienced lifter, morning cortisol's "muscle-wasting" effects are very insignificant. wake up have a well-balanced breakfast and you will not break down.

 

[SteelEntity]

I'm honestly not sure why you'd want to negate the effects of growth hormone by eating at night. You say it is 'VERY' important... when in fact these casein before bed type of claims are marketing ploys.

You honestly think that denying your body of food, specifically protein before bed is wise? It's one thing to eat a burger before bed but a simple protein shake that is easily digested I highly doubt will negate the effects of growth hormone.

Your Calvin Klein wannabe model avatar is damn sexy :wtf:

 

[beebab]

You honestly think that denying your body of food, specifically protein before bed is wise? It's one thing to eat a burger before bed but a simple protein shake that is easily digested I highly doubt will negate the effects of growth hormone.

Your Calvin Klein wannabe model avatar is damn sexy :wtf:

i would just plan your meals so that your last meal is roughly 2 hours or so before bedtime. if you're eating properly throughout the day you should be getting all the macros you need so that there would be no need to resupply your body with food so soon before bed. personally i find that if i go to bed w/o eating directly before i wake up feeling much more rejuvenated. i also don't feel that morning bloat.

 

[Force of Green]

You honestly think that denying your body of food, specifically protein before bed is wise? It's one thing to eat a burger before bed but a simple protein shake that is easily digested I highly doubt will negate the effects of growth hormone.

Your Calvin Klein wannabe model avatar is damn sexy :wtf:

Steel, I don't believe in denying the body anything good for it, but at certain times it would be in your best interest not to eat. Some nights I feel like tortillas before bed... some nights I feel like a warm glass of milk.... some mornings I just feel like waffles and nothing else...

Pack the meals down when your metabolic rate is not sharply winding down. Denial is not the right word I'd use for it. Bodybuilding is about discipline, not denial. Although sometimes it seems the two run really parallel.

A better choice to opt for instead of these shakes and 'crap' like casein is a chicken breast. If you're really hungry, eat an unseasoned piece of chicken. Choke it down with some water if it's dry. That's what I'd do if I were really hungry. Shakes (casein or whey) don't keep almost anyone full.

 

[Force of Green]

absolutely not. force of green has a point. when you eat directly before bed you force your body to work on digesting whatever you eat first before your body can begin releasing GH and other anabolic hormones properly. eating too soon before bed really isn't a smart idea b/c A) you delay the release of anabolic hormones that are vital for recovery purposes and B) your metabolism almost temporarily shuts down when you sleep so why force your body to digest additional cals with a very slow metabolism -- unless you're not afraid of adiposity. if you're dead set on having casein, drink it about 2 hours before bed. or better yet, have a meal a couple hours before bed then go to bed w/o feeling completely full. your muscles will not catabolize as you sleep. as green said, this is largely a marketing ploy by companies so that you will readily buy their products. a proper sleep cycle is anything BUT catabolic. if you wake up starving sip on some BCAAs or drink a fast digesting whey isolate. otherwise, get a good deep night's sleep and eat again in the morning. from my own experiences, i know that if i wake up during the night the last thing i'm thinking about is having a protein shake. i just wanna fall back asleep. and if i do eat something, i have a hard time going back to sleep.

as for morning cortisol, i think it's largely overhyped. for an experienced lifter, morning cortisol's "muscle-wasting" effects are very insignificant. wake up have a well-balanced breakfast and you will not break down.

Hey Beebab. MilleniumOne was preaching the same concept in a different thread and I did some extensive research on it and tried it for myself. Worked like a charm.

Believe me, if someone presents a logically sound concept to me, I'll definitely read up about it and give it a shot without fear or pessimism. I used to drink shakes before bed or eat protein pudding or some other protein goody in hopes of remaining anabolic over night...

The fact is, you are anabolic to muscle tissue and catabolic to fat when you optimize your GH levels. You can't do so by stinting GH release by stuffing contents into your stomach and whatnot. Even when you take GH injections, you can not eat until atleast an hour after. I think the same is with those IBE products like Oratropin.

Certain processes need not be disturbed by digestion. This is one of them

 

[beebab]

Hey Beebab. MilleniumOne was preaching the same concept in a different thread and I did some extensive research on it and tried it for myself. Worked like a charm.

Believe me, if someone presents a logically sound concept to me, I'll definitely read up about it and give it a shot without fear or pessimism. I used to drink shakes before bed or eat protein pudding or some other protein goody in hopes of remaining anabolic over night...

The fact is, you are anabolic to muscle tissue and catabolic to fat when you optimize your GH levels. You can't do so by stinting GH release by stuffing contents into your stomach and whatnot. Even when you take GH injections, you can not eat until atleast an hour after. I think the same is with those IBE products like Oratropin.

Certain processes need not be disturbed by digestion. This is one of them

wat up green. yup yup. i like that logic bro. i've been gaining just fine while steadily trimming up my midsection by eating my meals at more strategic times and cutting out that pre-bed snack. i also feel so much better come morning and ready to pack down a few hundred cals. no morning bloat either which kinda killed my appetite.

 

[SteelEntity]

i would just plan your meals so that your last meal is roughly 2 hours or so before bedtime. if you're eating properly throughout the day you should be getting all the macros you need so that there would be no need to resupply your body with food so soon before bed. personally i find that if i go to bed w/o eating directly before i wake up feeling much more rejuvenated. i also don't feel that morning bloat.

Yeah I agree with sleeping on a empty stomach allows better rest because your body is not spending energy digesting. I don't eat whole food before bed, just 2 scoops of syntha-6 and some GABBA. I can't sleep when my stomach is rumbling and if I don't eat before bed I wake up half way through the night absolutely starved to the point where a protein shake won't quench the hunger and I need whole food. Mind you I am still bulking and my daily cal needs are through the roof, I am hungry every 2.5 hours regardless of what I ate for my last meal pretty much.

So with all that said, you guys feel it would be beneficial to go to bed semi hungry rather then taking a small shake? Most of you refer to stuffing your face and eating whole food, but would a small protein shake that is rather easily digested stint GH from releasing optimally while sleeping?

 

[beebab]

Yeah I agree with sleeping on a empty stomach allows better rest because your body is not spending energy digesting. I don't eat whole food before bed, just 2 scoops of syntha-6 and some GABBA. I can't sleep when my stomach is rumbling and if I don't eat before bed I wake up half way through the night absolutely starved to the point where a protein shake won't quench the hunger and I need whole food. Mind you I am still bulking and my daily cal needs are through the roof, I am hungry every 2.5 hours regardless of what I ate for my last meal pretty much.

So with all that said, you guys feel it would be beneficial to go to bed semi hungry rather then taking a small shake? Most of you refer to stuffing your face and eating whole food, but would a small protein shake that is rather easily digested stint GH from releasing optimally while sleeping?

well, here's what i think. in general i'd say it's a good idea to try planning your last whole meal about an hour and a half to two hours before bed, so that by the time you go to sleep you're not starving for another meal. IN GENERAL. however, there are always complications in schedules. sometimes life doesn't play out perfectly and you just can't get to bed in time after your last meal, so your body assumes it has to stay awake and you get hungry for more food. in this case, i'd say it's absolutely fine to tank a quick protein shake and maybe some peanut butter. just to satisfy your hunger. then go to bed shortly after that, after giving your body enough time to begin the digestion process. i agree with you in that i can't go to bed hungry either. last night it was 2 in the morning when i got home, 3 hours after my last meal, so i had a few tablespoons of natty peanut butter then hit the sack.

 

[SteelEntity]

well, here's what i think. in general i'd say it's a good idea to try planning your last whole meal about an hour and a half to two hours before bed, so that by the time you go to sleep you're not starving for another meal. IN GENERAL. however, there are always complications in schedules. sometimes life doesn't play out perfectly and you just can't get to bed in time after your last meal, so your body assumes it has to stay awake and you get hungry for more food. in this case, i'd say it's absolutely fine to tank a quick protein shake and maybe some peanut butter. just to satisfy your hunger. then go to bed shortly after that, after giving your body enough time to begin the digestion process. i agree with you in that i can't go to bed hungry either. last night it was 2 in the morning when i got home, 3 hours after my last meal, so i had a few tablespoons of natty peanut butter then hit the sack.

Lol few tablespoons of PB does zip for me. If i'm real hungry i'll put 3 eggs, 2tbs PB, 2 scoops of casein blend and chug that **** . I once blended a can of tuna up... that didn't work out.

 

[beebab]

Lol few tablespoons of PB does zip for me. If i'm real hungry i'll put 3 eggs, 2tbs PB, 2 scoops of casein blend and chug that **** . I once blended a can of tuna up... that didn't work out.

hahahaha that sounds thoroughly disgusting... the tuna, i mean. the egg-casein butter shake sounds weirdly appetizing at the moment lol

 

[IroNwIlL2006]

I would never intentially wake up to eat but I wake up for a leak every night anyway. For me this seems to be unavoidable. I have a cup of ff cottage cheese and some hmb mixed with bcaa's 30 mins before bed and an egg protein shake w/ bcaa's during the night. I have no trouble getting back to sleep and most of the time I get 9-10hrs.

I thought casein before bed was the norm. You're digesting it for a good portion of the night. So are you guys saying that that interferes with gh secretion and/or muscle repair? How is that any different than eating when you wake up.

 

[AM07]

I just think people make things way too complicated. Unless you plan on competing, why get down to every nitty gritty detail?

 

[drguitar78]

I just think people make things way too complicated. Unless you plan on competing, why get down to every nitty gritty detail?

No offense, but I think that everyone here is here because they:

a) have nothing better to do
B) don't have any other friends
c) want to get down to every nitty gritty detail
or d) all of the above

Furthermore, this is a huge deal...sleep = gh = growth vs. protein + cals = growth....

My body is still having this debate with itself, and it doesn't seem to care what I have to say about it...it wakes me up to eat whether I want to or not.

although...

last night I drank some red wine (a little celebration..just a glass and a few sips) with a thick new york steak, kidney beans and broccoli. I had a heated session with my girlfriend and then I slept for 12 hours without getting hungry at all...first time in years...not sure what to think about that...maybe I should become an alcoholic, haha

 

[Force of Green]

No offense, but I think that everyone here is here because they:

a) have nothing better to do
B) don't have any other friends
c) want to get down to every nitty gritty detail
or d) all of the above

Furthermore, this is a huge deal...sleep = gh = growth vs. protein + cals = growth....

My body is still having this debate with itself, and it doesn't seem to care what I have to say about it...it wakes me up to eat whether I want to or not.

although...

last night I drank some red wine (a little celebration..just a glass and a few sips) with a thick new york steak, kidney beans and broccoli. I had a heated session with my girlfriend and then I slept for 12 hours without getting hungry at all...first time in years...not sure what to think about that...maybe I should become an alcoholic, haha

No offense taken. I think you may be right about a lot of points. The friends thing... sure... I don't really like the Hollywood 'fake' crowd enough to befriend anyone out here anymore. I would rather spend all night on AM then to hangout with some metrosexual clown. I don't have many good friends out here, but I have about a handful of people I chill with and I still find time for AM.com

As far as your logic goes (sleep=gh=growth, etc)... you're halfway there. You can apply the same logic to every scenario when there are more variables in play.

GH+insulin=IGF, sure... but you can't drink sugar in your sleep and expect the equation to hold true.

Protein+cals = growth, sure... but an abundance of cals and protein will equate to fat especially in a metabolically depressed state (where you should be before bed).

sleep doesn't necessarily = GH. Level 5 sleep is the minimum requirement for any recooperative sleep and all sleep stages must be held intact. Sleep + cals = muscle and fat anabolism with the possibility of greatly decreased recovery and a higher fat/muscle ratio or favoritism.

I'm sure I can eat a turkey dinner with a few glasses of champaign and sleep like a baby after a glass of warm milk, but it sure as hell doesn't mean that I'm going to like the results of that sleep.

The other person was right about the nitty gritty stuff... Don't get down to the nitty gritty. Make it simple and eat 5 meals during the day and make sure you don't skimp. Go to bed 2 hours later. Take your ZMA or whatever.

 

[drguitar78]

As far as your logic goes (sleep=gh=growth, etc)... you're halfway there. You can apply the same logic to every scenario when there are more variables in play.

GH+insulin=IGF, sure... but you can't drink sugar in your sleep and expect the equation to hold true.

Protein+cals = growth, sure... but an abundance of cals and protein will equate to fat especially in a metabolically depressed state (where you should be before bed).

sleep doesn't necessarily = GH. Level 5 sleep is the minimum requirement for any recooperative sleep and all sleep stages must be held intact. Sleep + cals = muscle and fat anabolism with the possibility of greatly decreased recovery and a higher fat/muscle ratio or favoritism.

The other person was right about the nitty gritty stuff... Don't get down to the nitty gritty.

I'm not sure if you're making a sarcastic point or contradicting yourself, haha...

Yeah...On average I do try to make things simpler, but when there's a problem, sometimes you have to look further into it.
Just to remind you guys, I started this thread because I couldn't get through a night's sleep without waking up hungry...I never intended to wake up with the sole purpose of eating...I would love to sleep for 8 hours straight...but the fact is my body wakes me up with a voracious appetite. There's no way I could sleep through it...believe me I tried.

I tried:

taking BCAAs to hold me over...not even close

not eating so close to bedtime...no way

eating cottage cheese/peanut butter...almost

ZMA...eh!

I even tried your goat's milk recommendation...ooohhh that was painful...my stomach did not like goat's milk!...oh well

Now I'm looking into other variables

I may be having sleeping issues unrelated to food intake that are increasing my metabolism during sleep:

My bed had memory foam in it and I was getting REALLY HOT, started having wicked, disturbing dreams, and woke up sweating...probably burning a lot of Cals! I got a new bed a few days ago and things seem to be getting better...at least I am waking up less to eat

Also, I am keeping the thermostat turned down to keep me cooler while I sleep...that slows metabolism, as long as it's not too cold! I tend to overheat WAY before I feel cold, so I think that is helping.

Anyway, point is: sometimes the nitty gritty is where the solution lies to a problem that has a less than obvious answer

I hear you on the fake friends...I can only REALLY identify with a few people on deep level, so I don't go out much with friends, especially since I moved to houston...I don't know anyone out here...hence the reason I'm typing this crap at 2 am on a sunday evening....but maybe if I went out more, I'd meet more people I could identify with..hmmm...what would confucious say?

 

[Force of Green]

I suffered major depression a couple years ago and I'd eat a whole cheese-steak and 2 large pies (apple and cherry) before bed and wakeup a few hours later and run out to get the bakers dozen (donuts) at Dunkin Donuts... not good. lol

 

[SteelEntity]

Yeah I have to disagree with the correlation between time spent on AM and having no friends lol. I know many many people with a great social life who spend ample amounts of time on message boards, whether they be for fitness or whatever. I do know exactly what you mean about not being able to relate to people so why even hang out with them, thats why AM can be so attractive, everyone here has a common interest so we can all relate to each other with little effort.

I would NEVER set my alarm to wake up 1/2 way through the night and take in a shake or something, that in my opinion is ridiculous. But figuring out what works best for you to maximize growth while sleeping is anything but nitty gritty. We bust our asses during the day so results can occur at night.

As for eating before bed, I eat every 3 hours regardless of what I'm doing, If I'm hungry and my gf wants some action, shes going to have to wait 10min for me to eat. So if for some reason that 3 hour mark lands right before bed, I will eat but not whole foods, just as I mentioned before I'll take some casein and PB or something. i am trying to make it so my last meal lands 2 hours before bed though. I have done a lot of reading and listening and feel it would be a good idea.

 

[drguitar78]

I suffered major depression a couple years ago and I'd eat a whole cheese-steak and 2 large pies (apple and cherry) before bed and wakeup a few hours later and run out to get the bakers dozen (donuts) at Dunkin Donuts... not good. lol

Oooohhh....that IS bad...how do you get to sleep after 2 large pies anyway?...you must have been sugar desensitized, on sedatives, with a VERY LARGE stomach...

I'm kinda jealous that you could eat that much...my stomach would explode after 1 pie!

UPDATE: last night I ate 2 hours B4 bed:
1 piece whole wheat toast w/ 2 tbsp power pb
Prot shake w/:
2 scoops low sugar/low fat chocolate ice cream (with fiber!)
1 scoop fatty muscle milk PB choc protein powder
1/2 scoop peanut caramel choc designer whey
1/2 scoop casein
1 cup ff milk
1 tbsp power pb
1 tbsp hershey's cocoa powder(no sugar)

I slept for 7 hours without getting hungry. After 7hrs I drank a cup of casein/whey/milk shake and went back to sleep for 3 more. I wasn't sleeping very well for the last 3 hours, because I was getting hot again...72 degrees is a little high for me...i prefer 69

I think I'm almost there! I'd like to sleep 10 hours every night...wish I could get through all 10 without waking up, but inevitably, I wake up to urinate a few times per night...I think if you're eating enough protein and drinking enough water this may be unavoidable...what do you guys think?

Also, if sleeping for a full 10 hours...does this change your perspective on whether it's good to eat in between...whether or not you set your alarm clock or just drink a protein shake if you wake up hungry?

 

[SteelEntity]

Oooohhh....that IS bad...how do you get to sleep after 2 large pies anyway?...you must have been sugar desensitized, on sedatives, with a VERY LARGE stomach...

I'm kinda jealous that you could eat that much...my stomach would explode after 1 pie!

UPDATE: last night I ate 2 hours B4 bed:
1 piece whole wheat toast w/ 2 tbsp power pb
Prot shake w/:
2 scoops low sugar/low fat chocolate ice cream (with fiber!)
1 scoop fatty muscle milk PB choc protein powder
1/2 scoop peanut caramel choc designer whey
1/2 scoop casein
1 cup ff milk
1 tbsp power pb
1 tbsp hershey's cocoa powder(no sugar)

I slept for 7 hours without getting hungry. After 7hrs I drank a cup of casein/whey/milk shake and went back to sleep for 3 more. I wasn't sleeping very well for the last 3 hours, because I was getting hot again...72 degrees is a little high for me...i prefer 69

I think I'm almost there! I'd like to sleep 10 hours every night...wish I could get through all 10 without waking up, but inevitably, I wake up to urinate a few times per night...I think if you're eating enough protein and drinking enough water this may be unavoidable...what do you guys think?

Also, if sleeping for a full 10 hours...does this change your perspective on whether it's good to eat in between...whether or not you set your alarm clock or just drink a protein shake if you wake up hungry?

wow thats quite the shake! I suppose if you slept 10 hours then taking in a small shake with BCAA's when you wake up after 7 or so hours is wise, but I would never set my alarm clock. I try to stop drinking to much a couple hours before bed, water goes right through me.

 

[drguitar78]

wow thats quite the shake!

And it is soooooo delicious!! feels like a cheat food...but I think it's great for bulking....but what do I know, I'm only 180 lbs! haha

I try to stop drinking to much a couple hours before bed, water goes right through me

does your mouth ever get too dry at night....I'm usually parched and so I keep drinking water throughout the night....definitely the reason i keep waking up to use the bathroom....

Do you think I need to regulate my salt intake or something for the dry mouth?...even when fullly hydrated (clear urine), I still feel the urge to drink water. I'm on eq/te, but this is not a new phenom for me.

thanks for the reply

 

[SteelEntity]

And it is soooooo delicious!! feels like a cheat food...but I think it's great for bulking....but what do I know, I'm only 180 lbs! haha



does your mouth ever get too dry at night....I'm usually parched and so I keep drinking water throughout the night....definitely the reason i keep waking up to use the bathroom....


Do you think I need to regulate my salt intake or something for the dry mouth?...even when fullly hydrated (clear urine), I still feel the urge to drink water. I'm on eq/te, but this is not a new phenom for me.

thanks for the reply

Is your diet high in sodium? are you on creatine? cause that will do it.

I sip water at night too, and drink a **** load during the day. I know a girl who needs to constantly drink water because she doesn't produce saliva at a normal rate. Not that its a big deal some people are like that I guess. Plus if you have increased your cals significantly your need for water goes up. I just finished a test/deca bulking cycle and needed alot more water. There is nothing bad about drinking to much water anyway, its good for the liver especially.

 

[drguitar78]

Is your diet high in sodium? are you on creatine? cause that will do it.

I sip water at night too, and drink a **** load during the day. I know a girl who needs to constantly drink water because she doesn't produce saliva at a normal rate. Not that its a big deal some people are like that I guess. Plus if you have increased your cals significantly your need for water goes up. I just finished a test/deca bulking cycle and needed alot more water. There is nothing bad about drinking to much water anyway, its good for the liver especially.

Yeah water is the most important thing in our world...definitely not a bad thing to drink a lot of it. My doctor told me to monitor my hydration level by the color of my urine...doesn't sound too scientific, but then again she's not a scientist and I'm not a doctor, so WTF do I know? haha

No creatine

I wouldn't say my diet is HIGH in sodium per cal (esp compared to the average american), but it's definitely not LOW (compared to the average AM goer). I have been monitoring my blood pressure, and everything is good there. I'll cut back on sodium anyway and see how that goes.

I wonder...I chew a lot of sugarless gum...have for years. I wonder if that has affected my mouth's ability to salivate....hmm

Thanks Steel...

btw, how did the bulking cycle go?

 

[SteelEntity]

12 week cycle 500 test e/300 deca. I put on 31lbs, went up 3% BF (not bad considering it was far from a clean bulk). I'm 6'3 260 roughly @ 18-20% BF. So I'm going to try to solidify those gains over the next 2 months then cut down to 8% BF for the summer. I did use dbol to kickstart but it was bunk stuff so I stopped after 10 days on it.

Over all I'm happy with it, the only thing I'm kinda pissed about is my calves didn't grow at all, I don't know what to do with them.

 

[drguitar78]

12 week cycle 500 test e/300 deca. I put on 31lbs, went up 3% BF (not bad considering it was far from a clean bulk). I'm 6'3 260 roughly @ 18-20% BF. So I'm going to try to solidify those gains over the next 2 months then cut down to 8% BF for the summer. I did use dbol to kickstart but it was bunk stuff so I stopped after 10 days on it.

Over all I'm happy with it, the only thing I'm kinda pissed about is my calves didn't grow at all, I don't know what to do with them.

Nice Gain! I can only hope to gain that much this 1st cycle...that would put me at 200 (I'm 5'10", 180 right now, 10-12% BF)

That sucks about the bunk dbol....stubborn calves! Good luck with 'em...Arnie says to wear shorts all the time so you always think about how small they are so it drives you to work harder, haha...though I'm sure you worked plenty hard on them...good luck with that!

 

[Force of Green]

What happened to our reputation points? Or is it just my computer that is showing very low points...

 

[dsade]

I can see drinking 10g or so of BCAAs, but not a whole protein shake.

This.

Some of the best gains I ever made were from mixing a gatorade bottle of Xtend and keeping it by my bed. If I should happen to wake up to pee (my water intake pre-bed insured it) I would slug down 1/3 of the bottle (maybe 5-10 grams BCAAs).

Fantastic recovery...just unbelievable.

 

[Blake100]

Invalid Link Removed

Great article concerning the subject.

Read JB's Bedtime Story(linked in the givven link ) also. Great info.

 

[SteelEntity]

This.

Some of the best gains I ever made were from mixing a gatorade bottle of Xtend and keeping it by my bed. If I should happen to wake up to pee (my water intake pre-bed insured it) I would slug down 1/3 of the bottle (maybe 5-10 grams BCAAs).

Fantastic recovery...just unbelievable.

Nice, ill try that.

 

[sreed11]

This.

Some of the best gains I ever made were from mixing a gatorade bottle of Xtend and keeping it by my bed. If I should happen to wake up to pee (my water intake pre-bed insured it) I would slug down 1/3 of the bottle (maybe 5-10 grams BCAAs).

Fantastic recovery...just unbelievable.

good call. i shall try that as well