Quote Originally Posted by CFH View Post
So I've been regularly going to the gym and doing various other forms of exercising over the past month, and now I've worked myself up to the point where I'm doing over an hour of fairly intense (relatively speaking) cardio 4 - 5 times a week in addition to other activities such as bike riding, push-ups, sit-ups etc.

So am I wondering what I should be eating both before and after these cardio workouts? I've done some reading on the internet, but I figured I'd ask you guys for your advice/opinions as well. Thanks for the help.
I usually start the day off with two scoops of protein powder in my coffee, and a decently nutritious breakfast in the morning.. egg white omelets often.. i normally have lunch 3 or so hours before i lift/workout so that i can run without feeling bloated or sick at all.. The best time to have a protein shake is right after you lift as that is when your body needs the help the most. I usually have some sort of recovery drink while running/working out and sometimes before to get me a little bit more energy and get the most out of my workouts.. Then i try to have dinner as early as possible (5-7ish) and then not snack afterwards..

that is my general daily routine.. i'm no nutritionist or anything but it has been working fine for me.. I had a nutrition class during my last semester of college and learned quite a bit from it.. mostly how to have the most effective workout.. as far as target heart rate during cardio, and amount of reps during weight training..

you really don't need to go crazy with supplements if you're just trying to look good and stay in shape.. i use nos blast energy drink and i love it.. as far as protein, your body can only take in and use so much and the rest is flushed out of your system regardless of how much you take, so i wouldn't go crazy with that either.. One bit of advice would be that if you're disciplined enough to eat healthy vs snacking and having fast food often, then i would suggest you eat more rather than less.. I was trying to shred a few lbs by not eating as often/as much and i just felt a lot weaker and my muscles were not rebuilding as big as they should have been.. There is really no "easy" way out to lose weight i realized, only to put hard work in with cardio. I have a low body fat % so i'm speaking of losing those last 3-4 lbs around the waist area for your abs to look as good as possible not shredding weight from being overweight or anything..

i'm sure others will have a bit more "scientific" help, but coming from a layman, hope that helped!....