Protein /energy bars early in the morning.

[Bare Lee]

Hey, I started running first thing in the morning 6-8 weeks ago, and I have no problem running in a fasted state, although on longer runs, I may eat a banana before heading out.

I'd like to lift weights first thing in the morning too, but I often find after about 30 minutes or less into a session, I lose strength and feel pretty hungry. Not really a problem since by then I've done my heavier exercises, and I can always justify the bonk as training myself to be able to work on fat reserves. Still, I'm a big believer in doing low reps, high weight, so it'd be nice to have good energy throughout the workout.

So I wonder if there's something out there like a protein or energy bar that's easy to digest and delivers quick, usable energy. Any suggestions? I would prefer something that's sold in grocery stores, if possible, but I'd be willing to pay for something online + shipping if there's a clearly superior product out there.

I usually eat mixed nuts & dried fruit with OJ for breakfast, but the nuts take a while to digest. I tried protein powder, which I use for recovery, as Sid has suggested, but it doesn't seem to deliver enough energy right away.

Thanks.

 

[Sid]

forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=124770981&page=1

 

[NickW]

Huh, I had to add last week some granola cereal to my fruit breakfast. I found that is why I was bonking so hard during my runs the last couple weeks. Seems to have cured my crummy feeling problems. Only problem now is that it's making me quite gassy in the afternoon. I am very interested in what ever you may figure out Lee, my wife can't handle much more of this gassiness.

 

[kozz]

Switch to lactose-free milk with that cereal, or better yet, eat something else entirely with plenty of calories but not fiber.

 

[NickW]

Ya my body does not seem to do well (gassiness wise that is) with grains kozz.

 

[Barefoot Dama]

Ya my body does not seem to do well (gassiness wise that is) with grains kozz.

Nick, try removing the raisins from the granola it'll make a big diference on the gassy part.

 

[NickW]

Funny thing Dama, the raisins aren't what give me gas. If they were then all the grapes that I eat everyday would make me gassy (which is a cup or two a day). Pasta, breads, and cereals tend to give me gas really bad. Like really really bad (thankfully not stinky just loud and obnoxious). Funny, my wife still gets mad at me yet she insists we eat these foods for dinner and what not...

 

[scedastic]

yogurt, berries, honey and nuts on top
i'm addicted to that fancy local yogurt, local berries, and that dark dark honey.

 

[Barefoot Dama]

Funny thing Dama, the raisins aren't what give me gas. If they were then all the grapes that I eat everyday would make me gassy (which is a cup or two a day). Pasta, breads, and cereals tend to give me gas really bad. Like really really bad (thankfully not stinky just loud and obnoxious). Funny, my wife still gets mad at me yet she insists we eat these foods for dinner and what not...

But any chance are you gluten intolerant. I don't eat gluten cause it makes me really sick

 

[NickW]

But any chance are you gluten intolerant. I don't eat gluten cause it makes me really sick

I suppose there is that possibility Dama, but I've never been tested or anything. I also sometimes get belly swell when I eat grains in general. I always just assumed it was because grains tend to soak up fluids and swell, but I have seen how they say gluten intolerances can cause this swell too. I dunno really, I just don't like being so gassy. That's why I generally prefer to eat whole natural foods, and non or very little processed foods (except ice cream, pizza, popcorn, and chips and salsa, these are my kryptonites).

 

[Barefoot Dama]

I suppose there is that possibility Dama, but I've never been tested or anything. I also sometimes get belly swell when I eat grains in general. I always just assumed it was because grains tend to soak up fluids and swell, but I have seen how they say gluten intolerances can cause this swell too. I dunno really, I just don't like being so gassy. That's why I generally prefer to eat whole natural foods, and non or very little processed foods (except ice cream, pizza, popcorn, and chips and salsa, these are my kryptonites).

One way to find out is to cut gluten completely for about two weeks or a month even and see how you feel then reintroduce one source of gluten and note the diference. For me pasta and bread are the worst offenders.
I also don't consume milk products because of the lactose.

 

[NickW]

As much as I would like to do that test Dama, that is not happening in this house. Wife will have a conniption fit. Maybe after she pops and little baby girl is here and my wife's sanity returns I may stand a chance of being able to do that. Until then, no way and I am not willing to rock the boat right now. 3 weeks is all I keep telling myself...

 

[Scratch]

Maybe one potential option to stave off a conniption fit is go to your doctor, tell him or her that you feel like you get excessive gas and bloating from eating grains, and ask for a blood draw to screen you for Celiac's. Keep on eating what you eat before the blood draw.

That said, the blood draw is not definitive. The gold standard for diagnosing Celiac's is to get the small intestine scoped out. And the other thing to be aware of is it really looks like there are people who have a level of gluten intolerance but not at such a level that the villi of the small intestine atrophy, which is what is scoped for.

But if you get a medical diagnosis for Celiac's, your wife will have to cope with the fact that you will need to exclude wheat, barley and rye from your diet.

I'm a type 1 diabetic and there is greater risk for Celiac's among type 1 diabetics, but my blood draw came back negative. On the other hand, I got really tired of the digestive issues I'd been having, and they had grown to a point where I would frequently go for a few days all constipated, followed by a day or two of diarrhea. I decided that it would be worth a shot to eliminate gluten and very quickly I lost the digestive constipation/diarrhea roller coaster. A couple of times when I tried to re-introduce some gluten into my diet, bam, a few days of constipation and then the rapid exit procedure after that.

It's an adjustment to make, but for me, it was well worth it.

 

[Sid]

Or maybe prepare your own meals? It helps me keep track of what I put into my body.

 

[Spinningwoman]

When our kids were snall I got fed up with my husband going through one dietary experiment after another, not because I minded him trying but because he left it all to me to manage and cook, and would ask me 'is this OK?' or get miffed with me for asking if he wanted some of the potato i cooked for the kids when he was low carbing even though I knew that any leftovers would disappear out of the fridge before I could use them next day. We both eat low carb, but I take responsibility for deciding when and where I eat something I would rather not, whereas he just tends to leave it to me or whoever is taking him out to a business lunch, and then say 'I couldn't help it'.
Read the books, do the tests or whatever, learn to food shop and cook if you can't already, and shop/cook for everyone when you do it, not just yourself. Not many women would turn their noses up at a meal cooked by someone else just because it didnt contain grains! It really winds me up when men think that they are doing the cook a favour by 'sorting themselves out'.

OK, rant over.<g>.

 

[NickW]

When our kids were snall I got fed up with my husband going through one dietary experiment after another, not because I minded him trying but because he left it all to me to manage and cook, and would ask me 'is this OK?' or get miffed with me for asking if he wanted some of the potato i cooked for the kids when he was low carbing even though I knew that any leftovers would disappear out of the fridge before I could use them next day. We both eat low carb, but I take responsibility for deciding when and where I eat something I would rather not, whereas he just tends to leave it to me or whoever is taking him out to a business lunch, and then say 'I couldn't help it'.
Read the books, do the tests or whatever, learn to food shop and cook if you can't already, and shop/cook for everyone when you do it, not just yourself. Not many women would turn their noses up at a meal cooked by someone else just because it didnt contain grains! It really winds me up when men think that they are doing the cook a favour by 'sorting themselves out'.

OK, rant over.<g>.

My wife does turn her nose up at my foods that I want to cook and eat, and just fyi, I do all the cooking and grocery shopping... You obviously have never heard the saying a happy wife means a happy life. If you don't want to eat a certain way, just because your husband does want to and does all the cooking and grocery shopping does not mean you are going to eat that way. That is very naive to think that way. I also stay at home and take care of our toddler and clean the house too. Also, I know I have a very low will power when it comes to junk food. This is why when I was single I never bought it. If it's not in the house I don't eat it, if it is then I do. Unfortunately the junk food the wife will actually stop at the store to pick up and bring home because I won't buy that crap. It really winds me up when people just assume things...

OK, rant over.

 

[Barefoot Dama]

Thank God my husband eats whatever I cook without complains and he ALWAYS thanks me for dinner (such a sweet heart). I usually cook what I want to eat

 

[NickW]

Thank God my husband eats whatever I cook without complains and he ALWAYS thanks me for dinner (such a sweet heart). I usually cook what I want to eat

I sometimes think women seriously underestimate the power they have over the household. In my experience anyhow that's how it seems.

 

[Scratch]

Thank God my husband eats whatever I cook without complains and he ALWAYS thanks me for dinner (such a sweet heart). I usually cook what I want to eat

Pizza and beer?

 

[Spinningwoman]

Ok, sorry, Nick - started writing and obviously let myself say more than was justified by my knowledge of your situation. I guess we both touched each other's relationship funny-bone.