I don't think pure carbo will do it for me first thing in the morning. I need some kind of protein to slow the burn of blood sugar. After college I passed through a couple of years of mild hypoglycemia. My family doc told me to eat nuts or something else with protein at every meal to slow down the dispersal of sugars into my blood stream. That's pretty much worked ever since then, although sometimes when I was traveling I ate very little protein and still did OK. I got a hypoglycemic reaction for the first time in a long while last week, while running 12 miles before I had replenished my energy reserves, after having a stomach virus for a few days. My wife suggested candy or something high-carbo, but that would just set my system off and cause a visible tremor as the sugars rushed into my blood stream. Instead I ate too hefty hamburgers. An hour later I felt close to normal again.
So, for the early morning carbo element, I think I prefer a good old fashion banana over a bagel or something more processed like that.
What I was really looking for is the protein element, I now realize, when I first posted this thread/inquiry. My stomach doesn't like exercising right after eating something like a hard-boiled egg, so I probably need some processed crap like a protein bar that I can easily digest. I normally eat mixed nuts and dried fruit for breakfast, but nuts are also something that takes a little time to assimilate.
Do you think the Quest bars have higher quality ingredients than the Pure Protein bars?
The most important thing still is just to eat a lot the night before, but I've gotten into a habit of just eating animal flesh and veggies at night, with very little carb. Helps keep the belly at bay. During the day I eat lots of fruits and veggies. So I get almost no grain-type carbo in my diet any more, besides IPAs of course.
The Bodybuilding forum was trippy by the way. A different kind of animal roams those grounds, that's for sure.
Caffeine does help with the early morning workouts. I've tried it a few times, but it's completely unnecessary I agree.
I got a Oster smoothie operator in my office now.
Now that I've doubled my weekly mileage I get hungrier, and it's a good snack, and I make it with frozen fruit, protein powder (I bought the NutraBio Brand Sid recommended) and almond milk, just like you. I could get a separate machine for the garage gym I suppose. I've thought about it, but anytime I spend money my wife feels compelled to spend some too.
