rob9

Long time lurker, first time poster.
It's been hard to find a correct answer in the searches that finds me agreeable. I am back on the bike, burning alot of fat fast but also trying to get stronger+endurance as best as the nutrition will let me while I work on this. My problem: My job schedule takes me away for a few days at a time and while gone I do have adequate facilities to use but the time of day to use the is all over the board. Work could finish by noon or not start until noon and finish midnight, etc. It could be a normal 9-5 schedule for that day but each day is not really consistent. Therefore I have trained at breakfast time and then the next day, at dinner time or after even. So in trying to figure out what to eat before and after each training event based on when that event is, I have become all mixed up because every article or even book reference found on the subject assumes everyone trains at the same time every day and therefore you should eat this sort of meal. Well I'm training at 7am or 7pm or even noon sometimes or 10am. So given these scenarios Ill break it down to the questions of time periods.

Your food intake if you train around breakfast time is what b4/after ?
Your food intake if you train around lunch time is what b4/after?
Your food intake if you train around dinner time is what b4/after?
How about after dinner.....if that's your only time b4/after?

If I have some sort of input here then I can plan the food around my schedule a week at a time (as i can bring the foods with me) but also knowing what I would then want to eat the other meals around that would help too. Carbbing up at the wrong meal when I did yesterday at the same time isnt a good thing. So I have to manage a nutrition schedule around a variable training schedule. Thoughts and ideas? Anyone actually write any books on this sort of situation?

I really appreciate anyone's time on this.

mr_pedro

If I train in the morning, starting between 6 and 7, I will have breakfast after.
Otherwise I just eat regularly up to the moment of training and have a bigger meal afterwards.
When I train in the evening I might start eating a bit more during the day already.

This is assuming a training ride of up to 2.5 hours.

beatlebee 

Research shows that having carbs plus a little protein prior to a workout is the best bet for gains.

Two days during the week I am starting my hour-ish interval sessions at 4:30 am. I will wake at 4 am start coffee and drink a meal replacement that has about 200 calories. I burn about 700 calories in my workout. I then eat a solid breakfast afterwards and commute 45 min to work.

If I have time before the workout, I prefer a meal two hours before the workout and about 100 calories .5 hours or so prior to starting. I reference the compilation of research done my McDonald that supports this protocol.

rob9

That even sounds appropriate. Everywhere else does say to start the session with little left in the stomach..just a little bit and a 200 cal meal drink would do the trick in the morning and fit that bill. That's how much i'm burning in the hour long session myself (+ 15 minutes of leg/core work beforehand). I'm finding out whenever you do the session, refueling up with carbs and again some protein not just protein like alot of people think, = the solid meal. just not too much and not junk. I should be fine I suppose If I just make sure I hit that meal AFTER and time the meals while at work to be early enough to meet the 4 hours before the session.

beatlebee 

BTW: the reason for a liquid meal is that it will digest a little faster when in a pinch for time prior to training.