Your pump in the gym is contingent on a few things: your pre workout drink, sodium, carbs, water, and the absorption speeds, and timing of consumption of these things. Let the Iron Alchemist show you how to MacGuyver the perfect pre workout meal from random shit you can find in a gas station!

By Todd Lee M.D.

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So you want a snack before you workout. Who wrote your diet? There are no snacks only meals! But let’s say you're reading this and new to fitness or you're part of the mainstream culture that has no idea what it’s doing. It’s ok,  I forgive you. In bodybuilding you eat meals; snacks are how people get fat. But if it’s a small meal then in theory it’s a snack to someone who eats a bigger meal. But don't let me catch you telling people you eat snacks! Here is a detailed approach on what to have before your workout dependant on goals and timing, regardless of what you call it.

This is what I do best

If your goal is to burn fat then the snack should have no carbs or at least not induce an insulin spike. A compromise would be fruit since it is easy energy (fruit sugar; fructose) but wont shut off fat burning the way an insulin spike would. Fructose has a low glycemic index. (Glycemic index) x (grams of carbs) = Glycemic Load aka insulin index. Insulin index is a better gauge of how much insulin is released. For more on Insulin Click Here!

Low Insulinogenic Snacks:

This does cause some insulin to be released, not enough to stop fat burning, but it is enough to prevent muscle burning mid workout, I find this to be the best choice with some added MCT oil or hard liquor for energy.

Fenris' Fury and Rum

Putting Rum in your Fenris’ Fury or MCT oil is the best way to tear fat off. The MCT oil or alcohol are excellent ready available fuel sources which facilitate fat burning. MCT oil is a better choice and I really don’t endorse drinking and lifting to people I never met but, it is a instant energy source like MCT oil. There are negative hormone effects of alcohol and only positive benefits to MCT oil. MCT oil converts to instant energy despite being saturated fat, it also converts to ketone bodies, and blocks fat storage in your fat cells. That’s why I have people use that and coconut oil as their only fat sources on diets I write. If you want help with that click here!

An Orange

About 15 g of sugar, since its fructose it's low GI like the berries or any other fruit.

Same as an orange but tastes like shit. Both oranges and grapefruits have nangarin which weakens your liver's ability to detoxify drugs. This makes them great in the morning before cardio if you're taking a fat burner. Either of my preworkout products amplify this effect, I assume people who buy my stuff read this stuff;)

Reasonable but inferior choices

Quest Bar

Just the right amount of nutrients to be a pre workout meal replacement. Made with real ingredients and very low net carbs, it’s mostly nuts, fiber, and whey.

Quest Crisps

Protein chips that are delicious, and low carb. The industry is making it so easy for women by providing so many normal foods as bodybuilding foods now.

Beef Jerky

No carbs generally, it’s a light snack with lots of sodium so you can get a pump if your flat. Low in fat as well. Since the protein is dehydrated meat it’s gonna take a long ass time to digest. The protein won't be available for muscle sparing for the better part of a day.

Greek Yogurt

Low in available carbs, the lactose present has been eaten by the bacteria culture. I'm not a fan of dairy, but women love dairy, and women LOVE snacks, so a snack article has to take women’s tastes into account.

Berries

Pure sugar and in theory a terrible choice, it is fruit sugar however and has minimal insulin impact. Thus you can have some berries and still burn fat mid workout. I included this because I assumed you would be throwing these in with the yogurt and nuts.

Nuts

A better choice, it's not going to fill u up but it is some clean energy that won't shut off fat burning. On the other hand how stupid is it to eat a bunch of fat so you can burn fat?

An Apple or Pear

15 g of carbs from fruit sugar

Building Mass

If your goal is to build muscle in theory the pre workout state should still be low or zero carbs. You want to burn fat and release GH while you lift so you keep the pre game carbs low, then when you hammer the carbs post workout the GH and the Insulin can mix to make IGF-1EA, which causes the muscles to grow.

If you have carbs first you do have an insulin spike which will protect the muscle from damage while you train and it will drive carbs into the muscle for a better mid workout pump. The drawback is the lack of GH release and the lack of any fat burning while you lift. If your angle is a pump like so many believe is the key to growth, than carbs pre workout is important.

I have had just as good pumps with Fenris’ Fury and ToddLeeMD.com Pre Workout as I have with pizza or chinese food pre workout; my go to favorites for getting crazy pumps!

So if you're trying to grow and get a huge pump:

This blended drink will have a ton of carbs and protein at different digestion and absorption times, will get your insulin up but not super high and has no fat so nothing gets stored in your fat cells. Plus if this is the first carbs of the day it's a guaranteed mouthgasm.

Pizza

I like a slice or 2 of bacon pizza pre workout, about 2 hours before I lift, having my pre workout drink 20 minutes out. 

Chinese Food

High in sodium and carbs, pork fried rice with light oil is a great choice about 2 or 3 hours before you lift.

Sushi

2 or 3 tuna rolls are a great snack pre workout, the carbs and protein digest fast and the sodium transports the nutrients quick. And the Seaweed has the only absorbable source of Iodine! So for all you who think it’s your thyroid, maybe it’s because you have no real Iodine in your diet. Michigan is actually a black hole for Iodine. It's the textbook example of what happens when there is no Iodine, Thyroid dysfunction capital of planet earth! What do they do? Teach women to eat more Iodine? Nope. They cut out their thyroids and sell them drugs they need or they gain fat. Mean.

Tuna rolls better post workout because of the white rice but 2 or 3 rolls won't knock you out ((2-3)(18 carbs) x (90 Glycemic index for white rice) = 32.4-48.6 Glycemic Load).

And if you get avocado I want to slap the shit out of you. The fat slows digestion to a crawl and you might as well have a donut or pizza. The whole point of tuna rolls is fast fast fast freaky fast digestion. Putting fat on sushi ruins it. AND THERE IS NO AVOCADO IN JAPAN!!! Sorry, that shit drives me nuts.

Wendy's Double Stack

This is a great choice when you’re so hangry your fantasizing about killing everyone and you pull in somewhere to get a bite so you don't get in a fight at the gym (closer you get to show the more drama that finds you). It is about 25 g protein 22 fat and 30 carbs. I get it without cheese and pickle, because that’s how I roll. It's called a Buck Double at Burger King, a McDouble at McDonalds, and every other chain has one.

Taco Bell Fresco Style Chicken Soft Taco

No dairy, just pico, chicken, and a tortilla, it's the best ratios, with about 14 g protein per taco, less than 20 carbs and about 5 g fat. 2 or 3 is a meal but one is a snack or a girl meal;) I use the fire or salsa verde sauces.

Conclusion

This is a quick attempt at giving you the theory behind what you eat pre workout when you don't want a full stomach, just not super hangry, for more on what to have pre workout check out Pre workout Meal and Best Pre Workout!

Disclaimer

Nothing in this article or on this site should be considered medical advice or as an endorsement to violate any law of the country in which you reside.  The information given is for fun and entertainment purposes only.  All statements are 100% dependent upon proper diet and exercise.  Please consult a medical practitioner prior to any diet and exercise program.