Bodybuilding Forums

Matt, thanks for sharing your food schedule and for itemizing your meals. That was definitely helpful!

What's the verdict on the best protein source to eat before bed? I tend not to eat much after dinner, but think I should have some protein to hold me over during the 8 or so hour fast. Is whey generally the best way to go, or is a slower-digesting protein like eggs, nuts or something else more strongly recommended?

That is a lot of whey. I only consume whey one time a day and that's post workout. You should read up on the insulin spikes from whey protein. Also whey before bed is bad choice due the fast absorption rate. If anything Caesen protein is a better choice.

Here's an example from my Tuesday food intake.

6:45 a.m. smoothie made with 4 oz. raw spinach and 4 fl. oz. unsweetened almond breeze sweetened with sugar-free syrup; 2 x 99 mg potassium supplement; 4 capsules of GNC Pro Performance Amino Complex 4400 (that's 1/2 a serving); chocolate-banana pudding made of 6 oz. light silken tofu, 1.5 T. Smart Balance light margarine, 5 drops banana candy oil, 1 T. cocoa, couple drops of liquid splenda.

7 a.m. commute: Weightless Cranberry tea

8 a.m. jello made with 1/2 packet unflavored gelatin, 1/2 packet unsweetened Kool-aide, few drops liquid splenda, dissolved in boiling water to amount to 3/8 c. after it sets up.

10 a.m. 2 links Jimmy Dean turkey sausage, 1 mini Babybel cheese

1 p.m. 1 liter of water with 1 packet of Electro Mix for electrolytes while working out

2 p.m. 4 capsules of GNC Pro Performance Amino Complex 4400 (that's 1/2 a serving); 12 grams each EAS Chocolate Premium Protein and Isopure Zero Carb Strawberries & Cream whey protein; 3 grams each L-glutamine and creatine monohydrate dissolved in 8 oz. water with 8 oz. water chaser

3 p.m. 136 grams broccoli coleslaw and 42 grams roasted garlic alfredo sauce

4 p.m. 3 oz. cotto salami and 1/2 a mini Babybel cheese

5 p.m. 1/2 mini Babybel; jello made with a packet unflavored gelatin, a packet unsweetened Kool-aide, few drops liquid splenda, dissolved in boiling water to amount to 3/4c. after it sets up; 14 grams pork rinds

6 p.m. spinach smoothie made with 8 oz. unsweetened almond breeze, sugar-free peach syrup and 156 grams raw spinach; Weightless Cranberry tea

8 p.m. salad of 66 grams roast pork loin, 14 grams pepperoni, 28 grams avocado, 84 grams raw spinach, 4 grape tomatoes, 22 grams 75% reduced fat cheddar, 1 T. Walden Farms sugar-free ranch dressing, and 2 T. Walden Farms calorie-free Thousand Island dressing; 1 liter of water with 1 packet of Electro Mix to help avoid nighttime calf cramps

before bed snack- muffin made of 1 t. Smart Balance light margarine, 1/2 t. cinnamon, couple drops liquid splenda, 42 grams egg white, 122 grams 100% pure pumpkin puree, 1 T. wheat bran, 15 grams Carbquick baking mix; frosting made of 20 grams unsweetened soy nut butter, 3 T. sugar-free hazelnut syrup, 30 grams Walden Farms peanut spread; nighttime supplements including a generic Centrum-type vitamin and another 99 mg. potassium supplement

Now interspersed throughout the day will be 3 liters of "homebrew" soda made from Splenda-based syrups and about 2-3 liters of water diluting the soda.

So that's about ten meals. Here are the stats (cals are net after subtracting my workout; gross calories was 1601):

Cals Fat Cholest Sodium Carbs Sugars Fiber Protein
Totals: 1,320 92g 267mg 4,622mg 70g 14g 41g 131g

Hope it helps. If you've managed to read this far, congratulations! I'm beat... time for sleep!

I wont go in as much detail as the others have but I'm currently eating as follows, times vary.

7.30am- 2 Eggs, scrambled/whole/omelotted and 50g cheese,
pro-24.4g carbs-1.2g fat-27.6g

10.30am- 1/2 tin tuna, 1 peperami and 30g mayonaise
pro-18.8g carbs-1g fat-31.5g

1.30pm- 2 eggs (chopped) 2 spoons of mayo and 1 chicken thigh/leg all mixed up
pro-26.7g carbs-1.4g fats-34g

3.30pm- Three 15ml tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, sometimes substituted for egg yolks and mayo
pro-0g carbs-og fats-39g

6.00pm- This changes daily could be one of the following- fresh salmon fillet, cod fillet, red meat, chicken and always a big salad, spinach or broccoli, I love the taste of broccoli so I'll always be happy to have that.
pro-35-45g carbs-10-15g fats-25-35g

8-9pm shake-
pro-40g carbs-3.6g fats-5.2g

10-10.30pm- 30g falxseed and 10g protein powder or a small chicken leg
pro-20.8g carbs-0.7g fats-18g

Total around- pro-166g
carbs-24g
fats-178g
Around 2400 Kcals.

AntonioWright wrote:That is a lot of whey. I only consume whey one time a day and that's post workout. You should read up on the insulin spikes from whey protein. Also whey before bed is bad choice due the fast absorption rate. If anything Caesen protein is a better choice.

Totally agree. My DH likes EAS Premium Protein, which is a blend. He drinks it before bed in whole milk (doesn't need to cut his carbs, athletic barsted!), but I imagine it would go just as well in water with some heavy cream blended in.

I have used it in Mark's 3 ingredient protein bars blended with soy-nut butter, to fairly tasty results. Actually, I omit the cream because my calorie/fat allotment doesn't permit it usually.

But yes, something slower, even cheese or egg would be good to hold you overnight.

marochka_raduga wrote:

AntonioWright wrote:That is a lot of whey...

Totally agree.

Yep, after writing that down yesterday, I realized I'd let my diet drift a little too far away from the whole foods that should be my focus. So this morning, I grilled a couple of 200g chicken breasts as my "snack all day" items, packed some more edamame, more tuna, nuts, and more veggies in my lunch sack.

Eating right is harder, but worth it. I also eat less when I eat right, 'cuz whey is good for you and all but not so effective at satiety.

--Matt B.

MEAL 1(breakfast): Turkey Slices(4-5),Whole Grain Bread(2 slices),Yogurt(high protein)-occasionally with some whey,1 banana, Egg whites(sometimes)

MEAL 2(snack): Source Carb(Oats,Rice,Pasta,Whole Grain Bread,Arabic Pita) with a source of lean protein(whatever I have in that time-fish,tuna can,meat,chicken,egg whites,whey) - Veggies(small portion of green mostly)

MEAL 3(lunch): Same as 2 but veggies are a big bowl with veggies of every colour of rainbow(or as many as I have in my fridge-tomato,carrot or orange pepper,yellow pepper,spinach,purple cabbage-small portion of each one make a big bowl) and possibly a small portion of legume.

MEAL 4(snack): same as 2 but smaller or 1-2 small portions of fruit,1 scoop whey protein and possibly some nuts

MEAL 5(supper): Same as 3 with a good portion of veggies not as meal 3 though

MEAL 6(pre-bed): Yogurt with some whey,1-2 slices of whole grain bread, egg whites sometimes

-Post workout: 1 scoop whey,1 banana or juice or just water

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Supplements:
Whey
Fish oils
Magnesium -occasionally
Vitamin C with Zinc -occasionally
Multivitamin -if I don't eat veggies during a day for some reason
Creatine
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Fats: Olive Oil that I use in cooking
For the taste: Balsamic Vinegar fom salads and low-fat mayo whenever I have a gross tuna can for protein source...

Pretty basic and simple diet...