quote:

Originally posted by golddot:
Hello, I am a 50ish YO man and have some very mild BP problems and take some BP meds in the evening,
My problem is I can not seem to get any energy in the mornings for my workouts. I sleep well , 8+ hours, i down a pint of water with lemon when I wake, eat nothing (drink 2-4 cups of coffee after that) and then go to work out and have no energy . I have tried 2x amount of every workout powder that wal mart sells and no luck, have tried green tea also.
any suggestions for that pre workout energy ??

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Originally posted by fritz:
For most of my life I was on an evening workout schedule. Then the job & commute situation changed a few years ago. I'm older than you.

I get up just before 5am, then immediately eat a light-ish cereal breakfast with OJ and milk. No caffeine in the morning. Aerobics (elliptical and rowing), free weights, balance exercises for an hour plus -- starting around 6:30. Then off to what the day brings. My caffeine comes right after the gym, and keeps going for much of the day.

Consider food in the morning and back off on the coffee before the workout. Your body needs fuel to workout, as in real food.

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Originally posted by smschulz:
What's you diet like?

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Originally posted by gearhounds:
Working out is a lifetime activity for me. I’ve been in the gym more or less religiously for over 40 years. I just turned 60 in July and I can say without any reservations whatsoever that working out is the fountain of youth. The missus and I are in the gym daily, 5 of which for me are fairly intense, and 2 being more relaxed consisting of stomach work and a half hour of swimming (this last has done wonders and I cannot recommend it enough).if you HAVE to keep a phone on you for, say, work purposes stay off of it. I see people dicking around on them and clearly see that it eats up valuable time. I leave mine in the locker of at all possible.

When you develop a routine and stick to it, the peripheral benefits are well worth it. By that I mean things like flexibility, weight control, on demand strength and extended endurance, and probably a slew of other benefits I take for granted- probably way to many to list without sitting down and really giving it thought. Spending 30 years in and out of a patrol vehicle with the extra weight of body armor and duty belt put a whammy on my lower back and since retiring at the end of 2021, working out consistently seems to have slowly but surely rectified issues with constant irritating nagging pain. Swimming really helped deal with that to there t that I have almost none as of now.

If you haven’t tried it yet, creatine monohydrate is an excellent source of both energy and as a fat burner (make sure it is micronized so it doesn’t go down like sand). Stay away from stimulants such as caffeine as a crutch for energy. And drink a LOT of water. By that I mean no less than a half gallon a day. Most people drink way too little of it and supplement with other drinks instead. I can’t stress the importance of lots of water enough.

The biggest common denominator to stay in the gym for me is staying in the gym. If I could offer any advice it would be to develop a routine and stick to it like glue. Figure out if you are a morning or evening person and make the time for it as an immutable rule. I VASTLY prefer morning workouts followed by a large high protein breakfast. I understand that this isn’t always practical to those still working especially if you don’t have access to a gym that opens super early.


awesome, awesome reply, I have been a 26 yr LEO myself, only off of patrol the last 4 years, plus my tim ein the Marines (6 yrs AD) , my body has been thru a lot, I will try the food idea, I am blessed to have my own home gym setup and can just workout when I want. thank you for your input sir


Lastly, concentrate on your gains. Seeing results has been for me the biggest booster for continued drive and energy output. Don't get caught up in looking at the cut and bulky gym rats and comparing physiques as it is counterproductive and a little depressing. Some of these guys are in the gym for several hours a day which is impractical for folks with a 9-5 job. Make working out personal and if possible, find someone to work out with in similar shape. Having a competent work out buddy can be a huge incentive as well.

I realize this has been a little on the verbose side but I guess what I’m trying to suggest is that energy in the gym is supported by a myriad of factors other than boosting with stimulants. If any of this can be further clarified, shoot me an email.

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Originally posted by Prefontaine:
You need to eat before you workout. No calories in your belly is akin to you flooring a car with no gas in the tank. FWIW, I used to be a certified trainer. The only people who can get up and do specifically cardio, to burn fat, with no calories, are folks in good shape utilizing an empty stomach to attack fat in the morning. I stay in good shape and no way in hell could I go into the gym, and lift, with a proper meal 1 hour before lifting.

Have lifted for over 35 years, used to be a certified trainer (NASM), and have studied nutrition for the same 35 years. I advocate small, protein dense meals, 4-6 times a day, electrolytes all day (hammer water all day long), but workout with a full tank unless you are in extreme shape already.

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Originally posted by jsbcody:
Also my recommendation too for a small pre-workout meal. In fact, I would even check your blood sugar prior to working out without a small meal and then check it afterwards. Then try checking it the same way but this time with a small pre-workout meal. I am type 2 diabetic and found I do need the right carbs to fuel my workouts.