On some days, i get to the gym between meal times. I eat in general at 7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm, and 9:30-10pm. On a day, like today, I'll get to the gym after a high carb meal eaten at 10am. Would it be better to eat just before training, which would be an hour early, or eat that 3rd meal a little later than usual, at 1:30ish, post work out?
Blast, the answer to this question is totally dependent on how quickly you are digesting your food as well as what your intra workout nutrition/supplementation is like.
You want to have an empty stomach when you train, but definitely not hungry. If you're consuming adequate aminos and carbs during training then there is no real rush to get to your post workout meal.
Ideally, in order to control things as much as possible, you want a smaller preworkout meal that digests quickly. Something like 30g protein and 20-30g of carbs. (Chicken and white rice). Then you can train 40 minutes after or maybe even 30 minutes if your digestion is on point.
These high carb preworkout meals are tough to control because you have to wait at least an hour. Then you run the risk of being hungry while you train i.e. needing protein.
I could go on for awhile so I'll just stop now.
But basically you're looking for that magic window of having fully digested your food without needing to eat again. That's when you train.
Blast I like to eat a high carb meal 1 hour preworkout, then a whey protein shake 15 min preworkout. I'll train, come home, immediately eat my handful of gummies. 15 min later drink another protein shake, and then eat a meal 45min to 1hr post workout. I use this protocol to feed my body energy and protein preworkout, and to me post workout protocol is most important. Post workout my priorities are to quickly start replacing glycogen, spike insulin, feed muscles a quick digesting protein, and lastly feed my body carbs, antioxidants, and a complete protein. Some like to use a blended protein post workout to feed the body protein quickly, and over the next several hours. If doing that I prefer just mixing one scoop of whey with a scoop of casein.
On nearly every Tuesday, I have to do a quick and dirty work out. I typically leave work around noon, and have to pick up my daughter at 3pm. Thus, the routine that i stick to the rest of the week, except some Fridays, which are quick and dirty days, gets fouled up. I thrive on routine, and sometimes this bites me in the ass, that is not being fluid with certain types of change.
So, in the interest of establishing a routine for the quick and dirty days, here's what I've come up with, a synthesis of the two not so different notions you guys presented more or less.
I'll eat at 10am, then on the way to the gym, I'll drink a quick shake of whey protein and rice flour, with a teaspoon or two of dextrose. Aside from the added dextrose, the protein will 30g, and carbs around 20+/-. During training, i drink BCAA's. After training, I'll drink another shake at 1:30pm, along with some gummies (love the gummies). I suppose it'll be good idea to get some casein powder to add to my isolate, i believe i have some in my amazon list already.
My typical post work out closely reflects Dolf's post work out nutrition scheme, not by plan, but more due to extrinsic circumstances. Sometimes things just seem to fall into place. Life is pretty cool that way.
My experience today, after having already consumed my 10am meal was no hunger through most of training, which commenced just past the noon hour and ended at 1:25pm. However, toward the end i was definitely starving; the hunger made me work harder thus not interrupting the focus or intensity of the planned sequence of exercises laid out for a quick and dirty back work out.
Thanks again for helping me tighten things up a bit more 
You got it bro. I've tried it all and personally would rather train more toward the hungry side than the full side. Bulking is different from cutting of course. Today I ate yams and chicken at 10:15. Then had a preworkout muffin at 11:15. Then hit a quick and dirty chest session from 12:20-1:15 during my break. Set a new PR on the incline DB so must be doing something right. Had that muffin pump big time. Gotta find a way to get those extra calories in somehow.
I love the quick and dirty. Perhaps unintuitively, they are for me very effective. I do mostly high rep low volume, and lots of drop sets. Excellent pumps.
Muffin pumps, but no muffin tops lol. Your body probably incinerates that thing in no time
For years I have done drop sets. Straight sets of 15, 12, 10, 8 followed by 2 or 3 drop sets of 5-6 reps each. Usually a 20% weight decrease each drop.
The past 10 weeks I have not done a single drop set. I am shooting for 12 reps on every straight set. I like the 13-14 rep range the most, to be honest.
One thing I have done is Rest Pause. I will do my set with 13-14 reps, inhale 10 deep breaths and do another set to failure with the same weight. I will do 2-3 Rest Pause sets depending on ability. I feel like Drop Sets are JV and Rest Pause Sets are the Varsity team. Drop sets extend your ability to work over a longer period of time while Rest Pause sets drive you into mechanical failure at a much faster rate. I will also say they are more mentally demanding because the weight doesn't decrease. I find the final drop set to be a mental relief because, despite being fatigued, I know the weight is very manageable. Whereas the final Rest Pause set forces me to dig deeper mentally to complete, even deeper than the initial set. Thus 3 Rest Pause sets are 80-90 seconds of steadily intensifying intensity. If your intensity does not progress throughout the duration of the exercise, you will not succeed.
That's the key to the quicky when you're big and veiny lol
I've been eating greek yogurt in my last meal of the day for a fat source and added protein. Good to know it's a good move. Thanks again Dolf!
Looks like Rest-Pause is getting put into the repertoire next week. But, i do love supers, going to failure on the last set or two is golden.
Yet another technique to add to the mix, gvt, that is. Never a dull moment round these parts!
Yet another technique to add to the mix, gvt, that is. Never a dull moment round these parts!