how soon after cardio for protein???

**bigdreamz** · 07-04-2006, 09:11 AM

I am in a bulking cycle right now and trying to get water retention under control. My workouts are at 6 am so I have started cardio at night about an hour before bed. I really do not want to hinder muscle growth but am starting to retain water which is not good. So My question is how soon after my cardio can I drink a protein shake as I don't want to starve my body of protein all night but gotta shed this water.

I have limited my sodium intake, no carbs at night, drink 1 1/2 gallons water/day. and only eat whole food and protein shakes.

**rar1015** · 07-04-2006, 09:13 AM

Some people like to drink there shakes when they are leaving the gym and walking out to there car. I live close to my gym so i just drink it right when i get home. IMO i would drink it within 30 minutes of your workout.

**Kärnfysikern** · 07-04-2006, 09:17 AM

drinking the shake imidietly after or a while after wont make a difference to water retention so Im not sure I understand what your asking

Id say hit it within 20 minutes or so.

**novastepp** · 07-04-2006, 09:28 AM

do u notice water retention when eating certain foods? i don't think your problem lies with your pre-bed / post-cardio meal. look at other aspects of your diet and sort that out. keep your piss clear throughout the day and keep sodium levels constant. highs and lows are what will hold the water. keep the level constant and you should see better results in regards any sodium issues.

**Kärnfysikern** · 07-04-2006, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by novastepp

do u notice water retention when eating certain foods? i don't think your problem lies with your pre-bed / post-cardio meal. look at other aspects of your diet and sort that out. keep your piss clear throughout the day and keep sodium levels constant. highs and lows are what will hold the water. keep the level constant and you should see better results in regards any sodium issues.

**bigdreamz** · 07-04-2006, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by novastepp

do u notice water retention when eating certain foods? i don't think your problem lies with your pre-bed / post-cardio meal. look at other aspects of your diet and sort that out. keep your piss clear throughout the day and keep sodium levels constant. highs and lows are what will hold the water. keep the level constant and you should see better results in regards any sodium issues.

Thanks Nova,
My piss always be clear, Like I said I drink a minimum of 1 1/2 gallons of water through out the day. and as for diet pre wo shake, Post wo shake, eggs oatmeal and lowfat cheese breakfast. snack chicken breast and a fruit, Lunch chicken breast with brown rice, Afternoon shake, dinner chicken pork or beef with asparagas night time snack is a shake. That is preety much my everyday diet all meat are grilled the only thing that eat as far as sodium goes is I do love tabasgo and salsa on my meat.

Maybe I was confusing in my question though. I do't see being able to cut much more sodium from my diet I don't eat out and I don't eat any kind of crap. I never really did much for cardio and to help with water I am am doing cardio now My question really was a simple one. If I do a shake right after cardio will it slow dow the effects of doing the cardio at all. I mean I do a shake on my way out of the gym when I do my weight workout and just wondered If I could do the same in the evening when I do my cardio or if there is anykind of cardio rule like you can't eat for an hour or something after cardio. Stupid question I know but I like I said I never really did much for cardio and other than knowing that you should do it on an emty stomach and hit your target heart rate and hang there for about 30 minutes or so that is about all I know

Thanks for all the responses and help

**novastepp** · 07-04-2006, 04:12 PM

nahh it isn't going to matter much, if you're worried about it wait til you get home or wehatever. but what exactly in your "post-cardio shake"?

**bigdreamz** · 07-05-2006, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by novastepp

nahh it isn't going to matter much, if you're worried about it wait til you get home or wehatever. but what exactly in your "post-cardio shake"?

Thanks Nova, I am kinda anal about sh!t like that. Shake is pretty much just that, 2 scoops Whey Vantage protein from GN( with 10 oz water and toss in some glutamine.

**Kale** · 07-05-2006, 07:40 AM

If you are holding water on cycle you might want to think about getting some Arimidex .

**Kärnfysikern** · 07-05-2006, 07:44 AM

one thing I am curious though is if you are entirely positive that it is water retention and not a bit of fat gain from the bulking?

what roids are you on?

**novastepp** · 07-05-2006, 07:49 AM

Originally Posted by bigdreamz

Thanks Nova, I am kinda anal about sh!t like that. Shake is pretty much just that, 2 scoops Whey Vantage protein from GN( with 10 oz water and toss in some glutamine.

ok, sounds good. but that's not the issue either...

**bigdreamz** · 07-05-2006, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by Kale

If you are holding water on cycle you might want to think about getting some Arimidex.

I am taking Arimidex was taking 1mg e3d now 1mg eod. Have lost a little bit of water so that and the cardio seem to be working. I think I will give that another few days and see what happens also have some 1.5mg so next I will use those eod if it doesn't get better and can still go to 1mg ed only if none of that works.

It's not fat since really kept the same diet pre cycle and this is weight has been in 2 weeks since I started cycle. This is my 3 week into the cycle. 400mg cyp 300mg deca / week

Thanks again for all help, I think I just gotta find a balance with the Arimidex do some more cardio and keep drinking a ton of water. Also started taking 100mcg b6 too don't know if that will do anything for this but read that it was a good idea to take it with the deca.

**HereWeGoAgain** · 07-05-2006, 10:17 AM

Unfortunately, water retention is going to take place, especially on Cyp/Deca cycle!

**TEST 1000** · 07-05-2006, 10:36 AM

I my oppinion I would try cut out the tabasco sauce with the meat, it has alot of sodium and I get alot of water bloat. Try that for a week or 2 and see if you water retention goes down.

**novastepp** · 07-05-2006, 11:41 AM

are you drinking all your water WITH meals?

**bigdreamz** · 07-05-2006, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by novastepp

are you drinking all your water WITH meals?

No basically I am either eating or drinking. I eat then wait a half hour before I drink anything so no water is taken in while eating. Is that a bad thing?

Originally Posted by TEST 1000

I my oppinion I would try cut out the tabasco sauce with the meat, it has alot of sodium and I get alot of water bloat. Try that for a week or 2 and see if you water retention goes down.?

DUDE WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME!!!! You can't take away my tabasco, that is my 1 last joy that I have left as far as eating is considered! I knew someone was gonna call me on that. I really probably use way to much I thought it was like 10mg/tsp I just looked at the bottle (I have a bottle next to me at work, 2 bottles in the car and a bottle at home and they are all the super big bottles) and it turns out it is 30mg/tsp not really a big deal but I guess if I measure my use in terms of ounces per serving instead of tsp that could be a problem. I am going to work on cutting down on that

I know that water retention is to be expected but 7lbs in 2 weeks is waaaaaay too much too fast so if I don't get ahold of it now god only knows what will happen. I could end up looking more like a water balloon than anything else.

**novastepp** · 07-05-2006, 12:34 PM

no the drinking thing is fine how you're doing it. and don't worry about the hot sauce that won't pose a problem. like i said, keep sodium levels constant. and if you don't notice change i would say suck it up...it must be whatever you're on. wait until you're finished and then get rid of it. gains are worth the trouble IMO.

**bigdreamz** · 07-05-2006, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by novastepp

no the drinking thing is fine how you're doing it. and don't worry about the hot sauce that won't pose a problem. like i said, keep sodium levels constant. and if you don't notice change i would say suck it up...it must be whatever you're on. wait until you're finished and then get rid of it. gains are worth the trouble IMO.

That's cool bro. I am not all too worried about it I am on a bulking cycle anyway and like I said I do not want to hinder growth. I will do what I can and see what happens I have lost at least a pound of water just by upping the a-dex a bit so i'm getting some cardio in (god I hate cardio) and i'll go from there. Thanks again for all your help Nova, you rock man.

**novastepp** · 07-05-2006, 04:10 PM

i used to not like cardio. but try to think of it as a way to separate yourself from all the slackers out there. a thing that only teh elite do whole-heartedly and without fail. i now enjoy cardio, and look forward to it