Holy Bulk #12 — The Most Important Meal of the Day

Are you still gaining weight consistently? Getting stronger in the gym? If not, you might be missing the most important meal of the day.

Breakfast? No. At least not for us hardgainers.

The real secret: the intra-workout meal.

“Intra” means inside — and here it’s what you consume during your training session.

Why Intra-Workout Matters

Hardgainers share a common enemy: cortisol.

• Acute cortisol = useful for mobilising energy during training

• Chronic cortisol = catabolic, breaking down muscle instead of building it

Skinny, tall, and lean guys tend to run higher cortisol baselines. Add intense training, and we risk tipping into muscle loss instead of growth.

Our best weapon? Insulin.

Carbs spike insulin, which:

• Suppresses cortisol, keeping you anabolic

• Spares muscle protein

• Refills glycogen to sustain training

• Promotes relaxation and recovery

That’s why sugar cravings follow stressful events — it’s the body’s way of calming the system. For anabolism, we want insulin high, cortisol low.

The Problem

Digestion slows during exercise, as blood is diverted to muscles. Eating solid food mid-workout (bananas, protein bars) can cause bloating, cramps, or gas.

The solution? Liquid nutrition. This is standard in sports science and bodybuilding (see John Ivy’s Nutrient Timing and Milos Sarcev’s intra-workout protocols).

We’ll keep it Holy Bulk simple.

4 Rules for the Perfect Intra-Workout

💧 1. Liquid Only

When training, blood flow is redirected away from your digestive tract and toward your muscles. That’s why eating solid foods mid-session (like bananas, protein bars, or gummies) often causes:

• Bloating

• Cramping

• Gas

• Sluggishness

Liquids bypass most of this digestive slowdown. They leave the stomach quickly and deliver nutrients into the blood where they’re needed most: the working muscle.

Level 1: Something as simple as spring water, tea, or coffee.

👉 Rule of thumb: if it takes chewing, it doesn’t belong mid-workout.

⚡ 2. Must Contain Electrolytes

Muscle contractions depend on electrical signalling. Electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride) are the “spark plugs” that keep those signals firing.

During training, electrolytes are lost via sweat and burned up in metabolic reactions. Low electrolytes = weaker contractions, poor pump, slower recovery, and mental fatigue.

Level 2:

• 500 ml spring water (naturally richer in minerals)

• 1 tsp sea salt (sodium + trace minerals)

• ¼ tsp magnesium chloride (supports relaxation + insulin sensitivity)

• a pinch of baking soda (buffers lactic acid, supports CO₂ balance)

Or coconut water (high potassium, but add salt for balance).

👉 Sodium is the king here. Without enough salt, muscle pumps feel flat, strength drops, and you risk dizziness mid-session.

🍊 3. Must Spike Insulin

Our main job during training is to fight cortisol and stay anabolic. Nothing does this better than carbs.

Specifically, liquid sugars — they’re fast, easy to absorb, and provide dual energy systems:

• Glucose for muscle glycogen

• Fructose for liver glycogen, which buffers cortisol

This combination not only fuels your set but also signals safety to the body: we have energy, no need to break down muscle tissue.

Best choice: pulp-free orange juice.

• ✅ Glucose + fructose mix

• ✅ Natural electrolytes (potassium)

• ✅ Vitamin C (antioxidant, supports thyroid + recovery)

Add:

• Sea salt

• Baking soda

• Collagen or glycine

This turns OJ into a Holy Bulk anabolic cocktail — fuelling performance while protecting recovery.

If you don’t have OJ:

• Table sugar, dextrose, or maltodextrin in water works fine

• Any other type of juice

• Powerade or Gatorade is a lazy fallback — not perfect, but better than plain water

🥩 4. Should Provide Amino Acids

Carbs alone are good. Carbs + protein are better.

Protein during training ensures a steady stream of amino acids (especially leucine) to trigger muscle protein synthesis (MPS) while you’re breaking down tissue under the bar.

If your pre-workout meal had plenty of protein, this step is optional. But for maximum anabolic drive, add it.

Best choice:

• 1 scoop unflavoured whey protein isolate (fast, digestible, lactose-free)

Other options:

• BCAAs or EAAs

• Collagen + glycine for connective tissue and nervous system calm

My go-to intra (500 ml bottle):

• 500 ml pulp-free orange juice (~40g carbs)

• 1 scoop whey isolate (~24g protein)

• 5–10g collagen + 2–3g glycine

• 1 tsp sea salt

• Pinch of baking soda

Enough liquid fuel to keep building even while you’re tearing muscle down.

When Is It Needed?

• <30 min light sessions = unnecessary

• 45–90 min hard training to failure = essential

If you want serious mass, intra-workout is your most important meal of the day.

Takeaway

Skip the banana mid-set. Blend the juice, salt, and whey. Drink your gains while you train.

For a deeper dive:

• John Ivy’s Nutrient Timing

• Milos Sarcev’s intra-workout protocols (YouTube)

Until next time,
Sainté