the pre-workout timing thing — figured some stuff out

Right so I've posted about rice and eggs before and I stand by that, but I've been thinking more about the timing side of it rather than just what I'm eating. Because honestly I used to just eat whenever and then wonder why I felt like garbage halfway through a session. Basically what I've landed on after a lot of trial and error — and I mean a lot, there were some proper grim sessions in there — is that I need something substantial about 90 minutes to two hours before I lift. Not right before, not three hours before. That window just works for me. If I eat too close I feel heavy and sluggish off the floor, if I leave it too long I'm running on empty by the time I hit my top sets. The actual food matters too obviously. I need carbs. Real ones, not a handful of rice crackers. Potatoes, rice, oats — something that's going to sit there and actually do something. Protein as well but I keep it moderate before rather than loading up, seems to digest easier. Fat I keep fairly low pre-session, I find it slows everything down and I feel it on squats especially. The one thing I ignored for ages was hydration timing. I'd drink loads right before and then feel sloshy. Sounds obvious written down but I genuinely didn't connect those two things for months. Now I'm just consistent with water throughout the day and it makes more difference than any specific food choice tbh. Creatine obviously goes without saying at this point. That's just background noise in my life, non-negotiable.