“Slam that protein right after your workout!”
“No carbs before bed!”
“Intermittent fasting is the way!”
These are just some of the ideas that have floated around for years about when you should or shouldn’t eat something. It can definitely seem confusing at times. So this article is gonna dive into all things meal and nutrient timing and hopefully clear up some of that confusion.
How important is it really?
Honestly, when it comes to most fitness goals, it’s not as important as some make it out to be.
Whatever your required calories and macros are, the most important thing is reaching those requirements each day. The specific timing doesn’t matter as much as long as you’re hitting your numbers in a 24 hour period. This will be referred to as the golden rule. That as long as you hit your required numbers for the day (calories, protein, etc) the timing is irrelevant. That’s the bottom line.
There are some contexts, however, where properly timing meals can help to optimize things. I know, you’re probably like what the hell? Let’s discuss!
I’ll dive into some of the popular topics around this, such as protein timing, working out fasted, and more!
Protein timing
Protein post-workout
Do you really need to get in your protein immediately after a workout or else your gains will waste away?? Is the whole “anabolic window” really a thing?
Relax, your gains will be fine.
Research on this topic has found that the anabolic window, meaning the time period after a workout where your body prioritizes the food you eat, especially protein, for muscle repair and growth, isn’t as short as it’s been said to be. Muscles repair for up to 2-3 days, not just up to an hour and a half after your workout.
This being the case, the research tells us that the most important aspect of muscle and strength gains when it comes to protein intake is making sure you’re getting enough total protein throughout the day, not so much when you have it. Myth busted. So no, you don’t need to rush and get your protein in as soon as possible after your workout as long as you’re getting your required protein for the whole day. Below is a link to a study that explores this very topic!
One instance, however, where you might want to have something in your system right before or after a workout is if you’re already pretty lean and looking to bulk up. This is just to ensure that the body doesn’t rely on any already built muscle tissue for energy, which can happen for those who struggle to put on muscle.
Protein distribution
How much protein should you have at a time? Is more better?
Now there are definitely people out there who eat all of their protein and calories from only one meal per day, maybe two, and still make amazing muscle and strength progress. This speaks to the golden rule. But it doesn’t mean that it’s optimal or necessary for everyone.
For one, not everybody wants to eat only one or two meals per day, and that’s totally fine. And two, generally speaking, our body is only able to use a certain amount of amino acids for muscle growth at a time. But the research on this has been mixed.
The bottom line.. if you prefer to get your protein from one or two meals and have made great progress, then keep doing that! If it works for you, keep at it.
Otherwise, it can help to maximize muscle-protein synthesis – a fancy way of saying muscle repair and growth – by having 3-4 protein servings throughout the day, anywhere from 3-5 hours apart.
How much? This of course will be dependent on things like your height and weight, but aim for 20g – 40g per serving.
Working out fasted
Some claim they have more energy when they work out in a fasted state. If this works for someone, and they’re still able to make progress and enjoy what they do, then they should keep doing it.
Working out fasted can also be a good idea for someone looking to lose weight. This is particularly useful when doing a lower intensity type of cardio, such as zone 2.
However, if someone is looking to optimize muscle and strength gains, and finds it difficult to gain weight, then working out fasted might not be in their best interest. Not that you strictly wouldn’t be able to make progress, but having food in your system will ensure that your body can prioritize muscle and strength gains rather than potentially breaking down muscle tissue for energy, as mentioned earlier.
Even if you’re short on time and have to workout first thing in the morning, something as simple as a banana or a protein shake beforehand is all you would need, it doesn’t have to be a big meal. But even if that’s not an option, making sure you stick to the golden rule of still getting in your required calories and protein for the day, you’ll be just fine.
But all in all, working out fasted is really more of a preference thing, rather than some strict rule.
Carbs
Sticking to the golden rule, it doesn’t matter when you have carbs. You can have them in the morning, before or after workouts, and at night. But let’s get more specific..
Having carbs in your system before workouts can provide a great source of energy.
Having them after workouts is also beneficial to replenish glycogen, which is the stored form of carbs in the muscles and liver, used for energy.
Having them during workouts, also called intra-workout carbs, in quicker-digesting forms like gatorade, or sour patch kids, has been shown to help maintain energy levels during longer and more intense exercise sessions.
It has been said that having more carbs in the morning may be better than having a lot at night due to the fact that we tend to be more insulin sensitive in the morning, simply meaning our body responds to carbs more efficiently in the morning than it does at night.
This is more of a reason to not skip breakfast!
But also don’t think that you have to fear carbs at night. A lot of people eat carbs at night and do just fine. Again, remember the golden rule.
And also remember that carbs are the body’s preferred energy source, so don’t fall for bullshit diet trends like keto for weight loss or better health. It’s a scam and you’ll hate life.
Eating before bed
Eating before bed has always been a topic of controversy. Some say you should never do it, others say it doesn’t matter, so what the hell?
The truth is, the golden rule.
For weight loss, as long as you’re still in a calorie deficit, it doesn’t matter if you eat before bed. Some say eating before bed will magically make you gain weight, but it will not. The only way to gain weight is to eat in a calorie surplus. And just because you eat before bed doesn’t mean your body is going to magically store fat with extra calories it doesn’t have.
The potential downside of eating before bed, particularly if you eat a lot before bed, is that it might disrupt sleep quality. But in terms of fitness goals, it’s irrelevant compared to the golden rule.
Summary
When it comes to meal and nutrient timing, the most important thing in terms of fitness goals is to just make sure you’re getting your required calories and macros each day. You don’t need to worry about specific timing as much.
There are, of course, some specific contexts where someone could stand to benefit from timing meals or nutrients, such as someone looking to optimize energy levels during workouts, or a lean person trying to bulk up. But overall, it’s not something that needs to be perfected. Some people feel great on several meals a day, some people feel great on one meal per day, some people love to work out fasted, others prefer some food in their system, and so on.
You just have to find what works best for you.
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