I wouldn't call myself a fitness expert. In fact, the science of health and fitness is constantly changing. What we thought were facts are being proved as myths and vice versa on a day by day basis. Things change as more variables are added, different goals are set, and technology improves. With that said, I am a geek. I research everything. When I have a question, I dive into the Internet and find what I'm looking for. However the Internet is a blessing and a curse.
The more you dig, the more misinformation and contradictions you’ll find. It's all about finding the sources of information that aren't full of shit or have an agenda. With that said, experience is key. Repeating dogma you read in a magazine pales in comparison to testing methods in the real world and seeing the results (or lack there of). So what you’ll find below is not only countless hours of research on my part, but personal experience with myself and others I have helped along the way. Not to mention the sources themselves, who are all credible experts with years of research and training experience.
OK, now on to the article. What's the best time to eat? How much? When? How about working out? When should you hit the gym? Morning? Evening? Lunch time? Never!?
Let's tackle eating first, as it is a much more complex question with MANY variables. The first thing we are told is to eat six times a day. This is also called “The Frequent Feeding Model”. It was originally thought that each time you eat, your body uses energy to digest the food which results in burning calories. So the more times you digest, the more calories you will burn. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, this is FALSE. Whether you eat 2000 calories in six sittings or in three, your body will still have the same metabolic rate resulting in the same amount of energy used. Eat as many meals as you want. Do what fits your schedule and lifestyle. I’m a big fan of big meals less often. I don’t stuff myself to the point of discomfort, but I often pack in 900-1000 calories in my meals.
The other thing we hear frequently, especially if you’re trying to gain muscle, is your body can only use 20-30g of protein at once. The problem with most of the studies this assumption is based on, is the amount of variables. A 250lb male powerlifter that trains 4 times a week will be able to absorb a hell of a lot more protein than a 130lb woman that practices Yoga twice a week. There is no magic amount of protein you should eat at once. Focus more on total daily intake of protein vs worrying about only absorbing X amount.
My favorite myth is eat carbs in the morning and not at night or you’ll get fat. This is absolute crap! I can personally attest to this myself as I eat 200-400g of carbs exclusively at night and usually right before bed. This myth was based on the body’s insulin resistance levels and how carbs affect that. Carbs and insulin are another huge topic, so I won’t get into a ton of detail here. What I will say is, just like protein, focus on the amount of carbs per day you eat versus when you eat them. The amount of carbs you should eat will wildly vary based on your goals (fat loss, muscle gain, endurance athlete, ninja, etc..) Carb cycling is the safest bet when it comes to carbs. That’s just fancy talk for Eat more carbs on days you workout and less on your off days. Also timing your carbs around you workout will be extremely beneficial. If you plan on working out at night, don’t slam down carbs at 7am. A good rule of thumb is the meal before your workout and the meals after your workout are safe to have carbs.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Nope. There isn’t “a most important meal of the day”. In fact, I have skipped breakfast pretty much all my adult life with nothing but benefits. I’m a late person. I train at night, I eat at night, and I am most productive at night. What you do with the rest of your day is far more important than making sure you are cramming something in your mouth first thing in the morning. If you’re like me and don’t have time or don’t feel the need to eat in the morning, than don’t! If your goal is fat loss, than skipping breakfast is great way to cut out some calories and jumpstart your fat mobilization. Take a look at Carb Backloading and Intermittent Fasting for more details.
If you just skimmed over all of the above let me help summarize. Your total daily intake of calories and macronutrients (Protein, Fat, Carbohydrates) is the most important factor in your fitness goals. Of course choosing the right foods is equally important but eating at a calorie deficit is a proven way to lose weight. That’s why the Twinkie Diet and the McDonalds Diet work! Are these ideal or healthy? Hell no! Especially if you want to keep or gain muscle. But they prove that losing weight isn’t rocket science.
The question of what’s the best time to workout is easy. Whenever. I’m not a morning person…..at…. all! I tried for the life of me to get up at 6am and hit the gym first thing in the morning. Not only were my workouts complete shit, I was exhausted all day. I wasn’t getting enough sleep because I was forcing myself to get up and try and workout. Now I workout after work in the evening on most days. Sometimes I am at the gym as late as midnight. This might be crazy to some (getting up at 5am to go running sounds crazy to me!), but it fits my lifestyle and schedule. So long story short, make sure you’re getting 6-8hrs of sleep each night and hit the gym whenever it best fits your schedule. I can’t put enough emphasis on sleep. You NEED 6-8 hours every night to recover from your training. So don’t try and shoehorn a specific workout time at the expense of a good nights rest.
So there you have it folks. A “quick” summary of the best time to eat and workout. As you can see there are so many variables it is nearly impossible to give a cookie cutter answer that works for everyone. The most important takeaway is to make your nutrition and training regimens sync up with your lifestyle and schedule. If not, you’ll be working against yourself to hit your fitness goals! Hope this helps!
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