Brian St. Pierre
Does when you eat really matter? For good health? For well-being? For performance? Let’s take a closer look at this issue.
Meal time
Meal times have been studied by researchers from different perspectives over the past few decades. And their results caused a great revival. In the early 2000s, with the publication of sports nutrition by John Ivey and Robert Portman, the idea of meal times became another fix. Seriously, every sports nutritionist has a copy of this article. Including your obedient servant. I even wrote a few articles in college on the subject. There has been a study on how meal timing affects recovery from very intense exercise.
Nutrition after exercise
Not surprisingly, the concept has evolved and scientists have come to the conclusion that different meals should be eaten at different times of the day.
For example:
Post-workout meals should be rich in carbohydrates, especially fast-digesting starches (such as potatoes or rice) or sugary carbohydrates (such as fruit).
During a regular meal, there should be less carbohydrates, but more protein, healthy fats and fiber.
It has been scientifically proven that with this diet, people work better, become leaner, stronger and healthier.
But the research isn’t limited to the nutrition of athletes. Even type 2 diabetics respond more effectively to carbohydrate-rich foods post-workout. Thus, the corresponding recommendations were born.
But everything has changed
Everything has changed in the last 10-15 years. Well, not that much has changed. Rather, our knowledge has deepened, as it always does, with the advent of new research. Since the early 2000s, for example, we have found that some of the previous studies had design flaws and weaknesses.
First, they were mostly short-term—spanning a few weeks or months, maybe even just a few training sessions. Because of this, they don’t really tell us what will happen over a longer period of time.
Second, they focused on what we call “soft” endpoints, protein synthesis, glycogen replenishment, and nitrogen balance. Because of this, we did not have data on “hard” endpoints such as actual fat loss and muscle gain.
Interestingly, as longer-term data have shown, meal times are by no means limited to a one-size-fits-all solution.
A famous and oft-cited 2006 study showed that protein and carbohydrates eaten immediately before or after exercise were more likely to build muscle and strength than the same nutrients eaten at other times.
Unfortunately, very few people say that further studies using similar conditions have not found the same effect.
Meal time isn’t the only thing that matters
Well, research isn’t perfect. And the results are not always clear. Based on the current body of research with over 20 subjects, I have come to the conclusion that the timing of nutrient intake is not particularly important for most people who are trying to look and feel their best.
Let me be clear: no, I don’t think that the value of the meal time goes to zero and you can have a meal whenever you want. In some situations, this is probably very important. (We’ll look at them below.)
However, many really smart and hardworking people worry about the finer points of mealtimes, but care little about sleep, vegetables, or other more health-important lifestyle factors. And it’s a shame.
So here is my bottom line. If you’re interested, let’s go a little deeper. After training, the “anabolic window of opportunity” opens. For years, the holy grail of nutrition and training sync research has been what we call the post-workout “anabolic window of opportunity.”
The basic idea is that after a workout, especially during the first 30-45 minutes or so, our bodies crave nutrients. In theory, movement, especially intense movement such as lifting weights or sprinting, improves our bodies’ ability to process heavy foods.
During this time, our muscles actively absorb glucose and use it as fuel or turn it into glycogen (instead of fat). And post-workout protein intake improves protein synthesis. In fact, one study even showed that eating more than 45 minutes after exercise significantly reduced absorption.
Hurry, the anabolic window is closing!
With the help of these physiological details, the gospel has settled in people’s minds that we should consume fast-digesting protein and carbohydrates immediately after the end of a workout. Or better yet, eat before your workout. (Maybe even during a workout.) It seemed that the sooner we got the nutrients, the better. Seriously, I couldn’t be the only one who dropped the barbell on the floor and started to panic, ripping open a sports drink bag, desperately trying to catch that magical moment of protein synthesis.
Faster! Faster! Faster! The anabolic window is closing!
The only problem is that research hasn’t supported this idea for long. And just because we see a positive effect in the short term (in the next half an hour) does not mean that it will contribute to long-term results (for example, in three months).
In fact, recent long-term studies show that the “anabolic window of opportunity” is actually much larger than we used to believe. This is not a tiny porthole, but a huge opportunity, like a cathedral.
Cool down man, there’s still time
While the wisdom of combining proteins and carbohydrates with your workouts is still uncontroversial, you probably have one or two hours before and after your workout to eat for maximum health benefits.
What’s more, for most people, except for some athletes, it doesn’t seem to matter how fast they eat after exercise.
Instead of worrying about absorbing cornstarch and whey hydrolyzate right after your workout and carrying around huge bags, you can safely drive home, take a shower, cook and eat delicious and fresh food.
To back up this idea, recent data has confirmed that the total amount of protein and carbs you eat throughout the day is more important than a nutritional timing strategy.
How about meal planning?
While rushing to the gym, hobbyists and researchers also wondered about another aspect of the timing concept: is there a “best time” to eat. For years, most nutrition experts have advised people to eat more calories and carbs for breakfast and fewer calories, especially carbs, in the evening. Then, all of a sudden, some newfangled experts began recommending the opposite, telling us that we should eat most of our calories and carbohydrates at lunchtime.
So who’s right?
Breakfast Club
A recent study asked the question: Does it matter if you eat half your daily calories at lunch or at breakfast? The researchers had in mind how it would affect body weight, waist circumference, appetite, insulin sensitivity.
The group that ate half their daily calories at breakfast lost more weight and more inches at the waist, showed improvements in insulin sensitivity, and reported being more satisfied.
Wow. Obviously, you need to eat more calories for breakfast, right? No no. Not so fast. Fans of “carbs and calories at lunch” have their reasons to stick to their preferences.
Take, for example, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition comparing people who ate 70% of their daily calories in the evening with those who ate a hearty breakfast. Under highly controlled conditions, dinner drinkers and breakfast drinkers doing aerobic exercise gained the same amount of muscle mass and lost the same amount of fat!
A recent six-month study found that weight loss, waist circumference, and fat increase when most carbohydrates are consumed in the evening, rather than during the day. Evening carbohydrate intake also improves glucose levels, reduces inflammation and reduces appetite.
Okay, forget about the schedule.
So who is right? Breakfast advocates or dinner advocates? Some studies have shown that breakfast is the best time to eat large meals (3 studies), some have found no difference in weight loss between hearty breakfasts and hearty meals (2 studies), and other studies have shown significant benefits of eating at night (2 studies). ).
What can we understand from this conflicting hodgepodge of conclusions? In fact, it’s very simple: we are all unique. There is no one rule for everyone.
Indeed, research into circadian rhythms has found that humans (and animals) vary greatly in their natural sleep-wake cycles. So why not apply this law of diversity to our diet?
Follow your own rhythm. Track your experience. Do what works – for you. Follow natural inclinations.
If an early breakfast makes you feel great, great. If a hearty dinner calms you down and you sleep well with a full belly, that’s great too.
But what about…doing without breakfast? Wait a minute. No breakfast at all? Of course, everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day! And, in particular, that it’s a good idea to eat most of the carbohydrates in the morning. Well, at least that’s what my grandparents always told me. This recommendation implies that by breakfast time we have been fasting for eight to twelve hours. Our bodies therefore need nutrients (and especially carbohydrates).
Our glycogen, especially in the liver, is running low. In addition, some research suggests that we use carbohydrates more efficiently in the morning than in the evening. So it seems to make sense that we should eat more carbs at breakfast than at lunch. Is not it?
By now, I hope you can see how this argument is falling apart. This is not to say that skipping breakfast is bad; or that having carbs for breakfast is not good. In fact, both options are quite acceptable.
Debunking the breakfast myth
While almost every nutritionist for the past 20 years has been saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it turns out that the argument for breakfast is actually quite weak.
In a recent American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, scientists analyzed dozens of studies to track breakfast addiction to body weight.
Their conclusion: The oft-cited link between a hearty breakfast meal and weight loss is only hypothetically true.
That doesn’t sound convincing, does it? Of course, just because one study came to a certain conclusion doesn’t mean the case is closed.
So, let’s take a closer look at the arguments in favor of breakfast.
Breakfast Benefits
In the literature, a hearty breakfast is associated with: decreased appetite; decrease in overall food intake; weight loss; improving academic performance; improvement in blood sugar levels.
If we stopped there, of course, we might assume that there is no point in skipping breakfast.
However, we cannot stop there. When reviewing studies, we see that their results are rather mixed.
In other words, breakfast may be beneficial for some of us. But not for everyone. The strongest of these data suggest that breakfast is the most important for malnourished or poor children. But, for other populations, it seems to be a matter of personal choice.
The benefits of skipping breakfast
Some research actually suggests that skipping breakfast can make you stronger, leaner, and healthier. (At present, my grandparents must be moaning.)
For example:
People with type 2 diabetes feel better when they skip breakfast altogether and eat a hearty lunch.
Other people who choose to skip breakfast end up eating less overall compared to breakfast lovers.
And skipping breakfast has been found to be just as effective for weight loss as eating it.
So skipping breakfast would be better for you? Maybe yes. Maybe not.
Preliminary evidence suggests that skipping breakfast may: increase fat breakdown; increase the release of growth hormone (which has a rejuvenating and fat-burning effect); improve blood glucose control; improve cardiovascular function; reduce food intake.
However, most of these studies have been done in animals and only a few studies have been done in humans. There is, of course, no guarantee that these changes in our physiology will lead to long-term benefits. Finally, a recent study offers a fascinating postscript on the connection between breakfast and weight loss.
The researchers divided people into four groups: Breakfast skippers who should have eaten it. Breakfast skippers who should have skipped it. Breakfast lovers who should have eaten it. Breakfast lovers who should have missed it.
And do you know what was found? The groups whose habits and daily routines were changed experienced the most significant weight loss. People who usually ate breakfast and skipped it during the study lost weight. And people who routinely skipped breakfast during the study lost weight. So in the end, eating or skipping breakfast is a matter of preference.
What about meal frequency?
For years, nutritionists (myself included) have believed that the best approach to daily food intake is to eat small, frequent meals throughout the day. In college, I ate eight meals a day. Yes, eight!
Based on research, we hypothesized that frequent eating speeds up metabolism, helps control insulin, hormones, cortisol, and manages appetite. However, a recent review in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests otherwise.
As long as we’re eating the right foods in the right amounts, feeding frequency seems to be a matter of personal preference.
You may prefer many small meals per day (i.e. every few hours). Or you can eat several large meals every day (that is, with large time gaps in between). And there is practically no physiological difference. But there can be psychological differences, mind you. That is why I highly recommend listening to your own body.
When time in nutrition still matters
Make no mistake, meal timing is a complex issue. It would take a whole book to cover this issue exhaustively.
So, for now, I’m asking this question: meal times don’t matter?
Answer: Of course not!
There are appropriate meal times for certain people. (More on this below.)
Just remember that:
Determining optimal meal times can be helpful. Or it may add layers of unnecessary complexity. Everything depends on the context. If you are a bodybuilder or an athlete, this is one thing, but if you are an overweight office worker, it is quite another.
In fact, if you only want to lose weight and get healthier, you do not need special protocols for synchronizing nutrition and exercise. There are things more important.
Here’s a helpful checklist of priorities.
Your food hierarchy of importance
How much do you eat? (Recommendation: Eat until you feel full, don’t follow the calorie control guide.)
How do you eat? (Recommendation: Eat slowly and mindfully, without distraction.)
Why are you eating? (Hungry, bored, out of company, social settings?)
What you eat? (Recommendation: minimally processed proteins, vegetables, fruits, healthy starches and healthy fats)
When do you eat? (Now you may want to consider having breakfast, dinner, timing with your workout, etc.)
For bodybuilders, an extra half a percent of body fat can mean the difference between winning and losing. For most of us, meal times are not that important. In addition, better food choices do not compensate for poor quality and mindless eating.
Our experience with thousands of customers and new scientific data show us that for most people, meal times are not a top priority.