When do you eat your carbs?
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MDS369
Posts: 36 Member
I had the chance to speak with someone who has competed in fitness / body competitions and they made a couple suggestions to me, so figured I'd share.
1. Don't eliminate simple [fruits] / complex carbs, simply move them to early in the day - try not to consume after lunch. Instead of the standard meat, veg, starch for dinner, have meat, veg and a salad [or extra veg].
2. Don't do a cheat day [or whatever name you may feel most comfortable calling it], but do have cheat meals every couple days [e.g. Tues, Thurs, Sun] for breakfast or lunch - not dinner [this ties back into #1].
3. Make every effort to eat 6 meals a day, evenly spaced every 2.5 - 3 hours, and try to ensure some protein at each [again refer back to #1]. It's up to each individual how they get the 6 meals in [e.g. 3 meals plus 3 protein shakes, 3 meals plus 3 snacks, etc.]; the key was consistency.
It should be noted this advice was proffered specifically as it relates to weight loss for me [I still have 120lbs to lose]; it was not intended for someone training for a specific sport / competition etc. However, it would work well for anyone looking to lose weight with a focus on adequate nutrition, cardio, weight training and rest / recovery periods. Additionally, it is assumed there are no medical conditions requiring an alternate nutrition program.
What I personally like most is how simple it is to incorporate into everyday life, AND that it wasn't extreme in any way [e.g. not eliminating an entire food group or sub-group]. For me it means not having my fruit as an evening snack, instead adding it to my breakfast / lunch, and eliminating the starch [rice, pasta, couscous, etc] I would have had for dinner.
Have you tried something like this? Did you see results or feel better in general?
1. Don't eliminate simple [fruits] / complex carbs, simply move them to early in the day - try not to consume after lunch. Instead of the standard meat, veg, starch for dinner, have meat, veg and a salad [or extra veg].
2. Don't do a cheat day [or whatever name you may feel most comfortable calling it], but do have cheat meals every couple days [e.g. Tues, Thurs, Sun] for breakfast or lunch - not dinner [this ties back into #1].
3. Make every effort to eat 6 meals a day, evenly spaced every 2.5 - 3 hours, and try to ensure some protein at each [again refer back to #1]. It's up to each individual how they get the 6 meals in [e.g. 3 meals plus 3 protein shakes, 3 meals plus 3 snacks, etc.]; the key was consistency.
It should be noted this advice was proffered specifically as it relates to weight loss for me [I still have 120lbs to lose]; it was not intended for someone training for a specific sport / competition etc. However, it would work well for anyone looking to lose weight with a focus on adequate nutrition, cardio, weight training and rest / recovery periods. Additionally, it is assumed there are no medical conditions requiring an alternate nutrition program.
What I personally like most is how simple it is to incorporate into everyday life, AND that it wasn't extreme in any way [e.g. not eliminating an entire food group or sub-group]. For me it means not having my fruit as an evening snack, instead adding it to my breakfast / lunch, and eliminating the starch [rice, pasta, couscous, etc] I would have had for dinner.
Have you tried something like this? Did you see results or feel better in general?
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Replies
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I have heard numerous times that it is best to eat carbs earlier in the day. The metabolism and digestive systems are supposedly more active. I however usually save my carbs/calories for dinner. My husband is not dieting and he will request certain foods to eat during the week. For the most part dinner is my only starchy meal. While it might be better to eat carbs earlier in the day, I've still be losing weight just by reducing total intake.0
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i eat my carbs in my veggies/fruits/nuts/dairy whenever i want to.0
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I eat carbs whenever I want them, as long as it's within my calorie goal.0
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:huh: You JUST posted this exact same post under a different name (When / how do you eat).0
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All day, every day. But I just lost 42 pounds...so I really have no clue what I'm talking about...LOL0
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I had the chance to speak with someone who has competed in fitness / body competitions and they made a couple suggestions to me, so figured I'd share.
1. Don't eliminate simple [fruits] / complex carbs, simply move them to early in the day - try not to consume after lunch. Instead of the standard meat, veg, starch for dinner, have meat, veg and a salad [or extra veg].
2. Don't do a cheat day [or whatever name you may feel most comfortable calling it], but do have cheat meals every couple days [e.g. Tues, Thurs, Sun] for breakfast or lunch - not dinner [this ties back into #1].
3. Make every effort to eat 6 meals a day, evenly spaced every 2.5 - 3 hours, and try to ensure some protein at each [again refer back to #1]. It's up to each individual how they get the 6 meals in [e.g. 3 meals plus 3 protein shakes, 3 meals plus 3 snacks, etc.]; the key was consistency.
It should be noted this advice was proffered specifically as it relates to weight loss for me [I still have 120lbs to lose]; it was not intended for someone training for a specific sport / competition etc. However, it would work well for anyone looking to lose weight with a focus on adequate nutrition, cardio, weight training and rest / recovery periods. Additionally, it is assumed there are no medical conditions requiring an alternate nutrition program.
What I personally like most is how simple it is to incorporate into everyday life, AND that it wasn't extreme in any way [e.g. not eliminating an entire food group or sub-group]. For me it means not having my fruit as an evening snack, instead adding it to my breakfast / lunch, and eliminating the starch [rice, pasta, couscous, etc] I would have had for dinner.
Have you tried something like this? Did you see results or feel better in general?
There's no reason to do any of the above outside of personal preference. These are common fitness myths that don't actually make a damn bit of difference although the cheat day/cheat meal thing is debatable.
As to your questions, I eat most of my carbs at night. I'll typically consume 100g+ right before bed and the other 100 or so are consumed around 6pm give or take. But, I don't have any sort of set rule on this.
I eat 2 to 3 meals per day, first meal at about 1pm or so.0 -
All day, every day. But I just lost 42 pounds...so I really have no clue what I'm talking about...LOL
Me too, lost over 90lbs and now I'm working to gain.
Oh if only this person were here to help us sooner!
ETA: What this person told you is mostly nonsense and myth. Meal timing is useless. Fruit in the morning, fruit at night.. your body treats it the same. 6 meals a day has no advantage over 2, 3 or whatever you're comfortable with. What you got was some bad advice and you'd be better off ignoring it.0 -
I eat carbs whenever I want them, as long as it's within my calorie goal.
This. And well, it's often.0 -
I get my carbs from berries, nuts, veggies, ect. I don't eat bread, pastas, ect. It's a matter of opinion really.0
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Alllllll day long! OM NOM NOM0
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I have heard numerous times that it is best to eat carbs earlier in the day. The metabolism and digestive systems are supposedly more active. I however usually save my carbs/calories for dinner. My husband is not dieting and he will request certain foods to eat during the week. For the most part dinner is my only starchy meal. While it might be better to eat carbs earlier in the day, I've still be losing weight just by reducing total intake.
The reason most professional coaches will give you is that you eat the carbs at the beginning of the day (not all, obviously) is because then you will have quick fuel available to you as you are being active during the day. Eat more protein and fat at the end of the day, because you don't need fast energy while you're sleeping.
Edit: this is more for athletes/very active people who are not looking to lose weight.0 -
I must be a complete slacker because that seems like too many rules to me. I eat carbs whenever I feel like eating carbs and don't really think too much about it.
In my experience I am able to lose weight if I consistently burn more calories than I eat. It doesn't seem to matter where the calories are coming from or what time of day I am consuming them.0 -
I presently eat all my carbs in my first 2 meals.0
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I eat carbs whenever I want them, as long as it's within my calorie goal.
This. And well, it's often.
:drinker:0 -
Careful. You might chip a tooth
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Whenever I want them.0
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I did this exact thing at the beginning of my journey (also at the advice of a personal trainer). I still eat something every few hours, I just make absolute sure it's healthy and I stay within my ranges. I don't stick to the "no carb after lunch" rule anymore, but I do watch my carb portions at dinner.
I've done it several different ways, but I don't think either way makes a big difference. The only thing I would advise is to eat a "good" carb about an hour before working out (unless your workout is in the morning). This will fuel your body for a good burn. Just figure out what works best for you.......and do that. Good luck!
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Great, more garbage studies.0 -
Whenever I want. Sometimes after 8pm *gasp*0
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