Distribution of macros throughout the day...

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jonathanmhobson
jonathanmhobson Posts: 44 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I eat little and often throughout the day (apart from breakfast when i tend to eat quite a lot of calories), keeping protein a constant factor every time i eat. I try to stop carb intake around 4 hours before i go to bed. I am currently doing 40% Carbs 40%Protein 20% fat.

What i would like to know is: -

(a) Is it ok to eat more at breakfast?

(b) Is it a good idea to stop the carbs around 4 hours before bed?

TY!
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Replies

  • msmirandakate
    msmirandakate Posts: 13 Member
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    big breakfast good. it fuels you for the day and kick starts your metabolism! i would def ban cabs 4 hrs before bed, i even try to not eat at all within that 4 hr window. the only carbs i would eat would be that pesky late night square of chocolate, or the carrots i have with dinner if i have an early night,.
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
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    I eat little and often throughout the day (apart from breakfast when i tend to eat quite a lot of calories), keeping protein a constant factor every time i eat. I try to stop carb intake around 4 hours before i go to bed. I am currently doing 40% Carbs 40%Protein 20% fat.

    What i would like to know is: -

    (a) Is it ok to eat more at breakfast?

    (b) Is it a good idea to stop the carbs around 4 hours before bed?

    TY!
    A) Sure. But I find if I eat a large breakfast, I get hungrier throughout the day. But if it works for you, go ahead.

    B) It won't make a bit of difference. There's no reason to stop eating carbs at a certain time. But again, if it works for you, go ahead.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    big breakfast good. it fuels you for the day and kick starts your metabolism! i would def ban cabs 4 hrs before bed, i even try to not eat at all within that 4 hr window. the only carbs i would eat would be that pesky late night square of chocolate, or the carrots i have with dinner if i have an early night,.

    There is no reason from a weight loss perspective of eating breakfast or of cutting off carbs, or any macronutrient before you go to bed.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Distribute your meals and you macros how you want based on preference, satiation, lifestyle and energy levels.

    Hitting your calorie and macro targets is far more important than any possible negligible benefit from meal or macro timing.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
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    (a) Is it ok to eat more at breakfast?

    Its your choice. If you like eating most of your daily calories at breaky, go for it. I tend to avoid lunch due to schedule so most of my calories are at dinner and about 25% of my daily cals are in breaky.
    (b) Is it a good idea to stop the carbs around 4 hours before bed?

    No medical/scientific reason to. Eat them away.
  • DawnEH612
    DawnEH612 Posts: 574 Member
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    Its all a matter of preference. I tend to eat the bulk of my calories at night.. I prefer it that way and to my knowledge it has not impeded my fat loss, muscle gain or health.
  • CookyBell
    CookyBell Posts: 22
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    Hi Johnny,

    Eating regular meals throughout the day is definitely the way to go. I try to time meals and macro-nutrient content based on my planned activities throughout the day.

    Eating a large breakfast is, for me, quiet important because I know that I have fasted for at least 8 hours during the night and my aims are to (a) replenish carbohydrates to provide fuel for the morning and (b) get my body into a state of positive/equilibrium (minimum I aim for) nitrogen balance asap through eating proteins.

    The remainder of my meals are then split based on whether it’s a workout or non workout day, type of workout (cardio based vs weight training), other activities planned (I can walk over 10 miles in a day at work therefore carbs play an important part).

    Unless you are going to get into reading reports done by bona fide studies what you are left with are diets that jump on the ‘no carbs after a certain time’ bandwagon, hearsay and diets/reports that are biased in favour of whatever the writer is trying to sell/promote. Remember that, as I previously stated, if you have 8 hours sleep and then cut the carbs so many hours before bedtime you are potentially depriving your body of its main fuel source for 12 hours or so. The human body is a wonderful thing and if you deprive it of its main fuel source, when needed, it will find other fuel to burn; protein being easier to convert to energy than fat is usually the first source to be used; not going to get into cyclic-keto diets here. The potential result of this is that as your muscle is used for energy; you lower body mass and in turn lower your BMR thus reducing the total amount of calories your body needs. If you lower the amount of calories your body needs and continue eating the same amount fat gain is a real possibility.

    Personally speaking, and here we go into the hearsay bit, I wouldn't cut carbs X amount of hours before bedtime but rather watch what sort of carbs I eat; stay away from stodgy sugary carbs and eat slow absorbing carbs coupled with good quality proteins and the right type of fats. As always though track your diet and adjust accordingly based on your weekly weigh in and body composition results.

    As with most things when it comes to diets you need to find, not only, what works for you but the diet regime that fits in with your lifestyle and one that believe in; but base it on actual results!
  • tricksee
    tricksee Posts: 835 Member
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    Meal timing is not important. It never has been and never will be proved to be. Eating breakfast first thing in the morning is not important.

    This thread should have ended after this post...
    Distribute your meals and you macros how you want based on preference, satiation, lifestyle and energy levels.
  • CookyBell
    CookyBell Posts: 22
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    Meal timing is not important. It never has been and never will be proved to be.

    I'd have to disagree with this. The majority of studies I have read have highlighted the need to replace expended energy and assist with recovery after exercise all help to reduce muscle catabolism. Catabolism, as Im sure you are aware is the breaking down of large molecules into smaller ones; an energy replacement process. If you do a workout your body enters into a state of catabilsm and therefore needs fuel to alter this biochemical process. Therefore meal timing after a workout is important. Likewise timing a meal prior to a workout, in order to ensure that you have sufficient energy reserves to meet the demands about to be placed on your body is also important.
    Eating breakfast first thing in the morning is not important..

    Again I would have to disagree with this statement. Numerous studies have proven that individuals that eat a proper nutritionally balanced breakfast benefit from this, with regards to restocking glycogen levels etc after 8 - 12 hours of fasting,, and that unhealthy 'snacking' is less likely to occur. It also helps to get the body into a proper nitrogen fuelled state. I suppose you could argue that the statement 'first thing in the morning' is open to discussion with regards to what is the correct window of opportunity.

    .
    This thread should have ended after this post...
    Distribute your meals and you macros how you want based on preference, satiation, lifestyle and energy levels.
    .[/quote]

    I agree somewhat with this statement however (and there's always an however) its not always easy to listen to your body due to hectic lifestyles and depending upon how interpret it this statement also agrees with my posts. After all lifestyle and energy levels etc will be impacted by sleepi, working, training plans/intensity etc and establishing a meal/macro plan can help to instil discipline and make it easier to achieve goals.
  • Joehenny
    Joehenny Posts: 1,222 Member
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    Actually studies show that HGH levels are raised by skipping breakfast, It's all preference though, personally I'd rather save up my cals for later in the day when I am actually hungry. Limiting carbs would be pointless though, it's surpluses, and deficits that affect weight loss/gain.
  • Joehenny
    Joehenny Posts: 1,222 Member
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    Bro-science alert.
  • mrdexter1
    mrdexter1 Posts: 356 Member
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    Meal timing is not important. It never has been and never will be proved to be. Eating breakfast first thing in the morning is not important.

    This thread should have ended after this post...
    Distribute your meals and you macros how you want based on preference, satiation, lifestyle and energy levels.


    Nothing like being straight to the point he said laughing !!!!

    what have you got to say about a macros 17 carb , 70 fat, 218 protein 1530 cal diet for a 175Lb male ?
  • CookyBell
    CookyBell Posts: 22
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    Bro-science alert.
    Love it! :)
  • CookyBell
    CookyBell Posts: 22
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    Actually studies show that HGH levels are raised by skipping breakfast, It's all preference though, personally I'd rather save up my cals for later in the day when I am actually hungry. Limiting carbs would be pointless though, it's surpluses, and deficits that affect weight loss/gain.

    This could open the door for all sort of posts related to intermittent fasting etc

    Anyhoo I cannot say that Ive read studies with regards to skipping breakfast raising HGH levels, and I do appreciate fasting when done correctly for weight loss and boosting the immune system, however the other aspect of eating a good breakfast is to stabilize blood sugar and cortisol levels.
  • CookyBell
    CookyBell Posts: 22
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    what have you got to say about a macros 17 carb , 70 fat, 218 protein 1530 cal diet for a 175Lb male ?

    Are you into keto diets?
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
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    I find at different stages along my heakthy lifestyle journey I have adjusted the timing of when I eat and how often but in the end, it has to balance out in a 24 hour period and. Listening to my own body...
  • EmoJew
    EmoJew Posts: 94 Member
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    I eat most of my carbs at night, purely cos they make me sleepy and that's when I crave them most!
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Meal timing is not important. It never has been and never will be proved to be.

    I'd have to disagree with this. The majority of studies I have read have highlighted the need to replace expended energy and assist with recovery after exercise all help to reduce muscle catabolism. Catabolism, as Im sure you are aware is the breaking down of large molecules into smaller ones; an energy replacement process. If you do a workout your body enters into a state of catabilsm and therefore needs fuel to alter this biochemical process. Therefore meal timing after a workout is important. Likewise timing a meal prior to a workout, in order to ensure that you have sufficient energy reserves to meet the demands about to be placed on your body is also important.
    Eating breakfast first thing in the morning is not important..

    Again I would have to disagree with this statement. Numerous studies have proven that individuals that eat a proper nutritionally balanced breakfast benefit from this, with regards to restocking glycogen levels etc after 8 - 12 hours of fasting,, and that unhealthy 'snacking' is less likely to occur. It also helps to get the body into a proper nitrogen fuelled state. I suppose you could argue that the statement 'first thing in the morning' is open to discussion with regards to what is the correct window of opportunity.

    .
    This thread should have ended after this post...
    Distribute your meals and you macros how you want based on preference, satiation, lifestyle and energy levels.

    I agree somewhat with this statement however (and there's always an however) its not always easy to listen to your body due to hectic lifestyles and depending upon how interpret it this statement also agrees with my posts. After all lifestyle and energy levels etc will be impacted by sleepi, working, training plans/intensity etc and establishing a meal/macro plan can help to instil discipline and make it easier to achieve goals.

    Please cite studies that show, under calorie control, meal timing has any impact on body composition.

    Here is a link, that includes studies, that show it is not

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/820577-meal-frequency-rev-up-that-furnace-lol

    Note: unless you are doing something that is glycogen depleting, and non endurance cardio or lifting is not,and then go and do another glycogen depleting activity then you do not have to worry about repleting glycogen.

    Also your body is in a constant state of catabolism and anabolism - you cannot just look at the net balance of a small window of time.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Meal timing is not important. It never has been and never will be proved to be. Eating breakfast first thing in the morning is not important.

    This thread should have ended after this post...
    Distribute your meals and you macros how you want based on preference, satiation, lifestyle and energy levels.


    Nothing like being straight to the point he said laughing !!!!

    what have you got to say about a macros 17 carb , 70 fat, 218 protein 1530 cal diet for a 175Lb male ?

    I would wonder why your calories are so low and why you are trying a keto diet.
  • mrdexter1
    mrdexter1 Posts: 356 Member
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    simple,

    more energy, basic easy to manage prepare and shop for diet, and i can retain muscle whilst doing it -

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