Refueling with Carbohydrates Part 3 - Timing
Welcome to Part 3 of Refueling with Carbohydrates! In Part 1 we looked at the quantity of carbohydrates to be eating, and in Part 2 we examined which sources are best. Today we’ll take a look at timing: When during the day is it best to eat carbohydrates?
For Recovery
Precision Nutrition recommends consuming carbohydrate-dense foods following exercise, for up to about 3 hours post-workout. These carbohydrates should be taken with your post-workout protein dose, since carbohydrates are first in line to be used as energy, saving the protein for muscle-building! If you’re eating for fat loss, this post-workout protein and carbohydrate blend will ideally come in the form of a regular meal (i.e breakfast, lunch or dinner). If you’re eating to build muscle, this post-workout refuel can come in the form of a snack (i.e. protein shake + granola bar) or meal.
For Fat Loss
Morning
Consume very few, or no carbs. You have higher levels of cortisol and catecholamines that are stimulating fat-burning. By eating carbs you will be shutting down some of these processes. Plan for a more fat and protein dominant breakfast.
Example fat loss breakfast:
- 2-4 whole eggs (depends on the person), prepared how you like
- 100mL greek yogurt with chia seeds
- If you are someone who is used to having toast with eggs, try having eggs with some sauteed vegetables or some raw veggies on the side.
Midday
Add in some carbohydrates, but minimize the fat. After not having carbohydrates for a while, the body is sensitized to their presence. When you first eat carbohydrates, the body releases a greater amount of insulin. This spike in blood sugar and insulin will cause the fat to go into storage. Opt for a meal that contains some carbs and lots of proteins.
Example fat loss lunch:
- Lentil salad
- Tin of sardines
Evening
This is where you should eat the bulk of your carbohydrates. You already “broke the seal” at lunch, and reduced the body’s sensitivity to carbohydrates by taking some in. Now you are safe to take in a larger portion of carbohydrates without risking spiking, and then tanking, your blood sugar too drastically. Also, the presence of insulin will allow the brain to take in amino acids like tryptophan. Tryptophan is converted to serotonin and melatonin in the brain, which are responsible for your sleep-wake cycle. Bonus!
Example fat loss dinner:
- Turkey tacos
- Sauteed Veggies
- Small amount of Tortilla chips and guacamole
For Building Muscle
The recommendations for carbohydrate timing when trying to build muscle are quite similar to when trying to lose fat! However, it’s best to eat more calories than you’re burning when trying to gain muscle. Most of the extra calories will come from carbohydrates. This means you can lean into the carbohydrates a bit more at each meal. Instead of eating NONE-SOME-MORE for breakfast-lunch-dinner (fat loss), you would eat SOME-MORE-LOTS to facilitate muscle growth!
Before an Early Workout?
What about timing carbohydrates before early workouts? Sometimes it’s not practical to eat before training. For example, people who train at 6am would have to wake up at 4am to digest any complex carbohydrates properly before training. In this scenario, you could jump for some simple sugars (fruits) or just not eat altogether. If you have eaten well the night before, you will have stored enough glycogen to train with that morning, so don’t sweat it!
I sincerely hope that all of this information has given you a helpful introduction into carbohydrates and encourages you to do some of your own research! There is lots of information out there! Some trusted sources include:
- Anything from scholar.google.com (peer-reviewed journal articles). These can be hard to dissect, but if you stick to reading the “abstract” section at the top, you can quickly acquire some good information.
- Healthline
- Precision Nutrition
If you are interested in learning how to customize your carbohydrate intake to maximize your results,
reach out to us today about our 1on1 nutritional coaching.
