It’s no wonder we’re confused! It seems that every day there’s a new “scientifically proven” reason to change what time of the day we should eat. It’s time to set the record straight…and the reality is going to surprise you.
Breaking down the basics
Before we can look at when you should eat, it’s essential to know WHAT types of food to eat. Your diet needs to consist of macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins and fats – each of these play an important role in your body. For more info on daily nutrition, read here.
When, how much and how many times should I eat?
First, you need to answer this question: are you looking to lose weight; gain weight or increase lean muscle mass? Depending on your goal, your diet will consist of different things.
“But, how many times should I eat per day?” There are many opinions: some nutritionists say you should eat at least 6 small meals per day and others, 3 average-portion meals per day.
Here’s the kicker: there is actually no correct answer because everyone’s body is unique and digests foods at different speeds!
The key is to be consistent with your meal schedule! Set specific meal times during the day and stick to them. There’s only one rule that works for all: No matter what your goal may be, it’s essential that your final meal of the day is not right before you go to sleep.
This is because your metabolism slows down when you sleep. So if you eat right before you go to bed, you’ll have taken in energy that can’t be used and is stored as fat.
Some goal-driven guidelines
Even though there isn’t a right answer, we’ve put together a guideline that will help you achieve your specific goal.
Lose weight: To lose weight you’re going to need to lower the amount of calories that you take in on a daily basis. You also need to burn the energy that you’ve consumed and so you need to become more physically active – this is a great time to join a gym!
- Ditch the sugary cereals and start your day with a breakfast that consists of high-protein foods. Try having two eggs and a slice of low GI toast.
- For lunch, make sure any carbs you have are unrefined carbs (healthy carbs), but try to have as little as possible. Try adding a mixture of lean protein and veggies such as a tuna/chicken salad.
- Dinner can be your lowest-carb meal of the day. Don’t fry any protein, rather grill it. Go for lean red meats, chicken or fish, adding in salad and veggies.
Increase lean muscle mass, lower body fat: You’re going to be following the same principles, but this is the most difficult diet to follow and is the most dependent on WHEN you eat your food.
- Your highest carb meal should be eaten in the morning: e.g. oatmeal; cereal you can also combine this with a protein-rich food such as eggs.
- Increase your protein throughout the day. If you’re stuck at a desk, your lunch should be high in protein: beef; chicken; fish are perfect options.
Your dinner should also be high in protein, but you can add some carbohydrate food sources.
Gain weight: This doesn’t mean that you gulp down sugary drinks and junk food – all you will gain is body fat. You need to gain healthy weight!
You need to increase your daily intake of calories.
- Basically, you’ll be following the same diet as the people that want to gain lean muscle mass, but you’re going to eat bigger portions of carbs, protein and healthy fats.
- Rather eat 3 large meals per day, setting specific times in the day for these meals
- Still make sure there is a balance between your carb and protein intake
- It’s also a good idea to join a gym, but focus on lifting heavier weights – this will help you build muscle mass (worry about toning at a later stage.)
Now, you’ve got your nutritional battle plan! Combine this with regular physical activity and consistently eating your meals at set times, and you’ll achieve your goal.
Sources: Calorie Counter, WebMD, NY Times, nlm, Authority Nutrition