The Best Times of Day to Eat Protein, Carbs, and Fat
You are what you eat—but are you also when you eat? Here’s what registered dietitians say about nutrient timing to optimize your workouts and recovery.
Have you ever noticed that breakfast foods are really carb-heavy (looking at you, French toast) and dinner foods are very rich in protein? What’s the deal with that?
Point is: While the standard American diet might make it seem like there’s a particular order to eating certain macros at particular times of the day, the old-school American approach might not be right for everyone—especially if you’re focused on fitness and your physique.
So we asked registered dietitians if the time of the day should influence your macro intake. Unsurprisingly, they suggested that eating right not be as simple as the numbers on the clock. Here’s what they had to say about the best times of day to eat proteins, carbs, and fats.
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The time of exercise matters more than the time of day
Timed eating of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats may significantly affect how the body responds to exercise, according to the official position of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN). In other words, when nutrients are timed properly, it can lead to significant training gains.
“I like to relate ‘the time of eating’ less to ‘the time of day’, and more to ‘the time of exercise and recovery,’” says North Carolina-based registered dietitian Diane Boyd, L.D.N.
Boston-based registered dietitian Lauren Sharifi, R.D., counsels her clients with the same advice: “I often recommend distributing macros based on when you work out or train. A morning workout routine would suggest more carb-heavy breakfast, while an afternoon or evening workout routine would suggest a more carb-heavy dinner.”
With this approach in mind, here’s how to create a macro plan that works for you.
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Before a workout: Focus on carbohydrates with some protein
“In general, athletes perform best with some carbohydrates on board,” says Boyd. The ISSN agrees, but notes that a mix of carbohydrates and protein can increase muscle growth. They recommend eating 1-2g of carbs per kg of body weight, and 0.15-0.25g of protein per kg, three to four hours before a workout. For a 180-pound guy, that’s about 80 grams of carbs and 15 grams of protein prior to a workout.
“My typical rule of thumb: a high-carb, moderate-protein, lower-fat snack 15-30 minutes before working out, or a balanced meal two hours before working out,” says Sharifi.
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Joff Lee
After a workout, prioritize what you need
“Post-exercise recovery differs with respect to the type of exercise. Cardio recovery requires primarily carbs with smaller portions of protein, while strength training recovery calls for protein,” says Boyd.
The ISSN suggests ingesting essential amino acids within three hours of exercise to increase muscle synthesis. Adding carbs to protein may increase this response. Research has also found that including 0.1 gram of creatine per kilogram of body weight to a carb and protein recovery meal may further stimulate muscle growth.
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If you’re eating for weight loss, prioritize protein
Many, many, (many) studies find that eating protein at breakfast promotes weight loss. (That’s why many conventional breakfast cereals are now starting to add protein to their products.) Although this study was performed in women, the results suggest that eating 30 or 39 grams of protein at breakfast can help with appetite control throughout the day in both men and women. Participants in the study actually felt less hungry throughout the morning and ate fewer calories at lunch, therefore inducing weight loss.
So if you’re looking to shed a few pounds, feel free to add an extra egg at breakfast or double the yogurt in your smoothie.
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Nighttime Eating
There’s a popular myth that eating after 8pm will make you fat. The research on nighttime eating is very limited, but the few studies on this topic suggest that might not be the case. One study actually found that consuming a caloric beverage prior to sleep, regardless of type, increased resting energy expenditure—aka the amount of calories your body naturally burns—the next morning. Another review suggests that when training or competition occurs late in the evening or early in the morning, pre-sleep nutrition can help maximize athletic performance.
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Bottom line: You are what you eat, too
While macronutrient timing is important, don’t ignore the quality of your macronutrient intake, either. This may sound like common sense, but if your carbs consist of donuts and your protein is bacon, it doesn’t matter what time of the day you eat—you won’t be able to achieve your fittest state. Opt for lean proteins, whole grains, healthy fats and fruits and vegetables to see the biggest gains, no matter when you eat.
