Time of eating

[RMiller1991]

Hi Robert,

Quick Q. followed by a longer one (feel free to answer one or both) do you think the time of day that you eat makes much of a difference?

For various reasons I end up getting well over half of my calories around supper time and afterwards.

I have heard that can contribute to storing fat over recovery/muscle growth, is that just a myth?

I am not going too crazy on calories, and it is usually Greek Yogurt, cheese, milk, steak that I am eating along with some carbs if they are around.

Trying to maintain my bw while slowly decreasing BF% - I'm currently threading the thin line between eating enough to push through the late stage of my LP but not blow up in BF%.

My current diet is pretty simple - 250g min of protein daily, at least 1lb of steak/beef the rest comes from breakfast/supper the wife cooks and Greek Yogurt/cheese/milk/whey protein. I eat white rice with steak on training days. For calories, I try to eat more on training days, but I typically just eat as much as I can when I am feeling sore and having recovery issues, and pare it back a little once my BW climbs 5lbs. Is that a reasonable approach in my situation if I don't have the bandwidth or predictability to count macros beyond protein on a regular basis?

I'm male, 30yo 6'2" 260lbs - just under 1yr in the program.
Squat 340x5
Dead 455x5
Press 265x1
Bench 335x1

Thanks!

[Robert Santana]

So are you another I'm-tracking-protein-and-not-worried-about-the-other-macros guy?

No timing doesn't matter unless you have symptoms of hypoglycemia during your workouts. Then timing matters more. I have lifted fasted and I have lifted on a full stomach and have done fine with both. The latter works better when the intensity is higher though so err on the side of shifting more carbs around your workout for good measure.

If you are restricting the calories you need at late LP, then YNDTP.

[RMiller1991]

So are you another I'm-tracking-protein-and-not-worried-about-the-other-macros guy?

No timing doesn't matter unless you have symptoms of hypoglycemia during your workouts. Then timing matters more. I have lifted fasted and I have lifted on a full stomach and have done fine with both. The latter works better when the intensity is higher though so err on the side of shifting more carbs around your workout for good measure.

If you are restricting the calories you need at late LP, then YNDTP.

No, I just don't have the bandwidth or predictability to count macros on a regular basis, I have a wife and 5 children, a stressful unpredictable job, and 3+ acres of garden/fruit trees to maintain in what's left of my free time. I do try and be intentional in getting enough calories and carbs especially around workout days. I have run my LP from 195lbs bw to 260lbs bw in 11 months, I'm not a skinny guy not eating enough or even a fat guy who is scared of eating too much, I'm just at the very end where the fat is coming quicker than the muscle if I just eat everything I can shove down my gullet like I have for the past year.

I was more curious of your opinion on the common "eat a bunch at night translates more to fat than muscle" talking point I've heard.

[Robert Santana]

Eating a bunch at night typically hinders fat loss for one reason or another. It shouldn't if calories are controlled and maybe it's harder to control calories at night. It's just an observation I've seen and moreso in guys trying to get real lean. The more you have to lose the less this is an issue. In terms of putting it on, it's a non issue unless your total calories are very high. The easiest thing for a guy in your situation to do is trim the fat from your diet, mainly in your protein sources for starters, and you should see the fat gain stop and you may even lose some if you desire to.

[Satch12879]

Maybe it's the body being prohibited from tapping into fat stores during the night by the large, late eating?

[RMiller1991]

Eating a bunch at night typically hinders fat loss for one reason or another. It shouldn't if calories are controlled and maybe it's harder to control calories at night. It's just an observation I've seen and moreso in guys trying to get real lean. The more you have to lose the less this is an issue. In terms of putting it on, it's a non issue unless your total calories are very high. The easiest thing for a guy in your situation to do is trim the fat from your diet, mainly in your protein sources for starters, and you should see the fat gain stop and you may even lose some if you desire to.

Thanks, Robert. I figured that was the case, I'm working on getting more of my food earlier in the day instead of running into the evening still behind the 8 ball for calories. Most of my fat currently comes via milk (easy way to supplement calories/protein in a pinch), cheese, butter, olive oil, and the occasional ribeye (usually do sirloin/chicken).

I'll cut out the cheese for now, and stop putting as much butter on my sweet potatoes/rice and see how that goes.

Thanks man.

[Robert Santana]

Maybe it's the body being prohibited from tapping into fat stores during the night by the large, late eating?

Should still see a net drop if your calories are low enough though. If I had to venture a guess, it probably has to do with the diurnal variation in glucose and insulin. We tend to be more insulin sensitive in the morning and more insulin resistant in the late night/early morning. With less food you are theoretically bending the curve in the late night hours but I'm not sure how that would change things metabolically unless blood glucose gets lower and stimulates more gluconeogensis from glycerol to keep you from getting hypoglycemic in your sleep. Seems plausible especially when you are on low calories and tapping into fat stores your body wants to hold onto for a rainy day. This wouldn't matter to the fat guy who has plenty to spare.

Thanks, Robert. I figured that was the case, I'm working on getting more of my food earlier in the day instead of running into the evening still behind the 8 ball for calories. Most of my fat currently comes via milk (easy way to supplement calories/protein in a pinch), cheese, butter, olive oil, and the occasional ribeye (usually do sirloin/chicken).

I'll cut out the cheese for now, and stop putting as much butter on my sweet potatoes/rice and see how that goes.

Thanks man.

Simple enough. You can still enjoy quite a bit of food with those modifications. Try it out and see what happens.

[DaveJF]

I've noticed my morning fasted blood glucose levels are moderated the next morning if I'm low-carb specifically in the evening meal (total daily macros being roughly equal). I'm 58 w/ T2DM so it could well be different for most.

[Robert Santana]

I've noticed my morning fasted blood glucose levels are moderated the next morning if I'm low-carb specifically in the evening meal (total daily macros being roughly equal). I'm 58 w/ T2DM so it could well be different for most.

That is a quite different situation since your physiology is abnormal. You definitely should eat fewer carbs at night but still have some around workouts since glucose is deposited in the muscles independent of insulin when you train.

[DaveJF]

Thanks, Robert. I figured that was the case, I'm working on getting more of my food earlier in the day instead of running into the evening still behind the 8 ball for calories.

If I had to venture a guess, it probably has to do with the diurnal variation in glucose and insulin. We tend to be more insulin sensitive in the morning and more insulin resistant in the late night/early morning.

I've noticed my morning fasted blood glucose levels are moderated the next morning if I'm low-carb specifically in the evening meal (total daily macros being roughly equal). I'm 58 w/ T2DM so it could well be different for most.

That is a quite different situation since your physiology is abnormal. You definitely should eat fewer carbs at night but still have some around workouts since glucose is deposited in the muscles independent of insulin when you train.

Thanks Robert, I was chiming in there mostly regarding the potential diurnal variation, although I'm not a good case study like you mentioned. For those with spot-on glucose physiology I hope "timing" wouldn't really matter, or maybe only matter a little if they are getting a large surplus of calories everyday. I do tolerate carbs better later in the day if I also train mid-late afternoon or later, and agree recovery is better w/ some carbs.