Legit or broscience?

[Dadstrength]

A few guys at my guy are telling me it doesn't matter what time you eat. As long as you hit your macros daily your ok. I'm curious because I'm bulking now and I would like to throw in oatmeal in my before bed shake. But I was always taught that If you don't use the energy from the carbs before bed it'll turn to body fat.
So does it make a difference?
As long as I hit my macros I'm fine? Or should I not add the carbs right before bed.

Btw I understand during bulking you inevitably add body fat but I want to keep it as low as possible.

[SEOINAGE]

Honestly if you were depleted like in a cut, I highly doubt some carbs before bed would turn to fat, Still though if you are in a surplus it might pose a problem. There are some studies showing consumption of a similar meal before bed improves metabolism the next day.

Personally I would keep things simple, and not over stress the rest of the details. If your macros are right, you aren't going to just magically get fat, if you do then you are over on calories. Timing can be used to accomplish some specific goals, throwing timing out as not having any kind of impact is rather silly. Your body goes through circadian rhythms throughout the day and night, and various hormones are at different levels throughout the day. But your body also does a good job of balancing things out.

My advice to you, is do whatever the fk you want, and if you aren't getting the results you want, adjust somewhere. Don't completely neglect any aspect, but the whole eating carbs after a certain time is going to make you fat, is a load of crap, other factors involved but that is one of those mainstream misconceptions that drive me crazy. Sure if you are sedentary and eating all day and go out to eat and consume a couple thousand calories really late, but you were already over no matter what time you ate it, and then you do it again the next day.

In my experience with bulking, getting enough calories can be difficult, I don't know what your experience level is with all of this, but you'll just have to see what works for you and your goals.

[-KJ-]

A few guys at my guy are telling me it doesn't matter what time you eat. As long as you hit your macros daily your ok. I'm curious because I'm bulking now and I would like to throw in oatmeal in my before bed shake. But I was always taught that If you don't use the energy from the carbs before bed it'll turn to body fat.
So does it make a difference?
As long as I hit my macros I'm fine? Or should I not add the carbs right before bed.

Btw I understand during bulking you inevitably add body fat but I want to keep it as low as possible.

Bro science... Hit your macros an you'll be fine!

Carbs before bed will not turn to fat! People generally shy away from it as they want to use their carbs around their workouts when energy demands are higher!

IMO while bulking if you want to add carbs in do once it fits your macros!

[austinite]

Let's see....

If I eat 3500 calories split into 20 meals and I burn 3000 calories... I am 500 calories in surplus.

If I eat 3500 calories split into 3 meals and I burn 3000 calories... I am 500 calories in surplus.

So yes, that should debunk the timing issue. There are only 3 things you need to be concerned with when dieting...

1. Knowing your daily expenditure.
2. Getting your caloric Marcos in before end of day.
3. Being consistent.

[Brazensol]

I've been doing well with 150g cottage cheese and a 75g piece of chicken before bed. I usually add some blueberries and peaches to the cottage cheese. They don't have nearly as much carbs as oatmeal but I don't feel they've hurt me any either. I don't know if eating slower digesting protein (like cottage chesse) before bed is bro science or not but it seems logical to reduce as long as possible the body going catabolic while sleeping...

[baseline_9]

I aim to only consume BCAA's, fish oils.... The cleanest protein and fat source you can get....

Anything else will simply be turned to fat..... Even looking at white rice or dirty carb before bed can make you fat, this is well backed in the bro-science community with no data.... My bro at the gym told me about this....

However if you really want to consume carbs before bed make sure they are clean..... I find soaking and then washing my carb sources with soap really helps to clean up my carb sources.... Remember clean is good, dirty is bad, so wash carbs really well...


Not srs..... U can do whatever the FUK you want!!!

[austinite]

I aim to only consume BCAA's, fish oils.... The cleanest protein and fat source you can get....

Anything else will simply be turned to fat..... Even looking at white rice or dirty carb before bed can make you fat, this is well backed in the bro-science community with no data.... My bro at the gym told me about this....

However if you really want to consume carbs before bed make sure they are clean..... I find soaking and then washing my carb sources with soap really helps to clean up my carb sources.... Remember clean is good, dirty is bad, so wash carbs really well...


Not srs..... U can do whatever the FUK you want!!!

Laughing........... my......... ass.... off!!!!!!!!!! LOL base!

[crazy mike]

I aim to only consume BCAA's, fish oils.... The cleanest protein and fat source you can get....

Anything else will simply be turned to fat..... Even looking at white rice or dirty carb before bed can make you fat, this is well backed in the bro-science community with no data.... My bro at the gym told me about this....

However if you really want to consume carbs before bed make sure they are clean..... I find soaking and then washing my carb sources with soap really helps to clean up my carb sources.... Remember clean is good, dirty is bad, so wash carbs really well...


Not srs..... U can do whatever the FUK you want!!!

Ah, haaa LMFAO....this place cracks me up. ...crazy mike

[gbrice75]

Particularly when bulking, I purposely consume carbs before bed. Take advantage of that GH release, and optimal time to recover/repair tissue (which carbs will facilitate).

Even while cutting, although I choose to personally stay away from carbs late in the day/close to bedtime, I don't think a small amount will hurt your progress. Remember: excess calories get stored as fat. Not excess carbs per se.

[skaz915]

Im not sure from a scientific point of view but IMO it doesn't matter. If you require 4000 cals a day and eat 1750 at 6am and 1750 cals at 6 pm, You'll loss a lb/wk regardless of it it was 1750 cals of meat and potatoes or 1750 cals of oreos. This is how I believe it to be, makes sense, I may be completely wrong. Please someone confirm/deny this

EDIT: This is definitely not how my nutrition schedule look I was just making an example.

[HulkSmash1]

eating carbs at night doesn't make you fat, common misconception

[Iron Mind]

Legit; total macro's > food timing.

When you're macro's are not right, your timing will make no difference at all..

So you can happily eat your carbs after your workout before you go to bed to hit your total macro's for that day .

[gbrice75]

When you're macro's are not right, your timing will make no difference at all

Bingo, I agree 100%. On the flipside, I *do* believe timing will make a (minor) difference when macros are in check, particularly for those looking to diet down to single digit bodyfat numbers.

[baseline_9]

My take on nutrient timing...

It doesn't make a direct diffence... However if consuming nutrients (mainly carbs) at the 'right' time enables you to work harder in the gym then yes nutrient timing can make a big difference...

I reccomend consuming the bulk of your carbs (or at least a high amount) 90-120 mins pre workout... No matter what the goal is....

[Brett N]

Added question to OP, you guys are saying that timing isn't of great importance but what if your total macros for protein is 300 and you eat it in 2 different meals. Each of them containing 150grams of p. Isn't it hard for your body to process all that protein?

[austinite]

Added question to OP, you guys are saying that timing isn't of great importance but what if your total macros for protein is 300 and you eat it in 2 different meals. Each of them containing 150grams of p. Isn't it hard for your body to process all that protein?

Then you're wasting protein. The point is that you should spread the meals out so that you don't get hungry. But there are no "windows" that you need to adhere to. If you eat 5 minutes post workout or 2 hours post workout, it makes no difference. Just eat.

[Iron Mind]

Bingo, I agree 100%. On the flipside, I *do* believe timing will make a (minor) difference when macros are in check, particularly for those looking to diet down to single digit bodyfat numbers.

My take on nutrient timing...

It doesn't make a direct diffence... However if consuming nutrients (mainly carbs) at the 'right' time enables you to work harder in the gym then yes nutrient timing can make a big difference...

I reccomend consuming the bulk of your carbs (or at least a high amount) 90-120 mins pre workout... No matter what the goal is....

I also believe that timing has a minor role in the whole picture of getting things right. I also try to most of my carbs pre and post-workout, so that at least I will have maximum energy levels to maintain a high(er) intensity than without a proper meal. I've done fasted workouts too, but I just feel better when I've had a proper meal pre-workout. (Not mentioning the mental enlightment of a good post-workout meal after a heavy workout ) It might be a mental thing, but it works for me so that's fine for me.

[Brazensol]

So eating a slow digesting protein before bed has no benefit?

[baseline_9]

So eating a slow digesting protein before bed has no benefit?

In the grand scheme of things.... No

[austinite]

So eating a slow digesting protein before bed has no benefit?

Only if you eat it between 8:45pm and 8:52pm and fall asleep at exactly 9:22pm. Otherwise, wasting your time...

[gbrice75]

I also believe that timing has a minor role in the whole picture of getting things right. I also try to most of my carbs pre and post-workout, so that at least I will have maximum energy levels to maintain a high(er) intensity than without a proper meal. I've done fasted workouts too, but I just feel better when I've had a proper meal pre-workout. (Not mentioning the mental enlightment of a good post-workout meal after a heavy workout ) It might be a mental thing, but it works for me so that's fine for me.

The main issue I see is that 'regular' guys, 15% bodyfat and up are concerning themselves with meal timing, clean eating, etc. and haven't even mastered the basics of their own needs (i.e. caloric intake, TDEE, etc.). Bad management of priorities IMO.

Once that's in check, and bodyfat is at an appreciable level (10% ish), anybody wanting to bring it even lower can and should start paying more attention to things like meal/macro timing as well as food choices. The majority of competitive bodybuilders will agree. Hell, many of them won't eat any carb except sweet potato 1-2 weeks out. They have the experience and physique that shows they *must* be doing something right.