Importance of Meal Timing with Fitness

When it comes to food, there are a few things that are very important: what we eat and when we eat. The timing gets to decide a lot of things. We have been taught that we should be eating a ‘breakfast, lunch and dinner’ every day… but as any FITNESS magazine will tell you – this is not ideal.

 

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.” –Francois de La Rochefoucauld

 

What you are eating will directly affect your body! Cardio & lifting ALL day will not help you achieve your goals if you are not eating properly. Proper nutrition has a huge impact on your health, your body’s ability to fight disease & illness, achieving a desired weight, or building a certain muscle tone.

I am following the Body Beast Nutrition plan – and I aim for 5 or 6 meals per day. Each meal includes the mixture of the three primary macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates & fats. Now, don’t worry too much about the nutrition lingo – just think about what you are eating and if one of those categories is WAY higher or WAY lower than the others – you should re-evaluate your eating plan. These three nutrients work together to build muscle & strip fat.

Here is a sample of what my typical eating looks like for the day according to the Body Beast eating schedule:

Workout

Post Workout Drink (immediately after workout)

Wait 1 hour:

Breakfast: usually 2 whole eggs & 4 egg whites, sometimes with salsa OR fruit and 1 piece of Ezekiel toast.

Wait 2-3 hours:

Beast-O-Matic Shake: Shakeology (+ ½ scoop of Hardcore Base Shake) with water, ½ banana, ½ tablespoon peanut butter.

Wait 2-3 hours:

Dinner: normally a lean protein & a ton of veggies

Wait 2 hours:

Snack: optional (almonds (5), ½ porton Shakeology, greek yogurt)

 

If you are following the Body Beast plan you are most likely trying to hit a certain number of calories every day – this is a very new approach to me. Normally, I do not count calories. Normally I eat 5 small portions of lean protein and veggies throughout the day – 6 days a week – with a cheat meal once a week – and at least 75oz. of H2O daily.

 

 

But, the Body Beast eating plan is a lot of food! If you are trying to increase your size, your body needs to materials to make it happen! FOOD! CLEAN FOOD!

 

No matter what plan you are following here are some basic rules to follow:

1.       Drink at least ½ your body weight in OUNCES of H2O!

2.       Do not go any longer than 4 hours in between meals (2-3 hours is ideal).

3.       Try to keep SIMPLE CARBS to a minimum (and if weight loss is your goal – keep carbs before 2pm).

4.       Be sure you are eating enough protein.

5.       If your brain tells you that you are “HUNGRY” try drinking a few glasses of water FIRST – dehydration can feel like hunger to the brain.

6.       Pay attention to your cravings. Why are you craving? Are you stressed? Did you eat ENOUGH healthy foods throughout the day? Are you bored? Figure out your patterns & break them.

7.       Don’t keep JUNK FOOD in the house – set yourself up for SUCCESS!

8.       Try to eat as soon as you wake up in the morning (a HEALTHY breakfast) or very soon after your workout.

9.       Do not consume SUGARY LIQUIDS all day long – this is a SURE way to gain unwanted fat.
 

10.      Give yourself GRACE if you “mess up” – this is a lifestyle change – NOT A DIET.


xoxo,
Brittany