If you have problems getting to sleep or staying asleep at night, eating your last meal or snack at least two to three hours before bedtime may help. Rather than go to bed hungry, though, eat a snack that includes a complex carbohydrate such as a small serving of oatmeal or yogurt with granola. Foods that combine complex carbohydrates and protein, such as peanut butter on wheat bread or cereal with skim milk, may even help you sleep.
Carbohydrates help deliver the amino acid tryptophan, which has a soporific effect, to your brain, explains the National Sleep Foundation.
If you follow a rigorous exercise regimen, and particularly if you work out in the evening , you may need to replenish your carbohydrate stores prior to bedtime. Consuming complex carbs can help you restock your glycogen stores, inhibit the breakdown of muscle and assist in muscle recovery. As for weight concerns, your body is constantly using energy from recently consumed food, storing excess calories as fat and releasing energy from glycogen and fat stores to meet demand.
Weight gain or weight loss takes place over days and weeks rather than hours. Consult with your doctor about your food choices and meal timing if you have a diet-related illness such as diabetes. Nutrition Nutrition Basics Carbs. By Pam Murphy Updated December 18, Jill Corleone is a registered dietitian with more than 20 years of experience. In one 6-month study, 78 obese adults were asked to follow a low-calorie diet that involved eating carbs either only at dinner or at every meal.
The dinner-only group lost more total weight and body fat and felt fuller than those who ate carbs at every meal 5. Conversely, another study in 58 obese men following a low-calorie diet with either more carbs at lunch or dinner found that both diets were similarly effective for fat loss 6.
Meanwhile, a recent study observed that your body is better at burning carbs in the morning and fat in the evening, meaning that carbs should be consumed earlier in the day for optimal fat burning 7.
Also, several studies indicate that weight gain tends to occur with eating more calories later in the day, so larger, carb-rich meals in the evening may hinder fat loss 8 , 9 , Additionally, your total carb intake is likely more important than timing, as eating too many carbs or calories from other nutrients can hinder weight loss Aim to choose more fiber-rich, complex carbs like oats and quinoa over refined carbs like white bread, white pasta, and pastries, as the former are generally more filling.
Carbs are an important source of calories for people looking to build muscle mass. However, only a few studies have looked into timing carb intake for this purpose. Some studies find that consuming carbs along with protein within a few hours after a workout may help increase protein synthesis, which is the process by which your body builds muscle 12 , Yet, other studies indicate that eating protein on its own post-workout is just as effective at stimulating protein synthesis as consuming protein along with carbs 14 , 15 , 16 , That said, when resistance training, your body relies significantly on carbs as a source of fuel, so a carb-rich pre-workout meal or snack may help you perform better in the gym 1.
In addition, carbs have a protein-sparing effect, which means that your body prefers to use carbs for energy instead of proteins. As a result, it can use protein for other purposes, such as building muscle, when your carb intake is higher Moreover, eating carbs after a workout may slow the breakdown of protein that occurs post-workout, which may aid muscle growth Still, for most people, eating adequate amounts of healthy complex carbs throughout the day is more important for building muscle than timing.
Research shows that eating carbs before and after a workout can help athletes perform longer and recover more quickly. It also reduces muscle damage and soreness 1.
Consuming carbs at least 3—4 hours before a workout can help athletes exercise for prolonged periods, while consuming them within 30 minutes to 4 hours after a workout can help restore your glycogen stores 1 , The ketogenic, or keto, diet is a very-low-carb, high-fat, moderate-protein diet, often used to lose weight. It typically involves restricting carb intake to less than 50 grams per day to reach and maintain ketosis , a metabolic state in which your body burns fat for fuel instead of carbs Currently, evidence to suggest that timing your carb intake to aid weight loss on a keto diet is lacking.
This is known as a targeted ketogenic diet Carbs can help us control our stress levels by blunting our cortisol response. Consuming them in the evening allows our bodies to tap into that parasympathetic mode, so we can ease into a more restful state of mind and eventually into sleep. You should also focus on carbs that are unrefined carbs such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Your diet should be evaluated based on weekly nutritional behavior and objectively based measurements, not by a singular item or meal-timing strategy.
But at least now you know the truth about carbs — so go ahead and have that slice of bread with dinner! Need help creating a fitness and nutrition plan?
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