{"id":20486,"date":"2021-04-01T15:19:12","date_gmt":"2021-04-01T15:19:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/?p=20486"},"modified":"2024-12-16T08:35:01","modified_gmt":"2024-12-16T08:35:01","slug":"nutrient-timing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/","title":{"rendered":"Nutrient Timing: Does When You Eat Matter?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_75 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#Get_your_personalized\" >Get your personalized<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#What_Is_Nutrient_Timing\" >What Is Nutrient Timing?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#What_Are_The_Distinct_Phases_Of_Nutrient_Timing\" >What Are The Distinct Phases Of Nutrient Timing?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#The_Energy_Phase\" >The Energy Phase<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#The_Anabolic_Phase\" >The Anabolic Phase<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#The_Growth_Phase\" >The Growth Phase<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#The_Anabolic_Window_Fact_Or_Fiction\" >The Anabolic Window: Fact Or Fiction?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#Insulin_Sensitivity\" >Insulin Sensitivity\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#Carb_Replenishment\" >Carb Replenishment\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#Protein_Intake\" >Protein Intake<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#Nutrient_Timing_For_Weight_Loss\" >Nutrient Timing For Weight Loss<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#Tips_On_Nutrient_Timing_For_Fat_Loss\" >Tips On Nutrient Timing For Fat Loss\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#Nutrient_Timing_For_Bodybuilding\" >Nutrient Timing For Bodybuilding\u00a0<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#Nutrient_Timing_Bodybuilding_Tips\" >Nutrient Timing Bodybuilding Tips<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#The_Bottom_Line\" >The Bottom Line<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#DISCLAIMER\" >DISCLAIMER:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#SOURCES\" >SOURCES:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You&#8217;ve probably heard that eating before bed isn&#8217;t a good idea when you&#8217;re trying to lose weight. Or it would be best if you ate less before a workout and more after your workout. That&#8217;s nutrient timing.<\/span><\/p>\n\n    <section class=\"ad-single-wrapper\">\n        <div class=\"ad-single-text ad-title-wrapper\">\n            <h3 class=\"ad-single-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Get_your_personalized\"><\/span>Get your personalized<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n            <span class=\"ad-single-sub-title color-green\">\n                <svg class=\"icon-sparkle\" width=\"36\" height=\"21\" viewBox=\"0 0 36 21\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\n                          d=\"M34.6837 0.515943C34.8247 0.835947 34.9421 1.16291 34.9891 1.48987C35.1417 2.64466 35.3179 6.51949 35.2592 7.29863C35.2592 7.53515 35.1887 7.7995 35.0243 8.01516C34.7307 8.39777 33.9791 8.4256 33.5681 8.07081C33.4154 7.94559 33.3215 7.77863 33.2745 7.61863C33.1453 7.15254 33.0396 6.68645 32.9809 6.22035C32.8165 4.81512 32.6638 3.40293 32.5581 1.9977C32.5229 1.53161 32.6051 1.05856 32.6991 0.592466C32.7695 0.244637 33.251 -0.0197144 33.6973 0.00115537C34.2257 0.0289818 34.5546 0.230723 34.6837 0.515943ZM18.6184 9.78225C18.5734 9.67557 18.5344 9.57528 18.4971 9.47956C18.4178 9.27568 18.3465 9.09257 18.2426 8.91267C16.7159 6.24133 14.2615 3.86217 11.4665 1.60128C11.1377 1.33693 10.7267 1.08649 10.2687 0.919531C10.0221 0.829095 9.52885 0.843009 9.247 0.933445C9.03562 1.00301 8.88295 1.27432 8.92992 1.42736C9.01213 1.71954 9.18828 2.01868 9.4349 2.28303C11.0555 4.02913 12.6879 5.76829 14.3437 7.50048C14.8308 8.0068 15.3395 8.50887 15.8473 9.01L15.8473 9.01001C15.9883 9.14921 16.1293 9.28833 16.2697 9.42746C16.4811 9.64311 16.7159 9.85181 16.9626 10.0466C17.2327 10.2692 17.6437 10.4014 18.0547 10.2553C18.0691 10.2501 18.0836 10.245 18.0981 10.2399C18.1097 10.2358 18.1213 10.2318 18.1329 10.2278C18.3785 10.1424 18.6184 10.0589 18.6184 9.78225ZM1.98942 20.1407C2.17783 20.1221 2.37674 20.105 2.58175 20.0875C2.99012 20.0525 3.42272 20.0154 3.84492 19.9598C6.34632 19.6259 8.84771 19.292 11.3374 18.9442C11.8776 18.8676 12.406 18.7355 12.8875 18.5824C13.5334 18.3807 13.7566 18.0954 13.6509 17.7824C13.5452 17.4694 13.1224 17.2746 12.3826 17.2676C11.8776 17.2607 11.3374 17.2676 10.8559 17.3372C7.69683 17.8102 4.5378 18.2972 1.3905 18.7911C1.03819 18.8468 0.674137 18.9442 0.404034 19.0833C-0.2771 19.4242 -0.065712 19.9598 0.803314 20.092C1.01858 20.1228 1.25262 20.1258 1.51135 20.1291C1.66195 20.131 1.82092 20.133 1.98942 20.1407Z\"\n                          fill=\"#17B991\"\/>\n                <\/svg>\n               meal plan!\n            <\/span>\n        <\/div>\n    \n        <div class=\"ad-single-text ad-desc-wrapper\">\n            <p class=\"ad-single-desc\">What's your main health goal?<\/p>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Nutrient_Timing\" class=\"btn-ad btn-green\">Lose weight<\/a>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Nutrient_Timing\" class=\"btn-ad btn-green\">Feel great<\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <img class=\"ad-single-img\" alt=\"health-food\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"395\" height=\"383\" src=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/themes\/gridlove-child\/assets\/img\/ad\/health-food.webp\">\n    <\/section>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s a strategic nutrition system where you eat at certain times to achieve benefits such as muscle growth, <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/21-day-fat-loss-challenge\/\">fat loss<\/a>, and improved performance. Unfortunately, it&#8217;s not as black and white. Follow us into the discussion as we look deeper into the topic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_Nutrient_Timing\"><\/span><b>What Is Nutrient Timing?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nutrient timing is when you eat specific foods in specific amounts at specific times to achieve maximum results. For decades, professional bodybuilders and athletes have used the concept of nutrient timing to aid with bodybuilding, fat loss, and improved performance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the early 2000s, precisely 2004, Dr. John Ivy, one of the world&#8217;s leading researchers in &#8220;carbohydrate timing,&#8221; and Dr. Robert Portman published a book called <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nutrient Timing: The Future of Sports Nutrition<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The book lay a foundation for many nutritional programs that promoted the idea of nutrient timing and how it was vital to losing fat, gaining muscle, and improving performance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For many years, researchers continued to study the nutrient timing system, trying to prove that it works and is effective. Unfortunately, studies are still inconclusive as there are many variants on this concept (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/12831698\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Several studies conclude that even though nutrient timing may have benefits, there are limitations:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Short-term blood markers only indicate short-term benefits.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The research was mostly conducted on soft endpoints such as protein synthesis, glycogen replenishment, or nitrogen balance. These didn&#8217;t conclude if the effects led to changes in body composition or performance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has an athletic bias as the studies focus on athletes who follow intensive exercises such as endurance training, strength training, and muscle building.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scientific evidence shows that strategic placement of food could possibly help one perform better, <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/3-day-split-workout\/\">build muscle<\/a>, grow and recover faster, leading to a more robust and <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/is-6-hours-of-sleep-enough-to-build-muscle\/\">healthier body<\/a>. However, more research is to be done in different circumstances.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Intense sweat sessions, working weight loss tips, lip-smacking recipes come in one package with the BetterMe app. And all of it is at your fingertips, <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Nutrient_Timing\">start transforming your life<\/a> now!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Nutrient_Timing\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-30883 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-4128-1024x576.png\" alt=\"nutrient timing\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-4128.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-4128-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-4128.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-4128.png 1344w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Are_The_Distinct_Phases_Of_Nutrient_Timing\"><\/span><b>What Are The Distinct Phases Of Nutrient Timing?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are three nutrient timing phases:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Energy Phase\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anabolic Phase\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Growth Phase<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Energy_Phase\"><\/span><b>The Energy Phase<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first phase of nutrient timing occurs during or before your <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/one-punch-man-workout\/\">workout<\/a>, where you intake carbohydrates and proteins to fuel the body. Energy will then be released by your muscles and used to sustain and support your exercises. The phase aims to increase nutrient delivery to the muscles to build glycogen and prevent protein loss.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Muscle glycogen is the primary fuel for your body during high intensity exercise. You have to keep your glycogen stores high or risk muscle fatigue and reduced force production, leading to low body mass.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nutrient timing comes in when you feed primarily on carbs and protein to prevent depletion of muscle glycogen stores, extending endurance. The food will also help you maintain healthy blood glucose levels, which delays fatigue. Moreover, it includes feeding on specific amino acids and vitamins that help with muscular endurance and support the catabolic phase.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because the energy phase involves a decrease of glycogen stores through aerobic and anaerobic exercises, plus the catabolic responses from several hormonal and physiological changes in the body, protein intake with carbohydrate supplementation is crucial.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not only do the carbohydrates provide a source of energy to replace glycogen stores, adding protein helps muscle recovery and building post-exercise (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3905295\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Read More:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/cortisol-belly-fat\/\">Cortisol Belly Fat: Explaining How \u2018The Stress Hormone\u2019 Is Expanding Your Waistline<\/a><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Nutrient_Timing\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-32600 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/6-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"nutrient timing\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/6.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/6-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/6.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/6-1636x920.jpg 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/6.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Anabolic_Phase\"><\/span><b>The Anabolic Phase<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The next phase is the 45-minute window of opportunity, where the body tries to replenish all its lost glycogen from the training. It immediately follows the <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/workouts-that-burn-1000-calories\/\">workout<\/a>, which means your body is hungry for nutrients that replace lost energy and initiate damaged muscle protein repair.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your body will be sensitive to insulin since the phase is now anabolic, and it would be best to feed your body the proper nutrients, including protein and carbs, to improve muscle endurance and strength. Many believe that your body absorbs more nutrients during this window of opportunity and that your cell membranes are more permeable to glucose.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That&#8217;s advantageous as your body quickly restores its glycogen stores and provides the necessary glucose needed to initiate muscle tissue repair, synthesis, and recovery. The anabolic phase requires high carbs, proteins, antioxidants, and amino acids to speed up muscle recovery.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Growth_Phase\"><\/span><b>The Growth Phase<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The last phase lasts the remainder of the day or until your next <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/best-5-day-workout\/\">workout<\/a> (approximately an 18 to 20-hour gap). It&#8217;s where your body slowly recovers and grows muscle fibers by increasing the number of contractile proteins in your muscles. It also aids in replenishing glycogen that was depleted from the energy phase.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The phase aims to maintain optimal muscle growth by preventing insulin resistance, so your muscle enzymes keep building the proteins until you achieve muscle gain. It requires high protein intake to increase strength and aid in protein synthesis. Nonetheless, a healthy balanced diet should also apply.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Nutrient_Timing\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-33399 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4900-1024x576.png\" alt=\"nutrient timing\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4900.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4900-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4900.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4900.png 1152w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Anabolic_Window_Fact_Or_Fiction\"><\/span><b>The Anabolic Window: Fact Or Fiction?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The anabolic window of opportunity is the timeframe immediately after your workout (about 30-45 minutes) where your body is hungry for nutrients, primarily glucose. The glucose is used to replenish your glycogen stores and help with muscle recovery in the long run.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s called a window of opportunity because, in theory, when your body is as hungry as this moment, your body quickly absorbs nutrients leading to faster protein synthesis and muscle recovery. Theoretically, outcomes such as muscle gain and fat loss are more rapid if you optimize this anabolic phase.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, this isn&#8217;t entirely true, and the anabolic window of opportunity is just but a myth. Here&#8217;s why:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Insulin_Sensitivity\"><\/span><b>Insulin Sensitivity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After the intense exercise, your body will be sensitive to insulin so that your cells can quickly absorb glucose to replenish your glycogen stores. However, after a short time, this effect wears off and muscle glycogen recovery slows down rapidly along with the repair and synthesis of new muscle. The time it takes for this period of increased insulin sensitivity to end depends on multiple factors, and may even last 1-2 days after intense long-duration exercise.. In addition to this temporary effect, regular exercise can increase insulin sensitivity over the long term.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Whether you\u2019re looking to simply pep up your fitness routine, jazz up your diet with mouth-watering low-calorie recipes or want to get your act together and significantly drop that number on your scale \u2013 BetterMe app has got you covered! <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Nutrient_Timing\">Improve your body<\/a> and revamp your life with us!<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Carb_Replenishment\"><\/span><b>Carb Replenishment\u00a0<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking in carbohydrates after your exercise will ensure glycogen stored in the muscles and liver is replenished faster. However, the anabolic window period would only be helpful if you worked out more than once a day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Athletes who exercise more than once will have enough windows of opportunity to feed the body and replenish their lost energy stores. Moreover, feeding soon after exercise may obstruct the benefits of the practice (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/26741119\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Nutrient_Timing\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-32205 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4397-1024x576.png\" alt=\"how to eat less\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4397.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4397-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4397.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4397.png 1152w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Protein_Intake\"><\/span><b>Protein Intake<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lastly, while protein is essential for initiating muscle and tissue repair, the benefits of consuming proteins aren&#8217;t seen as fast since protein is metabolized slower. Meaning, the benefits of proteins are seen in the growth phase rather than the anabolic window.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therefore, with protein, the focus should be on your total daily intake, ensuring you include an adequate amount at each mealtime. A nutrient timing plan would be essential to ensure you take in high proteins throughout the day to aid with bodybuilding, composition, and performance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In summary, the anabolic window of opportunity may seem like an excellent way to build muscle and lose weight\/fat; however, it mainly applies to athletes. Those who indulge in high-intensity exercises more than once a day might benefit as the body can seize their window more than once a day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, for the rest of us, we can stick to mindful eating where we have a consistent meal plan; the caloric deficit is best for losing weight while calorie surplus for gaining weight.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Read More:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/200-grams-of-protein-a-day-meal-plan\/\">200 Grams Of Protein A Day Meal Plan: Is Going To Such Extremes Worth It?<\/a><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Nutrient_Timing\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-33386 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4853-1024x576.png\" alt=\"nutrient timing\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4853.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4853-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4853.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4853.png 1152w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Nutrient_Timing_For_Weight_Loss\"><\/span><b>Nutrient Timing For Weight Loss<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among the possible benefits of nutrient timing is <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/how-many-exercises-per-workout\/\">loss of weight<\/a>. However, it&#8217;s not as straightforward. Eating certain foods at specific times of the day won&#8217;t compensate for unhealthy and unbalanced meals that lack the nutrients you need, are high in calories, and aren&#8217;t controlled.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You have to create a nutrient timing plan that addresses every one of these issues and offers the best solution to weight loss. You should note that there&#8217;s no perfect meal plan as other factors such as physical activity levels, types of exercise, and genetics come to play. But, you can follow a few tips to guide you in the right direction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tips_On_Nutrient_Timing_For_Fat_Loss\"><\/span><b>Tips On Nutrient Timing For Fat Loss\u00a0<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aim for a caloric deficit. When you eat fewer calories than you burn, your body will use up fat storage as energy after depleting glycogen in the muscle.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schedule your meal times to ensure you eat more in the morning. Studies reveal that eating more food in the morning\/ for breakfast boosts your body and works along calorie deficiency lines (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/jissn.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/1550-2783-10-5\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure a good balance of proteins, carbs, and healthy fats in all your meals regardless of time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eat every three to four hours to maintain your blood sugar levels all day.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eat carb-rich meals before your workout. Carbohydrates will boost your performance and ensure your body gets enough energy for exercise, especially for high intensity. Lack of carbs will cause muscle loss as the muscles&#8217; protein will then alternative fuel for the body.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Note that nutrient timing for weight loss isn&#8217;t the primary goal for this strategic approach to nutrition. You could eat at the correct times and in the right portions but still wouldn\u2019t lose weight. That is why you need to understand that the only way you will lose weight is to be in a caloric deficit and keep doing your exercises to use up your calories.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Nutrient_Timing\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-33400 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4899-1024x576.png\" alt=\"nutrient timing\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4899.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4899-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4899.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4899.png 1152w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Nutrient_Timing_For_Bodybuilding\"><\/span><b>Nutrient Timing For Bodybuilding<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Post-exercise nutrition aims to replenish your glycogen stores, lower your body&#8217;s protein breakdown, and increase your protein synthesis. With that, you can also build muscle. However, the road to bodybuilding begins at the first phase of nutrient timing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the energy phase, ensure you intake a diet rich in carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to help with muscle contraction energy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During this catabolic state, breakdown of nutrients, your skeletal muscle blood flow will increase, causing an increase in amino acids and glucose in the blood. Ultimately, having energy available at this time will positively balance the protein muscle and reduce glycogen depletion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that you have prevented your body from losing muscle mass, the subsequent two phases(anabolic and growth muscle) will be all about taking in the right foods that encourage your muscles to grow. In the anabolic phase, you&#8217;re taking advantage of your body&#8217;s state of depletion to feed on necessary nutrients, mainly carbs, and protein, to help with the recovery and growth of muscle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking these carbs and proteins in the two remaining phases ensures your body repairs muscle tissue and synthesis the protein leading to muscle hypertrophy.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Nutrient_Timing_Bodybuilding_Tips\"><\/span><b>Nutrient Timing Bodybuilding Tips<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try out these tips to achieve muscle gain.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can workout without eating anything like early in the morning, but ensure to feed in plenty of protein post-exercise.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you choose to eat before training, eat more proteins and carbohydrates to push you through the energy phase.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take advantage of your anabolic window to boost hypertrophy. You could eat a simple protein bar.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hydrate and rehydrate before, during, and after your exercises to ensure your muscles get the minerals and electrolytes they need.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The key is to maintain a calorie surplus for bodybuilding, so your body has excess energy to build from immediately after your exercise. Moreover, bodybuilding often requires strengthening, or endurance training as both will affect your muscles more, leading to more hypertrophy.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Bottom_Line\"><\/span><b>The Bottom Line<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nutrient timing is a tremendous strategic feeding plan that can aid with fat loss, muscle gain, and improved performance. However, it primarily works with athletes as they have high nutritional needs and exercise often.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For an average person, nutrient timing works best when it&#8217;s applied along with a nutritious diet and regular exercise. Remember when you eat is equally important as what you eat; food quality and consistency are essential.<\/span><\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Nutrient_Timing\" target=\"_blank\"><video autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"playsinline\" width=\"777\"><source src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ezgif.com-gif-to-mp4-2.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\" \/><\/video><\/a>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"DISCLAIMER\"><\/span><b>DISCLAIMER:<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SOURCES\"><\/span><strong>SOURCES:<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/12617691\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Determinants of post-exercise glycogen synthesis during short-term recovery<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2003, pubmed.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/26741119\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enhanced Endurance Performance by Periodization of Carbohydrate Intake: &#8220;Sleep Low&#8221; Strategy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2016, pubmed.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unm.edu\/~lkravitz\/Article%20folder\/nutrientUNM.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nutrient Timing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (n.d., unm.edu)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/jissn.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/1550-2783-10-5\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nutrient timing revisited: is there a post-exercise anabolic window?<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2013, biomedcentral.com)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/9127682\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nutrition for post-exercise recovery<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (1997, pubmed.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3905295\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regulation of Muscle Glycogen Repletion, Muscle Protein Synthesis and Repair Following Exercise<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2005, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/12831698\/\">The role of protein and amino acid supplements in the athlete&#8217;s diet<\/a> (2002, pubmed.nih.gov)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You&#8217;ve probably heard that eating before bed isn&#8217;t a good idea when you&#8217;re trying to lose weight. Or it would be best if you ate less before a workout and more after your workout. That&#8217;s nutrient timing. It&#8217;s a strategic nutrition system where you eat at certain times to achieve benefits such as muscle growth, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":20493,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"coauthors":[117,87],"class_list":["post-20486","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nutrition"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v20.2.1 (Yoast SEO v25.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Nutrient Timing: Does When You Eat Matter? - BetterMe<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Does nutrient timing work? We know what you eat matters, but let&#039;s find out where when you eat specific nutrients makes a difference for your weight loss efforts.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Nutrient Timing: Does When You Eat Matter?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Does nutrient timing work? We know what you eat matters, but let&#039;s find out where when you eat specific nutrients makes a difference for your weight loss efforts.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BetterMe Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/shutterstock_1421290373-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1673\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"ZindzyGracia, Kristen Fleming, RD\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@betterme\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@betterme\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"ZindzyGracia, Kristen Fleming, RD\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"ZindzyGracia\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/b9b04dd000c12d0c7befd03055397183\"},\"headline\":\"Nutrient Timing: Does When You Eat Matter?\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/\"},\"wordCount\":2302,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/shutterstock_1421290373-scaled.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Nutrition\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"articleBody\":\"<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">You've probably heard that eating before bed isn't a good idea when you're trying to lose weight. Or it would be best if you ate less before a workout and more after your workout. That's nutrient timing.<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">It's a strategic nutrition system where you eat at certain times to achieve benefits such as muscle growth, <a href=\\\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/21-day-fat-loss-challenge\/\\\">fat loss<\/a>, and improved performance. Unfortunately, it's not as black and white. Follow us into the discussion as we look deeper into the topic.\u00a0<\/span>\\r\\n<h2 style=\\\"text-align: center;\\\"><b>What Is Nutrient Timing?<\/b><\/h2>\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Nutrient timing is when you eat specific foods in specific amounts at specific times to achieve maximum results. For decades, professional bodybuilders and athletes have used the concept of nutrient timing to aid with bodybuilding, fat loss, and improved performance.<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">In the early 2000s, precisely 2004, Dr. John Ivy, one of the world's leading researchers in \\\"carbohydrate timing,\\\" and Dr. Robert Portman published a book called <\/span><i><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Nutrient Timing: The Future of Sports Nutrition<\/span><\/i><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">. The book lay a foundation for many nutritional programs that promoted the idea of nutrient timing and how it was vital to losing fat, gaining muscle, and improving performance.<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">For many years, researchers continued to study the nutrient timing system, trying to prove that it works and is effective. Unfortunately, studies are still inconclusive as there are many variants on this concept (<\/span><a href=\\\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/12831698\/\\\"><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">7<\/span><\/a><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">).<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Several studies conclude that even though nutrient timing may h ...\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/\",\"name\":\"Nutrient Timing: Does When You Eat Matter? - BetterMe\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/shutterstock_1421290373-scaled.jpg\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00\",\"description\":\"Does nutrient timing work? 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We know what you eat matters, but let's find out where when you eat specific nutrients makes a difference for your weight loss efforts.","og_url":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/","og_site_name":"BetterMe Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching","article_modified_time":"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":1673,"url":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/shutterstock_1421290373-scaled.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"ZindzyGracia, Kristen Fleming, RD","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@betterme","twitter_site":"@betterme","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"ZindzyGracia, Kristen Fleming, RD","Est. reading time":"12 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/"},"author":{"name":"ZindzyGracia","@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/b9b04dd000c12d0c7befd03055397183"},"headline":"Nutrient Timing: Does When You Eat Matter?","dateModified":"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/"},"wordCount":2302,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/shutterstock_1421290373-scaled.jpg","articleSection":["Nutrition"],"inLanguage":"en-US","articleBody":"<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You've probably heard that eating before bed isn't a good idea when you're trying to lose weight. Or it would be best if you ate less before a workout and more after your workout. That's nutrient timing.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It's a strategic nutrition system where you eat at certain times to achieve benefits such as muscle growth, <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/21-day-fat-loss-challenge\/\">fat loss<\/a>, and improved performance. Unfortunately, it's not as black and white. Follow us into the discussion as we look deeper into the topic.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>What Is Nutrient Timing?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nutrient timing is when you eat specific foods in specific amounts at specific times to achieve maximum results. For decades, professional bodybuilders and athletes have used the concept of nutrient timing to aid with bodybuilding, fat loss, and improved performance.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the early 2000s, precisely 2004, Dr. John Ivy, one of the world's leading researchers in \"carbohydrate timing,\" and Dr. Robert Portman published a book called <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nutrient Timing: The Future of Sports Nutrition<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The book lay a foundation for many nutritional programs that promoted the idea of nutrient timing and how it was vital to losing fat, gaining muscle, and improving performance.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For many years, researchers continued to study the nutrient timing system, trying to prove that it works and is effective. Unfortunately, studies are still inconclusive as there are many variants on this concept (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/12831698\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Several studies conclude that even though nutrient timing may h ..."},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/","url":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/","name":"Nutrient Timing: Does When You Eat Matter? - BetterMe","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/nutrient-timing\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/shutterstock_1421290373-scaled.jpg","dateModified":"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00","description":"Does nutrient timing work? 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