Try to eat every 2 to 3 hours. Do not eat complex carbohydrates after 6:00 p.m. or four to five hours before going to bed. Try to eat one gram of protein per pound of lean body mass on lifting days and . 8 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass on non-lifting days.
Many bodybuilders avoid eating right before bed as they fear that the calories are more likely to be stored as fat. This is not the case though. Your body doesn't have an on-off switch and you still burn calories while you sleep.
TWO HOURS BEFORE BEDTIME
All bodybuilders can take in 20-40 g of protein. Luncheon meat, a chicken breast, boiled eggs and cottage cheese are good sources of protein at this time. Hardgainers can also take in complex carbs, but should opt for smaller servings than at the last large meal.
If you're looking to encourage muscle growth from your workouts, consider adding protein to your late-night routine. By providing the amino acids that your muscles need to repair and rebuild during sleep, you could make gains while you snooze.
When bulking up however, a pre-bed meal could be beneficial, though it all comes down to calories again. If you're falling short of your daily calorie targets when bulking, you need that meal before bed to keep you in muscle-building mode, but if you're already at your calorie limits, any extra food will be of no use.
Ideally, a person should eat a meal rich in complex carbohydrates and protein around 2–3 hours before exercising. Waiting a few hours after eating allows the body enough time to digest the meal. Alternately, a person may prefer a smaller meal that is mostly made up of simple carbohydrates.
Nutrient timing involves eating foods at strategic times in order to achieve certain outcomes. It's supposedly very important for muscle growth, sports performance and fat loss. If you've ever rushed for a meal or protein shake after a workout, this is nutrient timing.
Timing is everything!
Eat a food or beverage high in protein about 20 minutes before, and again immediately after, your strength-training workout. And do the same after a vigorous cardiovascular workout, such as tennis or kayaking, or even just a long walk. When you work out, you break down your muscles.
If you skip a meal at this time, in the hope of losing more weight, you fail to fuel your body, so you're at greater risk of headaches, fatigue, hunger and infection. The bottom line: Skipping meals will make you lose muscle, not fat.
Protein ingested prior to sleep is effectively digested and absorbed during overnight sleep, thereby increasing overnight muscle protein synthesis rates. Protein consumption prior to sleep does not appear to reduce appetite during breakfast the following day and does not change resting energy expenditure.
Before Bed
Fat digests slowly in comparison to carbohydrates and can delay protein absorption, so a pre-bed meal containing healthy fats along with your protein could be beneficial in preserving muscle mass while you sleep, according to Berardi.
You may be concerned about eating before bed but it is important to replenish that energy that you used during your workout. As long as you eat a snack that is a smaller portion, protein-rich, and won't cause any acid reflux symptoms, that snack will help you gain the lost energy and rebuild your muscles.
“Previous research by us and others had shown that late eating is associated with increased obesity risk, increased body fat, and impaired weight loss success.
Nutrient timing can help maximize muscle growth. A 2018 study reported that consuming whey protein after lower-body resistance training contributed to greater rectus femoris muscle size. Timing your nutrition can also aid in fat loss.
Experts have conducted several studies on the topic, and the results have shown that taking 30-40 grams of protein before bed can help promote weight loss, stimulate muscle growth, and help preserve muscle mass.
Your body undergoes most of its repair and recovery while you're sleeping, utilizing both protein and carbs as energy sources to repair your muscles. By eating carbs at night, not only are you blocking cortisol production, but you're also providing the necessary resources for your body to build muscle and burn fat.
Sleeping for 7-9 hours per night is crucial, especially if you are looking to change body composition, increase muscle mass and/or if you want to be ready for your personal training session the next day. Sleep enhances muscle recovery through protein synthesis and human growth hormone release.
Eat frequently, every 3-4 hours, and aim for 6 small meals during the day. Try not to lump your calories into 3 big meals, as it will make you feel sluggish. Eat a minimum of 20-30 grams of protein at each meal. Eat simple carbohydrates directly before/after training ssessions.
Physiologically, calories don't count for more at night. You won't gain weight by merely eating later if you eat within your daily calorie needs. Still, studies show that nighttime eaters typically make poorer food choices and eat more calories, which can lead to weight gain.
Pharmacological inhibition of protein degradation led to an increase in muscle growth specifically at night. These results indicate that muscle anabolism and catabolism are more active in the day and at night, respectively.
When we sleep, our body builds them back up even stronger. This is because as you sleep, the pituitary gland releases a growth hormone that rebuilds and repairs muscle cells.
Late teens and early twenties are the perfect age to start bodybuilding. Puberty and bodybuilding are closely related because this is the fastest time for muscle growth. Between, 17-25, you will experience testosterone driven growth burst in your muscles.