Thread: Meal Timing

Some people believe that you should eat every 2-3 hours to avoid muscle breakdown. Other people believe that as long as you reach your macro goal at the end of the day, you will be fine. That's probably the only answers you will receive here. It's probably better to research this somewhere other than a forum.

IMO for your body to stay in an anabolic state you should eat every 2-3 hours. Any longer than that and you will be in a catabolic state. Is 3 hours and 15 minutes going to kill your gains? No, but just shoot for every 3 hours.

Usually try for every 3 hours or so.

Just get your tageted macro's

Meal timing in regards to workouts I see being a greater issue than just in general. I try to eat every 2-3 hour after I lift but not as concerned on non workout days

Eating carbs and fast digesting whey/bcaa's pre/post workout I think is beneficial. Other than that it doesn't make a difference. Even though food has passed through your stomach it can take a long time for something like meat to digest, so you will still have a steady flow of protein whether you feel hungry or not. Hit your macros for the day and you'll be good, overthinking the whole "you must eat every 3 hours" makes things far more stressful than they need to be.

I really don't know.
I know my meals are set up for me(training/job)and come around 2-3hours im hungry and start losing energy if i don't eat within an hour of that first gut rumble.

If I don't every 2-3 hrs for a few days then I just don't feel hungry (sign of metabolism slowing??) but if I eat regularly and well then I am SO ready for my next meal/snack. So I always try to eat max 3 hrs

Originally Posted by Schez

If I don't every 2-3 hrs for a few days then I just don't feel hungry (sign of metabolism slowing??) but if I eat regularly and well then I am SO ready for my next meal/snack. So I always try to eat max 3 hrs

^This, keeping your metabolism up is a good thing, I try to eat every 2.5-3 hours!

Originally Posted by Digitalash

Eating carbs and fast digesting whey/bcaa's pre/post workout I think is beneficial. Other than that it doesn't make a difference. Even though food has passed through your stomach it can take a long time for something like meat to digest, so you will still have a steady flow of protein whether you feel hungry or not. Hit your macros for the day and you'll be good, overthinking the whole "you must eat every 3 hours" makes things far more stressful than they need to be.

I'm going with this, carbs and fast digesting protein post workout is the only 'must' just get the macros in at some stage.

Originally Posted by Schez

If I don't every 2-3 hrs for a few days then I just don't feel hungry (sign of metabolism slowing??) but if I eat regularly and well then I am SO ready for my next meal/snack. So I always try to eat max 3 hrs

Originally Posted by Mr.BIG

^This, keeping your metabolism up is a good thing, I try to eat every 2.5-3 hours!

Eating every 3 hrs does not speed up your metabolism. This has been proven in numerous studies.

Originally Posted by Livebig14

IMO for your body to stay in an anabolic state you should eat every 2-3 hours. Any longer than that and you will be in a catabolic state. Is 3 hours and 15 minutes going to kill your gains? No, but just shoot for every 3 hours.

This really isn't necessary. You're not going catabolic in three hours.

Originally Posted by PushAndPull

Just get your tageted macro's

This.

Originally Posted by Digitalash

Eating carbs and fast digesting whey/bcaa's pre/post workout I think is beneficial. Other than that it doesn't make a difference. Even though food has passed through your stomach it can take a long time for something like meat to digest, so you will still have a steady flow of protein whether you feel hungry or not. Hit your macros for the day and you'll be good, overthinking the whole "you must eat every 3 hours" makes things far more stressful than they need to be.

And this.