Cals and compositions of meals

[Josh]

Hi all,

I think there is an agreement that we should eat 5-6 meals a day. Also to build a good body it is recommended to eat more protein, maybe at the composition of something like 40% protein, 30% carbs, 30% fat (adjustable). And the calories taken should be in accordance to whether we want to bulk up (eat more cals), cut fat (less cals), or just maintain.

Now my question is, how should we divide all the cals per day among the 5-6 meals? And what kind of p/c/f composition per meal? The reason I am asking these is because I have gotten various advises. For instance, one advise is to simply divide the cals by the number of meals, with the same p/c/f ratio for each meal. Another advise is to eat more cals in the morning and the least in the evening (probably because we need the cals for the day's activities, while the cals in the evening will tend to be stored as fat while we rest). Yet another advise is to distribute the cals evenly on the meals, but eat more carbs in the morning and less in the evening, also eat more carbs at the meal after a workout (so the p/c/f ratios are different from meal to meal).

How should I decide? How should I construct my meals wrt the cals and p/c/f distributions?

-- Josh

 

[w8lifter]

My personal take on this....split your total calories evenly into 6 meals because you need a constant supply of energy.

I also think you should split your protein intake evenly between all meals.

Carbs & fat can be manipulated depending on the type of diet you're on. If you're utilizing a post w/o insulin spike, you don't want fat in this meal. Also, if you're using a PWO spike you're probably getting one at breakfast as well, so avoid fat in this meal too.

If you're using slow burning carbs, you can use fats in your meals along w/ protein to help control insulin secretion.

 

[Josh]

W8, could you please explain more on the diet types you mentioned -- post w/o insulin spike, PWO spike? Slow burning carbs, I think I know, this is a diet where the carbs are low GI carbs, right? -- Josh

 

[w8lifter]

PWO=post work out

2 schools of thought here...many believe in using a high glycemic/sugary carb pwo to induce an insulin spike. This serves to reduce cortisol and replenish glycogen and shuttle the protein you're taking w/ it into the muscles. Fastest way to gain size is w/ the PWO spike. However, since insulin is a storage hormone, it stores everything...including fat! And most people take a whackload of sugar to produce their spike.

Then there's those who use slow-burning carbs (low GI, high fibre, no sugar) along w/ fats/proteins to control and maintain level insulin secretions....no PWO spike. The gains will be slower, but will consist mainly of LBM w/ minimal fat. Maintaining a low level of insulin and avoiding a spike ensures optimal fat burning at all times.

Both options work for cutting as well...though using a spike PWO will take longer to shed the fat than a higher fat slow-burning carb diet would because once you spike your insulin, you're going to stop your fat-burning.