Confused about eating patterns for health/wellbeing
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I just wonder when in the day it makes sense to consume more of what macronutrient. im finding nutrient timing a little confusing because I hear arguments on both sides for all the macros.
Carbs:
-our insulin sensitivity is better in the day than it is at night so consume more of your carbs earlier
-carbs provide energy which we need more during the earlier more active part of our day than at night (when we are way more sedentary) so avoid at night to prevent hyperactivity, restlessness prior to sleep
OR
-carbs help us relax and reduce physiological stress so they would help sleep therefore have more at nightFats:
-slows digestion so consume more in the evening to allow steady supply of nutrients throughout the long fast overnight while we sleep
-promotes satiety so helps prevent hunger during sleep
OR
-slows digestion so consume less in the evening because prolonged digestion can disrupt sleep?Protein:
-bigger servings of protein better to have in the day time because muscle protein synthesis response is better earlier
-high protein dinners impair sleep quality because they are harder to digest
OR
-high protein at night is preferable to promote satiety and provide steady stream of amino acids during long overnight fast while we sleep
-Higher protein meals take longer to digest, so better to have as the last meal of the day.im sure im missing more arguments but im just so confused. I dont know when to have what.
Other more general arguments are,
-During the day, particularly days we are busy with tasks, we are in more of a sympathetic mode which is not a conducive state to be in to digest large amounts of food (big meals/harder to digest foods). So avoid large meals and eat/snack light until the evening where you can shift into more of a parasympathetic mode more conducive to ‘resting and digesting’ larger meals
OR
-large meals in the evening negatively affect sleep and so consume larger meals earlier in the day when our digestion ton is stronger and more efficient (ie. more gastic acid secretion, better nutrient partitioning) and our insulin sensitivity is higher. The whole ‘breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper’ idea.
I know nothing beats listening to your body ‘perceiving, thinking, acting’… but personal struggles with some disordered eating has made me so out of touch with how my body feels… so it’s difficult for me to go with what ‘feels’ best because i noticed this is really impacted by my beliefs… this is why i seek some reliable physiological facts i could run off for a start
Any thoughts? -
@Tarzan17 I think peat recommends small frequent feedings that include all three macronutrients. Carbs, proteins, and fats in the right balance per meal.
