You Are WHEN You Eat

Everyone knows that in order to lose weight you have to eat the right foods. But what many people don't know is that it matters when you eat them as well. The time of day that you eat greatly affects your ability to lose weight, either by making it easier or by making it harder. There are a few things you must understand about timing before you can successfully lose weight and keep it off!

Carbohydrates for breakfast
Carb lovers will be happy to hear that they don't have to eliminate all carbs in order to lose weight. But the best time to eat them is at breakfast, because it gives you plenty of time to use those carbohydrates before they are converted to fat. The absolute worst time to eat carbs is right before bed, and yet that is the time when many people pull out the chips, pretzels, and other carbs. Feel free to enjoy carbs at breakfast and then eat less and less of them throughout the day. If you have carbs at dinner, keep it to a minimum.

Protein throughout the day
Protein should be eaten with every meal and snack to keep your metabolism going and to give you the energy that you need throughout the day. Protein will also keep you full and help you to refrain from snacking throughout the day.

Larger meals early
Many people eat their largest meal at dinner time, but this is not the best idea. It is better to eat larger meals at the beginning and middle of the day, so you can work off this energy before you go to sleep. You should also eat a large meal about three hours before you exercise.

Eat after a workout
It is important to give your muscles energy after a hard workout, so plan to eat both carbs and protein within two hours of your workout. Eating after you exercise will help your muscles to recover and is especially important for women.

Cut back before bed
Although you may often get the munchies before bed, you should try to refrain from indulging. The reason is that you don't need extra energy while you sleep like you do during the day. Since you don't need it for energy, the food that you eat will be converted to fat. Cutting back on the snacks before bed will help your body digest the food that it already has and avoid creating more fat.

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