Eating cabs late at night...

[Sassy]

I've been asked this question so many times. I found that if I eliminate eating carbs after 6:00 pm (3 hours before I go to bed) then I lose weight better. However, I've had some one question that the theory that your body will store carbs as fat when you sleep at night.

You body builds muscle at night, so some of the carbs will go to muscle growth, but if all the carbs aren't use, then wouldn't they be stored as fat.

Does anyone have any studies to back up this theory or that bust the myth?

 

[Shelby]

Are you training in the evening?

When you say you lose weight "better", is it because you're reducing your overall calorie intake by not consuming carbohydrate in the evening hours, or are you replacing those carbohydrates with calories from another source?

 

[Sassy]

I train in the evening. I always try to get my daily intake of carbs in during the daytime or before 6 pm. When I've reduce the amount of carbs, I try to increase my protein so that I'm still getting enough calories. My last meal of the day is usually 7 or 8 pm and it is a fibrous carb such as salad, broccoli, green beans and a lean protein (chicken, fish, turkey, etc.).

 

[Shelby]

I would still consume carbs postworkout then, and possibly a small amount again in the meal following the postworkout meal.

If you're dieting for a show, I'd probably just limit it to PWO.

But when you say you 'try' to replace the calories with protein to 'get enough calories' I'm still not convinced you're not just lowering calories from not consuming carbs at night (your method didn't sound very.. exact, lol).

And are we talking strictly about weight loss (which could include water weight), or fat loss?

Just throwing some questions out there.. I don't have all the answers.. just bored at work this morning

 

[Shelby]

I would still consume carbs postworkout then, and possibly a small amount again in the meal following the postworkout meal.

If you're dieting for a show, I'd probably just limit it to PWO.

But when you say you 'try' to replace the calories with protein to 'get enough calories' I'm still not convinced you're not just lowering calories from not consuming carbs at night (your method didn't sound very.. exact, lol).

And are we talking strictly about weight loss (which could include water weight), or fat loss?

Just throwing some questions out there.. I don't have all the answers (well I do, but I'm not sharing!).. I'm just bored at work this morning

 

[Sassy]

This is just weight loss in general. It would not be a precontest diet.

I think you just answered my question. I've been searching for a study and haven't found anything. That's because there are too many variables involved, right?

 

[Shelby]

Yes, there are a lot of variables.
Yes, you won't find a study.

These two are correlated but not necessarily causal.

 

[mikeyt869]

are you getting enough healthy fats in your diet? If your worried about it you could consume most of your carbs early and since you train later on have a protein fat meal. carbs dont actually build muscle healthy fat and protein do.

 

[ozarkabrand]

I've been asked this question so many times. I found that if I eliminate eating carbs after 6:00 pm (3 hours before I go to bed) then I lose weight better. However, I've had some one question that the theory that your body will store carbs as fat when you sleep at night.

You body builds muscle at night, so some of the carbs will go to muscle growth, but if all the carbs aren't use, then wouldn't they be stored as fat.

Does anyone have any studies to back up this theory or that bust the myth?

Excess calories extending beyond an exercise induced deficit will be stored as fat, period. Whether they come from carbs, protein, or fat, is arbitrary.