Is it possible to skip breakfast, have a hearty dinner and not close the anabolic window

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Probably everyone has heard that you need to have breakfast, close the anabolic window faster after training, and eat as little carbohydrates as possible for dinner. Time to question these truths and decide which is right for you.

Eat something immediately after exercise

The essence of the anabolic window theory is that in the first 30-45 minutes after high-intensity exercise, such as strength training or interval sprints, our body quickly absorbs nutrients.

At this time, the muscles are in great need of carbohydrates and protein. The body uses glucose as fuel or stores it as glycogen. And consumption of food rich in protein, accelerates the synthesis of protein in the body and the growth of muscle tissue.

Many studies support the benefits of consuming protein and carbohydrates immediately after exercise. For example, in 2008, scientists found that eating a high-carb meal in the first 30 minutes after exercise stimulates muscle glycogen resynthesis, and adding 1: 3 protein (protein: carbohydrates) further promotes this.

But no one will carry high protein and carbohydrate foods with them to eat in the locker room, and it often takes more than 30-40 minutes to get home. It's easier to drink a special drink immediately after training. And this is very beneficial for manufacturers of gainers.

However, in 2009, scientists proved that the timing of protein supplementation - right after exercise or morning and evening - does not affect increases in strength and power, body fat and muscle mass.

And a 2013 study found that the anabolic window is actually much wider than commonly believed, allowing for a fairly flexible post-workout nutritional approach.

In fact, you have about 1, 5-2 hours before and after your workout to get enough protein and carbohydrates and get the same benefits as immediately taking a protein shake.

It turns out that it is not necessary to dilute the boring protein powder in a shaker. You will have time to take a shower, change clothes and prepare a delicious and healthy dinner.

When there are more carbohydrates - for breakfast or dinner

For many years, nutritionists have advised eating the majority of carbohydrates for breakfast. Suddenly, some experts began recommending the opposite: keeping calories and high-carb foods for dinner.

Scientists recently divided 80 overweight women into two groups. Subjects in the first group consumed more calories for breakfast, and those in the second - for dinner. As a result, women who ate a heavy breakfast significantly reduced their weight, blood sugar, and diabetes risk compared to their heavy-eating counterparts.

Other scientists compared 70% of the daily calorie intake in the morning and evening with aerobic exercise and resistance exercise. As a result, the participants who ate more calories for dinner lost fat and gained muscle mass faster than the group with the increased breakfast.

Another six-month study showed that weight loss and centimeters in waist circumference were greater when the main carbohydrate intake was in the evening.

Thus, research is not clear about what timing is best for eating a high-carb meal.

Focus on your feelings. If your breakfast is a mug of coffee and a couple of cookies, and your dinner is plentiful and nutritious, but you feel great and not gaining excess weight, continue to eat as usual.

If you are looking for a way to lose weight, become more alert and energetic and not swoop down on sweets and snacks, trying to stifle hunger before lunch, try introducing a nutritious breakfast into your diet.

So, for some people, a poor breakfast is no worse than a full one. What about his absence?

Is it harmful to skip breakfast

It is generally accepted that skipping breakfast is unforgivable foolishness. After all, before it, our body was starving for 8-10 hours, it needs nutrients, and therefore quickly assimilates them.

But scientists analyzed several studies and concluded that the widespread belief about the connection between breakfast and low body weight cannot be considered true due to a lack of evidence.

What's more, the researchers suggested that skipping breakfast may have benefits, as it avoids late meals and reduces the risk of obesity.

There is another very interesting study on the effects of breakfast on human health. Researchers recruited 52 women, half of whom were used to eating breakfast and the other half to skipping breakfast. The subjects were divided into four groups:

1. People who were accustomed to skipping breakfast ate in the morning.
2. People who were accustomed to skipping breakfast did not eat in the morning.
3. People who were accustomed to breakfast continued to do so.
4. People accustomed to breakfast were forced to give up their morning meal.

After 12 weeks of the experiment, women who had to change their habits lost more pounds than others. It didn't matter if they had breakfast or not.

Much more important than meal times

There are much more important aspects of nutrition than the timing of protein, fat and carbohydrate intake. Here's a rough hierarchy:

1. How much do you eat. Eat until you feel full. As soon as this happens, stop immediately. Get rid of the habit of finishing what is on your plate. You can use a calorie counter to figure out how much food you need.
2. How do you eat. Eat slowly and deliberately, do not be distracted by TV, conversations, books. Otherwise, you will not feel when you are full, and the taste of food will not fully unfold.
3. Why are you eating. Each time, note why you are hungry: because you are really hungry or because of stress, boredom, social needs, the desire to enjoy the pleasure of a high-calorie meal?
4. What you eat. Choose foods rich in protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates.

And only then you should take care of when you eat: do you have breakfast, how long after exercise do you get your share of protein, do you eat late at night.

And don't blindly believe research findings and popular beliefs. Always focus on what works for you, does not cause discomfort, and provides the best results.