Thursday, March 28, 2013

Are Late Night Carbohydrates Bad For Weight Loss?

By Russ Howe


If you do not know how to lose weight and have been looking for advice, you may have came across a theory that you cannot eat carbohydrates late at night. Today's post is going to look at this common myth and reveal why it is not strictly true.

Let's face it, there is an overwhelming amount of contradicting information in the fitness industry. Everywhere you turn there are people trying to out-yell each other with their latest tips. More often than not, this leads many regular people to be scared of trying to build a better body.

Despite all of the different approaches and the massive confusion out there, the basic principles of a successful diet are the same as they were two decades ago.

In a business with so many supplements and workout plans on the market, it is easy to see why people get lost so frequently. Everybody claims to have 'the big secret formula', of course.

Over the last five years it has become a popular belief that eating carbohydrates late at night will cause your body to store more fat. Is this true? Does your body actually know what time it is when you eat your meals?

Certainly not. While this statement does hold some slight truth to it, which we will reveal in a moment, the fact is it is based around a stereotype which most people simply do not fit.

Let's take a look at the actual research in this area.

In a series of tests, scientists allowed two separate groups of people to consume the same amount of carbohydrates throughout a 24 hour period. The only difference being, however, that the group of people who ate their carb intake around physical activity stored considerably less fat.

How does that explain or debunk this myth?

The 'no carbs after 7 pm' fascination was first created by gossip magazines directing readers to the latest quick fix method to lose fat. Their core audience, of course, are secretaries and office workers. The majority of that audience doesn't exercise regularly, hence looking for a quick fix solution to their fitness problems. They also tend to work 9-5 jobs.

They use a generalization to appeal to the majority of their readers. The fact is, however, not everybody fits that stereotype. Your body does not care what time of day it is. If you work a 12 hour shift at your job you cannot be expected to go home and skip a meal because you missed your bus and didn't get in the house until after 9 o' clock...

No two people's lifestyles are exactly the same, so it is ridiculous to give everybody some kind of deadline for their last meal of the day. It depends entirely on your lifestyle and your daily timetable. Simply aim to consume your main carbohydrate intake around periods where you are remaining quite active.

So how do you use this to your advantage?

Figure out which point of the day tends to be your busiest period and make sure you fit your biggest intake of carbohydrates around this period. Your body will be able to use the fuel, rather than simply storing it as fat. This can also be applied to those gym members trying to figure out how to build muscle, as it is one of the main factors in muscular hypertrophy.

This myth is very common throughout the world now. Almost everybody who wants to know how to lose weight has encountered somebody giving them instructions on never to eat carbs after a certain time of day. Now you know the facts, you will be able to structure your nutrition far more effectively throughout your day.




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