Numerous bodybuilding opinions exist in regards to producing maximum muscle mass with the smallest possible body fat level, with weight lifters attempting to manipulate diet variables, including whether food is consumed prior to sleep, in order to enhance results. Some bodybuilders understand the importance of a bedtime meal, but others fear food prior to sleep, especially bodybuilders who either quickly gain fat when attempting to build muscle mass, or who are focusing specifically on fat loss, and wish to boost the rate of progress.
The theory is that consuming food prior to sleep encourages fat gain, and although there is no inherent harm to body fat levels when consuming a late meal, because many diet plans are designed with poorly chosen calories and carbohydrates, not to mention improper meal division, which can detract from metabolic rate, eating before sleep encourages fat increase for many, and some in the bodybuilding world classify later eating as destructive towards body fat control.
The common mistake made is to either use greater than necessary carbohydrates for a bedtime meal, or implement a food intake that circumvents the body's core requirements for muscle gain or maintenance, which then clearly will result in body fat increase, as energy needs during an overnight fast are less than at any other time. Yet, unlike certain flawed theories may suggest, a weight lifter is in great need of calories during sleep, as this is when the majority of muscle growth occurs. In fact, since the body has a prolonged uninterrupted period to build lean muscle tissue, enough protein and calories must be present in order to maximize such results, which is why a bedtime meal becomes critical. When nutrients are neglected prior to a lengthy rest period, although muscles seek to grow during such hours, they are unable to do so, and if an individual is consuming a lower calorie diet for fat loss, many times muscle mass will even decline dramatically.
During fat loss periods, one of the most challenging obstacles for many bodybuilders is muscle maintenance, and making dramatic modifications to a diet, whether it be reducing food intake below what is necessary for fat loss due to impatience, or eliminating food later in the evening, will greatly increase the chance for muscle loss, which further harms metabolism, making future fat loss a chore. Many do not realize that a properly structured bedtime meal can actually assist in the fat reduction process, as metabolism benefits from a frequent meal structure, and withholding food for prolonged periods can cause the body to limit calorie burn. This can occur not only when reducing frequency of meals during daylight hours, but also by skipping a moderately sized feeding prior to sleep. This contradicts the notion that food before rest increases the chance of fat increase or slows fat loss, but far too many who pursue bedtime meals are consuming a larger quantity of food than is necessary to properly stimulate metabolism and maintain muscle mass, or are using excessive carbohydrates, as if the meal were preceding a weight training workout as opposed to a prolonged sleep session. A meal before sleep should be composed of mostly protein, as the body during sleep is seeking primarily recovery and growth (by way of protein synthesis), but eradicating carbohydrates will cause the body to waste protein for energy, which robs nutrients for muscle recuperation, and places metabolism at risk.
Certain bodybuilders understand the importance of bedtime meals, and try to integrate several during the evening, waking up once or twice for extra food, believing this will increase muscle growth, but such a technique is harmful to overall progress, as consuming one properly designed bedtime meal is sufficient to promote muscle growth and proper metabolic function, while waking up for another one or two meals will disrupt proper sleep patterns, which are just as critical for muscle growth and proper metabolism as the meal itself. Waking up for extra food during the evening prevents the body from utilizing calories properly, so for maximum muscle gain and fat loss, aiming for a bedtime meal with controlled carbohydrate levels and ample protein once before a lengthy sleep is the most efficient technique to aim for.
Author Resource:-
Francesco Castano authors MuscleNOW.com, a diet and weight training program teaching the exact techniques for building muscle mass without supplements or drugs. He also owns IncrediBody.com, an online fitness superstore selling fitness equipment at guaranteed lowest prices.
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