Nutrient Timing - When Science and Marketing Collide

Nutrient Timing - When Science and Marketing Collide by Daniel Roberts

Do you go with 3 square meals or 8 smaller, more frequent meals? Should you be drinking a protein or carbohyrdate drink before training? After training? What to eat before you hit the sack?

At times, it can just get downright confusing!

Is there an optimal way to consume nutrients to maximise muscle and strength gains? Marketing hype would have you believe so, but perhaps it isn't quite as complex as many make it out to be... Could we be worrying just a little too much?

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I also just wanted to say thanks to Daniel for a easy to read, straight forward article. It's his first one for WBB and hopefully we'll see more from him in the future!

I. Love. You.

Thank you so very, very much!

This is exactly what I was looking for; great article, very informative.

While I found it interesting, I really think the author should have helped people with some guidance on macro's. He assumes that everyone knows what they need, but I imagine a lot of beginners would be reading this.

Originally Posted by cphafner

While I found it interesting, I really think the author should have helped people with some guidance on macro's. He assumes that everyone knows what they need, but I imagine a lot of beginners would be reading this.

You make a valid point and I did consider integrating a method for determining macros, but it was difficult without becoming prescriptive. The overall message was of simplicity and given that determining macros is highly individualized I thought it might confuse novice readers to offer suggestions.

Rather I suggest (in the article) working out your total, keeping protein within the range of 1-2g/lbs lean bodyweight and experimenting with fat and carb intake (to hit that total) based on individual response and activity. So in fact how to determine one of the three macros is already covered.

Ultimately I wanted readers to take away from the article that outside of establishing and hitting your protein and calorie total each day, it didn't matter much how it was achieved.

Thanks for the feedback.

Great article! My life schedule makes the typical "lifting" eating plan difficult. While I would love to be able to eat six meals a day, I make sure I get three decent meals and work to fill the gaps. Some days it works, some days it doesn't. What I took from the article was that I do not have to be as stressed about this as long as I meet my macro and caloric goals. I am still experimenting with pre and post timing, but am pressing on. Again, thanks for a great article.

Originally Posted by PatBateman

You make a valid point and I did consider integrating a method for determining macros, but it was difficult without becoming prescriptive. The overall message was of simplicity and given that determining macros is highly individualized I thought it might confuse novice readers to offer suggestions.

Rather I suggest (in the article) working out your total, keeping protein within the range of 1-2g/lbs lean bodyweight and experimenting with fat and carb intake (to hit that total) based on individual response and activity. So in fact how to determine one of the three macros is already covered.

Ultimately I wanted readers to take away from the article that outside of establishing and hitting your protein and calorie total each day, it didn't matter much how it was achieved.

Thanks for the feedback.

I totally appreaciate your points. Like I said, I did find it an interesting read. Hopefully see more articles from you.

great article, I would love to see more on the diet subject

absolutely wonderful feature of the site

Thanks for the feedback guys, it really helps us work out what you guys like and don't.

Definately want to release more nutritonal related articles in the near future!

great article, too many people make this WAY too complicated.

Good information in there. No offense to the author, but a lot of these articles just seem like advertisement for supplements to me, especially once we get down to the meal breakdown portion of the article.

Originally Posted by Red Meat

a lot of these articles just seem like advertisement for supplements to me,.

At least they don't make a bunch of bogus claims like other sites. They are simply using supps as a food eplacement. Feel free to use real food.

Originally Posted by Red Meat

Good information in there. No offense to the author, but a lot of these articles just seem like advertisement for supplements to me, especially once we get down to the meal breakdown portion of the article.

Some taken! Not really, but of 2.500 words you focus on approx 50? I'm not in advertising but as ad copy goes, I'm pretty sure it fails.

Those 50 were an illustration of how I eat. Hypothetical suggested diets were contrary to the spirit of the article - I did not want it to be presrcriptive.
The article is about setting a total and hitting it, how and when is of secondary importance - that is the message.

If it offends, simply replace the brand name to 'generic protein powder', but consider my position, other than stating what I use, what alternative did I have?

I'll also make the same point I made in another article thread.

Saying that the article is an advertisement when a very small portion of the article recommends some products is being a bit short sighted. In my opinion it's an informative, interesting read with a small portion of the article having some very relevant recommendations for supplements.

Dan (and Dan), thanks! I don't care how you slice your ads into the mix; a good article is just a good article. What enjoyed is that you always link to references (something that some of our fav mags are only now starting to do), and you each have a knack for taking the science and making it relative. One example, was theat you really don't need to sit there dropping BCAAs down your throat while sitting, muted, on a conference call...because those studies were done in relation to fasting states, and if you're gettin your tein, then you're gettin you BCAAs. No one has ever quite clarified that for me, thank you.

Great article, got a lot more than that out of it.

great read and thank you

Great article. I am a big fan of nutrient timing. I have been using it for years. I have also started to follow Chris' advice on only eating 3-4 meals a day to reduce insulin spikes. It was nice to read in this article how some do 3 meals a day and some do 6 or more, and both are ok. It's been hard for me to change from the frequent feedings to less meals, but it works in my program much better.

Not to drag up something old, but manners cost nothing, so thank you vidizenzo, getfit and TobyzBigDay.