Are Weight Lifters Who Do Not Consume Food Before Bed Harming Muscle Growth?

Many bodybuilding theories exist in regards to producing maximum muscle gains with the smallest possible body fat percentage, with bodybuilders experimenting with diet variables, including whether food is consumed prior to sleep, in order to enhance progress. Some bodybuilders understand the value of bedtime meals, but others fear consumption of food prior to sleep, especially weight lifters who either gain fat quickly when attempting to build muscle mass, or who are focusing primarily on fat loss, and wish to amplify the speed of results.

The theory is that consuming food prior to sleep increases the risk of 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 an incorrect use of calories and carbohydrates, not to mention improper meal division, which can detract from metabolic rate, eating before sleep encourages fat storage for many, and some in the weight lifting world classify later eating as destructive towards body fat control.

The common mistake made is to either use excessive carbohydrates for a bedtime meal, or consume a food intake that circumvents the body's core requirements for muscle building or preservation, which then clearly will result in fat gain, as energy needs during an overnight fast are less than at any other time. Yet, unlike certain flawed theories may suggest, a bodybuilder 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 lengthy uninterrupted period to build lean muscle tissue, enough calories and protein must be present in order to fuel such progress, which is why a bedtime meal becomes critical. When nutrients are neglected prior to a lengthy rest period, although muscles wish to grow during such hours, they are unable to do so, and if an individual is using a lower calorie diet for fat loss, many times muscle mass will even drop dramatically.

During fat loss periods, one of the most frustrating obstacles for many weight lifters is muscle maintenance, and making dramatic alternations to a diet, whether it be reducing food intake below what is necessary for fat loss due to impatience, or greatly restricting food later in the evening, will greatly increase the chance for lost muscle, which further harms metabolism, making future fat loss difficult. Unbeknownst to many, a properly structured bedtime meal can actually aid in fat reduction, as metabolism is stimulated due to a frequent meal structure, and avoiding food for extended periods can cause the body to restrict calorie burn. This can occur not only when decreasing the number of meals during daylight hours, but also by skipping a moderately sized meal prior to sleep. This is contradictory to the notion that food before rest increases the risk of fat gain or slows fat loss, but far too many who integrate bedtime meals are using a larger intake than is necessary to properly fuel metabolism and maintain muscle mass, or are using excessive carbohydrates, as if the meal were preceding a weight training workout as opposed to a lengthy sleep session. A meal prior to sleep should be composed of mostly protein, as the body during rest is seeking primarily recovery and growth (by way of protein synthesis), but eradicating carbohydrates will cause the body to waste protein for energy, which reduces available nutrients for muscle recuperation, and places metabolism at risk.

Certain weight lifters 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 aid muscle growth, but such a technique is detrimental to overall progress, as consuming one properly designed bedtime meal is sufficient to allow for muscle growth and proper metabolic stimulation, 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 time which should be devoted to rest prevents the body from utilizing calories properly, so for maximum muscle building and fat reduction, aiming for a bedtime meal with limited carbohydrate levels and ample protein once before a lengthy sleep is the most productive technique to aim for.

Francesco Castano authors MuscleNOW.com, a diet and weight training program teaching the exact techniques for muscle growth without bodybuilding supplements or drugs. He also owns IncrediBody.com, an online fitness superstore selling protein powder at guaranteed lowest prices.