News just in: eating the right thing at the wrong time could be just as detrimental to your get-lean goals as eating the wrong thing basically ever. Check your timings with this easy eating schedule to lose weight – and find out when’s good for you…
Full-fat dairy
Swerve: Before the gym. “Fat slows your digestion,” says nutritionist Sophie Tully. “And when you exercise, you divert blood away from the gut, which can lead to nausea and stomach trouble mid-workout.”
Serve: At breakfast. “It’s overflowing with calcium, vitamin D, zinc, protein, magnesium and vitamin B12,” says Tully. Best bit? Having high-fat dairy lowers your risk of obesity. So milk it for all it’s worth.
Cherries
Swerve: Mid-afternoon. Hitting the 4pm slump? Avoid cherries. “With 7.6g of sugar per serving (80g), they can raise blood glucose levels – crashing your energy levels and stimulating hunger,” says nutritionist Libby Limon.
Serve: After dinner. Cherries contain the sleep hormone melatonin, which, when combined with the carbs in cherries, stimulates serotonin; telling your body to relax. Sleep easy. [Note: You can even get your insomnia cure in a bottle – Viridian Cherry Night Powder is available at Faithful-To-Nature.]
READ MORE: The 12 Best Foods To Burn Fat And Build Lean Muscle
Eggs
Swerve: Pre-workout. Poached, scrambled, fried – however you have yours, swerve eggs before training. “Protein takes a long time to digest,” says Limon, so you could suffer gastrointestinal discomfort mid-burpee, making that rep target even tougher.
Serve: Post-workout. When your muscles need a little R&R, amino acids are just what you need and eggs are full of ’em. Plus, just one egg provides 13g of protein; that’s nearly a third of your RDA. So, by all means, crack on.
Fresh pasta
Swerve: Lunching al desko. Chained to your desk for the whole hour? Avoid pasta like the plague. “It contains glucose and energy that you’re not going to need,” says nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert.
Serve: Lunching on the go. Fuelling up on pasta for a day on the move is well worth it. “Your body needs natural sugars to maintain stamina and keep your muscles topped up with enough glycogen,” says Lambert. Spag bol it is, then. [A cool idea: Opt for chickpea pasta instead of the regular kind!]
READ MORE: How To Use Protein Shakes To Lose Weight
Nut butter
Swerve: Sporadic snacking. A harmless snack choice, right? Wrong. “Nut butter is dangerously moreish,” says Lambert. And research found you’re likely to overeat foods labelled healthy. So put a lid on it.
Serve: Scheduled snacking. This’ll help you feel in control and still reap the benefits of nut butter: all those nutrients and healthy fats. And its slow-release energy will keep you going till lunchtime.
