Breakfast and dinner are, in my book, tied for second place as the most crucial meals of the day.  The first, of course, is the post-workout meal, which sets the stage for muscle recovery and growth.  Breakfast and dinner are a close second because they can make or break a diet.  So, let’s compare the two meals and find out what you should be doing to maximize your ability to burn fat and build & protect muscle mass.

What Do I Need to Get Out of My Meals?

Breakfast

Let’s assume you arise at 8:00 am, and will depart for bed at 11:00 pm.  Your breakfast needs to set the stage for 15 hours of activity, and it’s makeup should reflect that.

What macronutrient is associated with a rapid increase in energy? You guessed it – Carbohydrates.  Now, there is a lot of misinformation about carb intake but no matter your dietary goals, they need to be included in every diet – the questions are how many, and when.

The specific “how many” is something that needs to be addressed on an individual basis, but the general answer to both questions is more in the morning, and less in the evening.  The reason behind this is simple: with more hours of activity in front of you, the more carbohydrates you will need to sustain good energy levels, and with less activities and minimal awake time before a night of sleep, carbs should be kept to a minimum.

So if you’re going to eat a higher carb meal, the time to do it is first thing in the morning.  This will give you a blood sugar boost, replenish your liver glycogen (your liver stores carbs for energy, that it largely depletes overnight) and give you a great start for the rest of the day.

Yet, you don’t just want to pound a bowl of Golden Grahams and pat yourself on the back for a perfect first meal – rather, you need to eat foods that will slowly release those carbs for the next 3-5 hours, keeping you going without an insulin spike and crash.

Foods with a low glycemic index will provide sustained energy, and eating a meal with all three macronutrients (carbs, fat, protein) will also help slow gastric emptying and keep you full and energetic longer.  Have some fat, some protein, and some carbs, all from natural whole food sources.

A great sample breakfast might look like this:

• A bowl of cooked Old Fashioned Oats with chopped walnuts, apples, raisins, cinnamon and flax seed meal.
• 4 Eggs over easy, made with 3 whites and 1 whole egg
• A teaspoon of Fish Oil
• A big glass of water (or two – remember you’re still dehydrated from a good night’s sleep)

Dinner

So you just got home from work, and you’re hungry.  What to eat?  Let’s consider the situation:  You’re grounded at home for the rest of the night, save maybe an errand or two.  No hard work, no exercise, just catching up with the family and relaxing until bedtime.  How does this change your energy requirements, you ask?

You no longer NEED big sources of carbs – grain products, rice, potatoes, etc.  They will provide you with carbohydrates that your body won’t be able to burn by time you go to sleep.  Unless you want to store those extra carbs as fat, you need to adjust your intake for dinner and the smaller meals/snacks before bed.

People who stay lean always follow this rule: eat for what you just did, or what you are about to do. If you just worked out (remember, post-workout is THE most important meal of the day) then you need to eat more carbs and protein to get maximum results from your hard work.  If you’re about to work out, then you need a few more carbs as well to make sure you get through it.  If you’re relaxing for the evening, then carbs are largely off limits.

So for dinner your plate should be largely covered with lean protein, green vegetables, and it’s okay to include a little more fat than earlier in the day.  Because you still need some source of energy, but don’t want to awaken your pancreas, protein and fat are your best friends later in the day.  You will get a great, healthy meal with said protein, fat, and veggies.  Shelve the starchier vegetables and grains for tomorrow’s breakfast, lunch or post-workout meal.

A Sample dinner might look like this:

• 8oz of London Broil
• 1 Cup of Lentils, cooked with chicken stock and spices
• 1-2 Cups of sliced squash, zucchini, broccoli and carrots stir-fried in a little olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper

This meal is full of protein, fiber, healthy fat and nutrients.  It’s the perfect energy source for your last few hours of the night. Make enough and you can have leftovers as a snack or small meal later on.