When it comes to timing your meals, there are lots of things to take into consideration. What kind of foods will you be eating? What are your energy levels? What are your fitness objectives?  Generally speaking, it's important to eat either quality carbs or lean protein before a workout, with heart-healthy fats also advised in some situations. Because fat takes the longest to digest, followed by protein and then carbs, it's normally best to have a pre-workout meal that is relatively low in fat, with moderate protein and moderate to high carbohydrate content.

While some people recommend exercising on an empty stomach, the benefits of "fasted cardio" are debatable and can create additional challenges. Even though glycogen is somewhat depleted in the morning, allowing your body to burn a greater percentage of fat, working out before you eat is harder and more dangerous in most situations. If you want to exercise right out of bed, eating a simple banana or energy bar will increase your energy levels without weighing you down. If you don't like eating too much before a workout, it is possible to get the energy you need from sports drinks or protein shakes. Keeping up your fluid intake is always important regardless of when you workout - before, during, and after you exercise.

It's also important to pay attention to what you eat after a workout, with most experts recommending a high-protein meal soon after exercise. Some research has even suggested a "window of opportunity" that lasts up to one hour after a workout, with participants who consume protein immediately versus a placebo gaining significantly more muscle mass and strength than those who consumed protein two hours after exercise. Even if you're just doing cardio, protein intake after a workout can help replenish glycogen stores and provide your body with everything it needs for repair and recovery.

What time of day you eat your meals also has a significant effect on weight loss, with recent research from the Pennington Biomedical Research Centre suggesting that an early dinner is the best way to get rid of fat. Researchers observed 11 overweight men and women who tried eating between 8am and 2pm for four days, and then compared the results with normal eating times between 8am and 8pm over another four days. According to Courtney Peterson, PhD, who led the study, eating earlier means your body has more time to process and metabolise food efficiently: "We found that eating between 8am and 2pm followed by an 18-hour daily fast burned more fat and kept appetite levels more even throughout the day."

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