Before I go into my experience, let me bring you up to speed on the general concept.

Nutrient timing involves eating at specific times based on your daily sleep and exercise schedule. The primary goal is to improve training results, such as increasing strength and muscle mass while decreasing body fat.

Moreover, nutrient timing involves manipulating the calories and macros of each meal for optimal results. So it’s more than just eating meals at certain times.

Nutrient Timing = Meal Distribution + Meal Composition

Phases of Nutrient Timing

The authors of this book propose a nutrient timing framework consisting of three phases: the energy phase, the anabolic phase, and the growth phase.

Each phase is a distinct time window centered around a resistance training workout.

1. Energy Phase: Starts about an hour before your workout and includes your training session. The goal of the energy phase is to provide an immediate energy source to spare muscle glycogen and protein. It also aims to limit immune system suppression and muscle breakdown to set the stage for recovery.
2. Anabolic Phase: The 45-minute window immediately following your workout, which is considered the most crucial phase of nutrient timing. The primary objective is to flip the metabolic switch from a catabolic to an anabolic state, replenish glycogen stores, and initiate muscle repair and growth.
3. Growth Phase: The remainder of the 24 hours before your next workout. The purpose is to maintain net positive protein synthesis to support strength and muscle mass gains.

Here’s my review of the proven benefits of nutrient timing if you want the deep-dive version.

Application of Nutrient Timing

The authors also recommend specific macronutrients for meals during each nutrient timing phase. Here are the general guidelines they put forth in the book.

• Pre-Workout: Complex carbohydrates and protein 30–60 minutes before training.
• Intra-Workout: If you have intense training sessions or train for more than 60 minutes, consider consuming simple carbs during your workout.
• Post-Workout: Within 45 minutes after training, a mixture of high-glycemic carbohydrates and rapidly absorbed protein.
• Rest of the Day: Another meal with carbs and protein a few hours after the workout. For the remainder of the period leading up to the next energy phase, consume 20–40 grams of protein every few hours.

By the time I was 22, I had tapped out the “newbie gains” and hit a plateau in strength and muscle mass. One day, between sets on the bench press, I realized I was no longer getting a return on my effort invested in the gym.

Understanding I was wasting time in the gym was discouraging and motivating at the same time.

With this insight, I began reading about bodybuilding nutrition and implementing nutrient timing basics, like having a protein/carb shake immediately after workouts.

Each time I leveled up my nutrition, I broke through plateaus and unlocked new gains. So, I religiously followed the principles of nutrient timing.

But as I entered my 30s, I felt I had reached my genetic potential for muscle mass and strength. So, I started testing alternative diet practices and opposing ideas such as:

• Low-carb and ketogenic diets
• Time-restricted feeding (intermittent fasting)
• Fasted resistance training

What I found was that I could still make progress in the gym, even without optimal nutrient timing!

Lessons Learned

After years of trial and error, I came to three main conclusions about what matters most in bodybuilding nutrition.

1. Calorie Balance Tops All Other Nutrition Factors

I didn’t notice it the first time I read the book, but the authors routinely say things like “along with a positive calorie balance.”

They meant that the benefits of nutrient timing are only realized if you consume enough calories to build muscle. The same is true about a calorie deficit for weight loss.

Think of energy balance as your savings account, where calories are the daily deposits and withdrawals. Whether your account grows depends more on how much money you put in than when you make the transactions.

In hindsight, my initial progress with nutrient timing was likely due to paying more attention to my diet and eating more calories.

2. Total Daily Protein Intake Is More Important Than Timing

As you would expect, a book about nutrient timing devotes entire pages to discussing how much protein you should eat per meal.

However, the authors often added phrases like “high protein diet” and “0.9 to 1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.” Hinting at the idea that total protein intake is also essential.

In later research, I confirmed this to be true. A review of 20 randomized controlled trials demonstrated that total protein intake is the strongest predictor of muscle growth, regardless of timing.

In the bank analogy, protein is like depositing a savings bond. Its primary purpose is growth, and it’s not easily spent like cash (carbs).

Considering this, my apparent growth from consuming a post-workout protein shake could have been attributed to more daily protein.

3. Consistency Is Paramount With Nutrition and Training

Of course, seeing results from your workouts and diet takes consistency above all else.

None of this stuff matters if you’re disciplined during the week but fall off the wagon on the weekend. I speak from experience as a former college rugby player/semi-pro drinker.

This inconsistency is the equivalent of gambling away your savings. It’s one step forward, where you break even at best and go broke at worst.

When I left college, I stopped partying and had a steady income, which allowed me to eat more nutritious food. Repeatedly taking one step forward with fewer setbacks certainly contributed to my continued progress in the gym.

Does Nutrient Timing Really Matter?

After reading Nutrient Timing the first time, I felt the recommendations were vital to achieving my fitness goals. It’s hard not to when the book’s title calls it “The Future of Sports Nutrition.”

I also assumed that because this information was printed in a physical book, it must be factual. I mean, the authors have PhDs and seem credible. One of them has published over 150 research papers, many on nutrient timing.

But after a career in engineering, I now read the book through a scientist’s lens and see a level of confidence in the findings that almost seems like confirmation bias.

Does this mean nutrient timing doesn’t matter?

Absolutely not. I still believe that nutrient timing does play a part in optimizing your diet for performance or muscle growth.

However, it’s important to remember that nutrient timing is just one aspect of a balanced diet. Before stressing about downing a protein shake in the anabolic window, it’s crucial to build a solid foundation with calorie balance and protein intake.

The bodybuilding nutrition pyramid below illustrates the significance of nutrient timing relative to other aspects of your diet. Keep in mind that nutrient timing can overlap with macros and food choices.