I am often asked ‘when is the best time to eat carbs?’ There are actually two best times. Let me explain. You see, the best time to eat carbs is when your body is best primed to deal with them (that’s the “one” rule), and this happens to occur twice a day:

1. In the morning

2. After intense exercise

For one, loads of research has shown that glucose tolerance is highest in the morning, making it a no brainer to consume a large portion of your daily carb intake at breakfast when your body is best equipped to process them.

If you’re someone who consumes frequent meals, mid-morning is a great option. Basically, the rule is this: eat your carbs in the morning, not the afternoon or evening. Unless…you’re performing intense exercise.

An even better time to eat your carbs is after exercise and the sooner the better i.e. within 30 mins. During this post workout window your body is ultra primed to suck up carbs for recovery, energy replenishment, and other anabolic processes (and NOT fat storage). Here are some sample daily “carb-friendly” schedules for both exercise and non-exercise diets.

Exercise Day:

Breakfast: protein/carbs
Mid-morning: protein/fat
Lunch: protein/fat
Mid-afternoon: protein/fat
Evening (after exercise): protein/carbs
Pre-bed: protein/fat

Non Exercise Day:

Breakfast: protein/carbs
Mid-morning: protein/carbs
Lunch: protein/fat
Mid-afternoon: protein/fat
Evening: protein/fat
Pre-bed: protein/fat