Hey beautiful! We talk a lot about WHAT to eat for the best results, but does it matter WHEN you eat your healthy meals? Quick answer: YES! 

You can optimize your metabolism, energy levels, and digestion depending on what time of day you eat your Lean, Clean, ‘N Green meals. 

We’re breaking down our best timing tips to feel healthy, lean, and energized!

Have 5 (yes 5!) meals a day 

This is KEY to keeping your metabolism and energy levels boosted all day long! Depending on your schedule, we recommend spacing your meals and snacks out by about three hours. Here’s the schedule we like to stick to: 

* Meal 1: Breakfast and coffee/tea (either after you wake up or post-workout if you exercise first thing)

* Meal 2: Mid-morning snack 

* Meal 3: Lunch 

* Meal 4: Mid-afternoon snack 

* Meal 5: Dinner 

And remember to have water with you at all times and sip all day!

Listen to your body pre-workout 

Depending on what time of day you work out, you may or may not want to eat before. Listen to your body and do what works for you. For us, if we’re working out first thing in the morning, we like to have coffee with Tone It Up Collagen and a Bombshell Spell or Meta-D shot from the Nutrition Plan pre-workout. Or if we need a lil’ extra fuel, we love a banana with almond butter for a dose of healthy carbs and fats. 

Refuel right after your workout

This is one of the most important aspects of timing your meals. We recommend refueling with protein within 30 minutes of your sweat sesh. Research shows that is the optimal window to repair your muscles, form new lean muscle, and rev your metabolism. We love a post-workout smoothie, protein pancake, or protein mini muffins. Check out my fave new recovery smoothie here! 

Keep it light before bed 

You want to give your body plenty of time to rest and digest before bedtime. When you’re sleeping, your glucose metabolism increases, which boosts your calorie burn. If you eat a heavy meal right before bed, your bod doesn’t have the opportunity to metabolize it so you will store food as fat instead of fuel. 

We recommend eating your last meal at least 3 hours before bed and keeping it light. Stick to lean proteins, leafy greens, and healthy fats. Your healthy carbs are perfect for meals 1, 2, and 3 when you have plenty of time to burn through that fuel. 

Need to switch up that schedule? 

We have a lot of shift workers, TIU nurses and doctors, and busy babes in our community, so if you can’t stick to this exact schedule, don’t stress about it! You can shift the mealtimes as needed, but try your best to stick to the Nutrition Plan guidelines and keep your body fueled with Lean, Clean, ‘N Green meals throughout the day. 

Looking for more nutrition advice to look and feel your best? You can find tips, guidelines, and tons of healthy recipes in the nutrition section of your TIU app!