It seems like everyone on this forum is on this "insulin-fat-storage-dogma-thing". Meal timing is really a much lesser issue than people make it out to be. I do agree that the MOST OPTIMAL place to eat is an hour (give or take) before and an hour (give or take) after your workouts. Beyond that, whether you stack the rest of your carbs/calories at breakfast, lunch, or right before bed makes very little difference in your physique. The type of carbs you consume makes very little difference in body composition. The extremist will always argue something ridiculous like "what if someone eats pure honey all day long?" or something stupid like that. But bringing the discussion back to reality......it doesnt matter if you have white rice or brown, sweet potato or white, bread and pasta or oatmeal. Variety is the spice of life.
I can't tell if you're trying to have a discussion here or if you're having an argument for argument's sake. I was saying type of carbs and when you take them matter, and you're saying they do but that they don't? Fact is they do. And the difference between those food items you listed is too minimal, obviously, which is why I specified type of carb matters. I don't want someone thinking eating poptarts or a snickers with that chicken breast every few hours is ok so long as he keeps to his caloric needs. It's not. That carb choice is completely unhealthy, and this is not only backed with science but by the thousands upon thousands of poor attempts at cutting by those who maintain inconsistent diets. Thus my first point: carb choices matter.
Why timing? Exercise and fasting has an effect on insulin resistance, bringing it down. Sparing us the science, mostly because I've had too long of a day, the more sensitive you are to insulin, the more you drive nutrients into muscle cells and not adipose tissue. Which is again why eating that icecream right before bed, while it sounds like a good idea, probably isn't if you're trying to get shredded.
And your sig mentions you're a pro natural bodybuilder. So what is your own personal approach to your own diet if you're trying to cut to say 8, or 7, or 6% bf? Eating whatever, whenever?
Lastly, I love variety in my diet, so don't get me wrong there
And if you are a highly active person in a calorie deficit insulin control is not really worth worrying about.
But that is on a case by case basis. That's not the way it always is.