Rest Week Calories

Balance_Moderation
Balance_Moderation Posts: 59 Member
edited November 15 in Social Groups
Hey all -- quick question for you guys... I am relatively new to the group and to tracking calories :)

I'll start with throwing my stats out there -- I am 5'7" 170 pounds SAHM to 4 kids B)

I am wondering what I do with my calories when I am taking a light exercise/rest week? As it stands now, I am eating at 2400 calories with my current exercise plan (I spin twice a week 45 min, kettlebells 1 day 60 min, TRX one day 60 min, then yoga once a week 75 min). With the kids on spring break and the fact that I haven't had a real rest week in quite awhile, where should I leave my calories?

Also one other question -- I am thinking that I want to do the Beginner Strength Training program in the EM2WL book. How would I structure my calories with that? If I lift 3 times a week say about 45 min a session, 30 min of spinning twice a week and one day of yoga at 75 min? I get confused at how to figure the calories.

Thanks all and sorry to be such a pain.

Replies

  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Life lesson - Always eat correctly for your level of activity.
    Less if in a diet of course.

    You know you are being less active, adjust your calorie level down.

    Usually that's the main problem of gaining fat back, becoming less active for some reason, and not correctly eating less as you should.

    Same with getting more active again, increase calories.

    3 x 45 min lifting = 135 min
    2 x 30 min spin = 60
    1 x 75 min / 2 yoga (not that much calorie burn, like walking) = about 35 min

    230 min = 3.8 hrs = bottom of Moderately Active, or use the formula the 5 levels are based on for better estimate.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1018770-better-rough-tdee-estimate-than-5-level-chart

    3.8 hrs x .0875 + 1.2 = 1.5325 activity factor x current weight Mifflin BMR.

    But that's just for exercise - how much more active with 4 kids around, long times standing/moving cooking dinner/cleaning up, doing laundry, shopping, ect?
  • Jennbecca33
    Jennbecca33 Posts: 321 Member
    Is your current 2400 eating at a deficit? I can't remember - sorry, there are so many posts I have trouble remembering. If you want to stay with a calorie deficit during your rest week, yes, adjust down accordingly. But it's great to have a diet break very 6-8 weeks or so where you eat at TDEE for a week (this doesn't necessarily mean you have to break from exercise unless you want to). This helps your body to remember what it's true TDEE is. You could keep eating at 2400 and rest from the exercise and you'll probably be eating somewhere around your TDEE - always good to do that every once in awhile.

    As for the second part of your question, I'd say that would fall into the 5-6 hr activity level - add up all the exercise and then your daily life on top of that like Heybales mentioned - could easily put you into the 5-6 hr range.
  • Balance_Moderation
    Balance_Moderation Posts: 59 Member
    Is your current 2400 eating at a deficit? I can't remember - sorry, there are so many posts I have trouble remembering. If you want to stay with a calorie deficit during your rest week, yes, adjust down accordingly. But it's great to have a diet break very 6-8 weeks or so where you eat at TDEE for a week (this doesn't necessarily mean you have to break from exercise unless you want to). This helps your body to remember what it's true TDEE is. You could keep eating at 2400 and rest from the exercise and you'll probably be eating somewhere around your TDEE - always good to do that every once in awhile.

    As for the second part of your question, I'd say that would fall into the 5-6 hr activity level - add up all the exercise and then your daily life on top of that like Heybales mentioned - could easily put you into the 5-6 hr range.

    Yeah, the 2400 was with my deficit :) Thanks for the input. I will start there and go. Not 100% sure what I will do. I wanted to take a break from lifting for a couple of weeks and just refresh. I was doing the NROL4W program and just not feeling it much. I like either the EM2WL one in the Beginner Strength Manual or maybe even New Rules for Life.

    As for the extra stuff, I don't feel like what I do is overly active. Just normal stuff I guess. I might try tracking my other activity (I don't wear a Fitbit or anything) for a couple of days to get an idea.

    Thanks for the input, guys!!
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