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Taking a week off of lifting question

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hamheather
hamheather Posts: 10 Member
in Social Groups
I have been lifting heavy for 6-8 weeks now and I was thinking of taking a week off. Do you do any exercise or just walking on your week off? do you eat at your TDEE or under? Did you lose weight the week you took off from water and glycogen not being held in the muscles?

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  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    During recovery week I usually still cycle daily (commute) but no other cardio other than perhaps some light walking. I keep my food intake about the same, although may take a logging break too.

    I sometimes feel a bit leaner after a few days without lifting, although I'm not sure how that is reflected in scale weight as I've quite weighing myself!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Always learn to eat correctly for your level of activity.

    If taking a week off, then with deficit you'd eat less that week. Walking doesn't add a load to your system, and for rough estimate in the 5 rough TDEE levels, count it as half time. So you walk 6 hrs that week, TDEE level is Lightly Active with 3 hrs exercise.

    I would suggest though, if do a week of destress from exercise, you will come back stronger, and what a great week to take a diet break then. So for the next week eat at TDEE and really be shocked how much stronger you are, even more so with the extra food.
    Be prepared to increase weight by that 2nd or 3rd workout.
    And be prepared to lose it somewhat when you bring the deficit back.

    Oh, glucose is always held in the muscle with water, that's increased LBM, which means increased metabolism. Should be no reason nor desire to lose that for false weight loss.

    What you may lose is water retained in muscle for healing after a workout, but hopefully that happens every week anyway, or several times a week.

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