Going from very active to sedentary - adjusting to reduced food intake

powered85
powered85 Posts: 297 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've had to take a few days off due to injury and having a really tough time eating maintenance calories based on sedentary compared to what I normally eat daily due to a high activity level. Seem to want to eat as much as I would during a day with lots of activity and a long run. Is it normal for it to take a few days to adjust physically or is it more a mindset to cut the food out on days where completely inactive?

Replies

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Yes it's normal

    Appetite is not directly related to calorie burn
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,111 Member
    Totally normal. I went through it too when I tore my meniscus.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    Yes, totally normal. And a few days above maintenance isn't going to harm anything anyway.

    Hope you heal quickly and well. :)
  • powered85
    powered85 Posts: 297 Member
    This is promising news thank you!

    I noticed this on a rest days as well but was only a day so didn't pay much attention.

    Generally burn 800+ or so on exercise most days so it's a big drop when off the routine. Amazing how you get used to the same caloric intake.
  • nosebag1212
    nosebag1212 Posts: 621 Member
    If it's just for a few days you could just eat at maintenance (BMR x 1.2) then resume the deficit when you heal up, you will also heal faster that way, tying to eat at a deficit when you're sedentary is VERY difficult imo because you get so little food.
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    powered85 wrote: »
    This is promising news thank you!

    I noticed this on a rest days as well but was only a day so didn't pay much attention.

    Generally burn 800+ or so on exercise most days so it's a big drop when off the routine. Amazing how you get used to the same caloric intake.

    Me too. I hate rest days. My exercise is always outdoors so I hate when we have particularly nasty weather days and I can't get out and have to adjust my eating accordingly. I feel like I'm starving even though I don't typically eat more than half my exercise calories back anyway.
  • powered85
    powered85 Posts: 297 Member
    edited October 2016
    Rocknut53 wrote: »
    powered85 wrote: »
    This is promising news thank you!

    I noticed this on a rest days as well but was only a day so didn't pay much attention.

    Generally burn 800+ or so on exercise most days so it's a big drop when off the routine. Amazing how you get used to the same caloric intake.

    Me too. I hate rest days.

    Same here. I love getting out and being active. Will be well above maintenance for a few days until I get back at it. Will be interesting if the cravings go down tomorrow and next while sedentary.

  • neldabg
    neldabg Posts: 1,452 Member
    powered85 wrote: »
    Rocknut53 wrote: »
    powered85 wrote: »
    This is promising news thank you!

    I noticed this on a rest days as well but was only a day so didn't pay much attention.

    Generally burn 800+ or so on exercise most days so it's a big drop when off the routine. Amazing how you get used to the same caloric intake.

    Me too. I hate rest days.

    Same here. I love getting out and being active. Will be well above maintenance for a few days until I get back at it. Will be interesting if the cravings go down tomorrow and next while sedentary.

    I know the feeling. I took a few days off of intense exercise recently because I both felt and *knew* my body needed the break, and I went from 2000-2500 in the weeks before to 1400-1550, and that's only after squeezing in a short walk. I almost forgot how little the body needs when a person is not in motion.
    The cravings do go away eventually, and the first day is really only the toughest. Have a safe recovery! :)

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