Should you eat less on rest days?

dollparts2

Hey - so my question is more or less the title: should I eat less on days I don't exercise at all? Or would that interfere with stuff like the body getting the energy to heal?

I'm trying to get 1- 2 days where I don't do any cardio or lift weights (only walk), but I was wondering if it's better to keep a consistent calorie intake every day regardless of exercise.
I'm aiming for 1400 - 1600 calories every day, and that is with on average 1.5 hours of exercise (+I try to hit 5k steps every day, minimum).

The reason why I'm asking is because I'm trying to fix my overall body composition and metabolism after years of restrictive eating, while gaining as little weight (fat) as possible.

KarenSmith2018

If you set MFP to sedentary and the weight loss rate you want it will tell you your calories. Then you can add in exercise and choose whether or not to eat them back. This will give you the minimum you should eat a day regardless of your exercise on any particular day.

InkAndApples

Im usually more hungry on rest days and rarely manage to eat all my calories on days I workout - because of this I take a weekly overview of calories, as long as I'm under my weekly calorie goal I'm not fussed about how my calories are spread throughout the week. This also allows me to eat more at weekends without feeling like I'm "failing" at my diet.

Francl27

I can't do rest days. I'd have to eat 1400 calories or something. Not happening.

malibu927

MFP is set up for you to lose weight without exercise, so you should be eating to your goal on rest days

HeidiCooksSupper

What we eat in one day is not what wholly fuels that particular day. Our bodies work on a longer clock. I'm sure there are some folks who eat heavier on rest days. Whatever works for you.

(Of course, there are different, stricter rules, about matching food to activity level for those who are watching their blood glucose levels very carefully due to diabetes.)

Graelwyn75

It is worth noting that some people on here work out their average TDEE and stick to the same calorie goal on a daily basis, regardless of what they do on that particular day. It can be easier for some to do things this way so that they are not having to struggle with a low goal on rest days and a high goal on exercise days.

PAV8888

dollparts2 wrote: »

Hey - so my question is more or less the title: should I eat less on days I don't exercise at all? Or would that interfere with stuff like the body getting the energy to heal?

I'm trying to get 1- 2 days where I don't do any cardio or lift weights (only walk), but I was wondering if it's better to keep a consistent calorie intake every day regardless of exercise.
I'm aiming for 1400 - 1600 calories every day, and that is with on average 1.5 hours of exercise (+I try to hit 5k steps every day, minimum).

The reason why I'm asking is because I'm trying to fix my overall body composition and metabolism after years of restrictive eating, while gaining as little weight (fat) as possible.

I don't see how 1400-1500 is a bulk...even a very slow one.

Use a trending weight site or app if you're not already.

Going hungry on your rest day does not sound compatible with your goal.

Overall you should be hitting or exceeding your weekly calories including from exercise based on your stated goals unless you consistently exceed your desired rate of weight gain.

deannalfisher

I use my rest days as higher calorie days to replenish my body's fuel for harder workouts that have occurred previously

TavistockToad

I eat less on rest days because I eat back my exercise cals on workout days.

SCoil123

I struggle to eat all of my activity calories on the days I have my class, we do 1hr of weights and conditioning followed by 1hr of boxing 3 days a week. I use the left over calories from class days for my rest days where I actually tend to be more hungry. For me, it feels like this aids my muscle repair better to eat more on my down days.

My weekly deficit stays the same no matter what day the calories are consumed on.

Javagal2778

I have played around with this to see what my body prefers. Lower calories on my two rest days has been an epic fail. It leads to feeling unwell, hangry and wanting all the crap food. Now, I just stick with my TDEE and I've continued losing at a steady pace.

allyphoe

I try to eat more when I'm hungrier (usually rest days) and less when I'm not (usually heavier exercise days).

VeronicaA76

Yes. As you're not increasing the calories needed in a day by exercise. If your MFP recommendation is 1700/day and you go for a run and burn 500 calories, your daily recommended amount will be 2200. That's what you should eat. If you take a rest day, you only eat 1700.

Lillymoo01

As long as you are getting your required calories for the week it really doesn't matter how they are spread out day to day. You can eat more on exercise days, eat the same every day, or eat more on rest days. Only you know your body and what works best. If you have been tracking for awhile and adding your exercise calories on top of the calories given to you then you can work out your average weekly calories and go from there to work out your daily or weekly TDEE.

misnomer1

I can't do with low net calories on the day after a strenous lifting day.

ccruz985

No and if you could manage it, kudos to you! I say that because on rest days we're generally hungrier due to our ghrelin not being suppressed that day by exercise.