Eating on non-workout days

JenSpinnaChick

Just wondering if anyone else feels this way,,,I'm such a creature of habit and I find it very hard to pull back on the amount of calories I eat on non workout days. On days I don't work out I'm always way over on my calories, just not sure if this is a good thing or not. Make sense???? Any input is greatly welcomed, thanks!!!

killerann

I feel the same way. Its so hard to stick to 1200 calories a day and so much easier when I work out and can add an extra 350! Just remember that even a quick walk or some sit-ups/crunches during commercials can count towards a few extra calories that might take the edge off!

polo571

I sometimes make my higher calorie zig zag on the days I dont work out so I can mess with my body. I just usually eat higher cal foods with more dietary fiber. It seems to help as long as you go by total cals burned.

Robin1117

I have the exact same problem. I tend to eat to the calorie level that I'm used to, as if I were exercising and try to make up on other days during the week so it all evens out. Do you use the iphone app? If so, there is a summary that I find really helpful that can show you the calories summed for the week. So on Monday, my typical rest day I'm always over but I gradually see how it all shakes out to even by the end of the week. I'm not sure if the website has this report too. I haven't looked yet.

Anyway, I have tried to go lower to my base level and it's just not possible--my body wants those calories. I have started doing light exercise on these days if I can--maybe some yoga or 15-20 minutes of stretching. it doesn't help fill the gap of the calorie losses on these day but at least I feel relatively active.....

you are definitely not alone!

TateFTW

Just wondering if anyone else feels this way,,,I'm such a creature of habit and I find it very hard to pull back on the amount of calories I eat on non workout days. On days I don't work out I'm always way over on my calories, just not sure if this is a good thing or not. Make sense???? Any input is greatly welcomed, thanks!!!

One solution would be to stay under your goal on your exercise days and eat over your goal on non-exercise days. MFP is based around creating a weekly deficit. Your daily deficit does NOT have to stay the same to reach this goal. So say your daily goal is 1200, and on training days you usually burn 300 cals, moving your goal to 1500. If on a training day you eat 1350, you'd be able to also eat 1350 on a non training day and end up with the correct deficit at the end of the week.