Non-exercise days

princessd1511

I was just curious how you are supposed to handle eating on non-exercise days and what others here do? I am in maintance but have been a little obsessive about exercise. To become healthier and more balanced I am going to try taking rest days from running. On those days am I really supposed to eat my maintance level (which I have set at sedentary) or do I eat just my BMR since I am not running?

ixap

Yes, if you want to maintain your weight, eat the maintenance level.

Helloitsdan

I eat lower carbs and higher fats on rest days.
On lift days I eat higher carbs and lower fats.

Its okay to persue cardio on rest days and even doing it fasted can yield better results.

ixap

Its okay to persue cardio on rest days and even doing it fasted can yield better results.

She is not trying to lose fat though.

kacarter1017

Start by eating your maintenance calories. That is how this site is set up. I have a friend who actually had to add about 250 calories a day on rest days to maintain. I've found I had to cut my maintenance calories by about 250 or I gain. Each of us is different, so the amounts here are guidelines. But the general idea works.

Helloitsdan

show previous quotes

Its okay to persue cardio on rest days and even doing it fasted can yield better results.

She is not trying to lose fat though.

*facepalm*

Doh!

Walking is a good form of recovery so I always suggest it on rest days especially if you are lifting.
Anywho.
Make sure you really are at the activity level that you say you are.
Thats the toughest part of maintaining!

princessd1511

So I dont have to eat my BMR just because I am not exercising? Just to be safe I set my maintance to sedentary when really I am more active then that.

MissD1585

Im curious about this too...

ixap

So I dont have to eat my BMR just because I am not exercising? Just to be safe I set my maintance to sedentary when really I am more active then that.

You'd only eat your BMR to maintain if you were literally lying in bed all day.
If you are getting up, showering, doing your hair, walking back and forth in your house, driving to work, walking in to your office, typing, talking to people, washing your dishes, etc. you are burning more than your BMR.

Toomestwin

I have to admit that I haven't quite cracked the code for non-workout days (I do a 15-minute routine every day so I don't have a true "non-exercise day."). I agree with trying to stick to your maintenance limit. For me, I'm either right at my limit or go a little over on my one "rest" day. But I'm not really bothered by it because I know the next day I'm going to either hit the gym or go for a run (or both).

The biggest challenge for me is the opposite: truly resting on my rest day. Never had this "problem" before, but I feel the urge to go for a run, do the elliptical or lift some weights and have to force myself to relax, take it easy and let my body recuperate like it needs to. That's better than how it used to be when I would find ANY excuse to NOT do anything. So it's all a matter of perspective, I guess.

ahmommy

show previous quotes

So I dont have to eat my BMR just because I am not exercising? Just to be safe I set my maintance to sedentary when really I am more active then that.

You'd only eat your BMR to maintain if you were literally lying in bed all day.
If you are getting up, showering, doing your hair, walking back and forth in your house, driving to work, walking in to your office, typing, talking to people, washing your dishes, etc. you are burning more than your BMR.

This! Your BMR is the calories you burn to do things like breathe, pump blood, and digest your food. Anything you do beyond basic bodily functions is burning above your BMR.

meerkat70

So I dont have to eat my BMR just because I am not exercising? Just to be safe I set my maintance to sedentary when really I am more active then that.

BMR is lower than your maintenance cals. Calculate your TDEE.

darrensurrey

non-exercise days

A what? :bigsmile:

Just eat within your calorie goal (providing it's not stupidly low or high).

trud72

1. WHAT THE HECK IS A NON EXERSICE DAY????? lol :bigsmile:

2. seriously just go very careful and plan ahead ALWAYS! i have my food diarys wrote in about 3 days before hand usallly! :blushing:

runzalot81

If you're running, eat your calories. Even on rest days. And ESPECIALLY if you have a steady increase in training.

I made the mistake of not eating enough over the last two years and now here I am with 10 lbs to lose

I saw that you're trying to be "safe" by using "sedentary." We don't give ourselves enough credit for how active we are! I think I'm soooooo lazy sometimes but someone else would call me a "bottomless pit of energy."