How to eat on a big day of working out?

Asher_Ethan

Today is my day off from work so I usually spend today working out like crazy.
First my 4-year-old son and I go to a place full of trampolines and jump for 2 hours. Next I take a spinning class for an hour. Lastly I finish the day with Zumba for another hour.
Before I started using MFP I would just eat what ever I wanted on day like this, but obviously that was counter productive...
So a couple of questions:

1. Should I eat my 1200 calories AND everything I burn off?
2. Which meal should be the biggest?
3. I've been trying to stay away from carbs and dairy (kind of paleo) should I continue to do that for a big working out day?

Thannnnkkkkkkk youuuuuu.

sdumma

BUMP!!

Girl_Bomb

I would definitely suggest eating back the majority of those calories, considering1200 is most likely to low for you to begin with. Breakfast should always be your biggest meal, I try to get in at least 30g of protein within my first half hour of waking up. That's also a lot of cardio which means burning muscle instead of fat for fuel. I personally think you will see the most results if you cut the cardio in half in add some weight training and up your calories. You need to eat, eat, eat or else your body will store what you have, starvation mode, your body doesn't care if you lose weight your body cares if it has enough fuel to function. These are just some basic facts I suggest looking into your TDEE, and BMR etc and reading through more forums on these topics to get a better understanding, best of luck

_stephanie0

I would definitely suggest eating back the majority of those calories, considering1200 is most likely to low for you to begin with. Breakfast should always be your biggest meal, I try to get in at least 30g of protein within my first half hour of waking up. That's also a lot of cardio which means burning muscle instead of fat for fuel. I personally think you will see the most results if you cut the cardio in half in add some weight training and up your calories. You need to eat, eat, eat or else your body will store what you have, starvation mode, your body doesn't care if you lose weight your body cares if it has enough fuel to function. These are just some basic facts I suggest looking into your TDEE, and BMR etc and reading through more forums on these topics to get a better understanding, best of luck

this....

the biggest meals should be those surrounding your workouts....which seems like it would almost be all day.. haha..so enjoy your food

Girl_Bomb

Oh and when I say eat, I mean healthy, clean foods lol and a lot of them. If your not hungry or don't have time something like an avocado has 240cals and a crap load of monounsaturated fats aka fat fighting healthy goodness or almonds, or olive oil on salads. I didn't look at your diary or profile so I hope I'm on the rot track lol

Weebs628

Thursdays (hey, today!) are like that for me and I use it sort of as my "splurge" day, but I don't have to feel guilty about it. Last Thursday I burned 1,300 calories, but had over 800 left at the end of the day cause I just couldn't eat them all.

waylandcool

I would add some carbs to your diet on a big workout day like whole grains or something with fiber in it. Otherwise you'll be hungry faster. Make sure you hit your protein goal as well as that will help with muscle recovery. I usually eat a little more than my normal goal on a big work out day but I try to stay a few hundred calories under.

secretlobster

Agreed that 1200 calories is probably too little for someone as active as you are. I would strongly urge you to reevaluate your calorie goal in general based on BMR/TDEE. People with less than 30 lbs to lose, AND are active, should probably not be eating the bare minimum caloric recommendation.

Go ahead and eat back at least half of the calories you burn through exercise. At 1200 minimum, you're at quite a deficit already.

tubaman58

Make sure you get some "slow release " carbs in there, whole wheat pasta.... beans......They help make sure your blood sugar stays up for your workouts!

Asher_Ethan

Thank you for all the information! You are really knowledgeable... I know you said I should do weights more (hahaha I hate weights I get so bored!) I do try to do weights 2 or 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes... Do you think that would be enought

cmeitz0

I also have a couple of days a week where I exercise much more than normal. On those days, I eat most of what I burn off, but I save about 100-200 calories for the next day too, because I find myself being hungrier than normal the day following a day of a lot of exercise. So the day of exercise I am a little under my goal calories, and the day following I am a little over. Keep in mind the MFP will automatically have you at a calorie deficit if you've entered a weight goal, the expectation is that you will need fuel to support your workouts and you should eat what you burn off.

On those days I also eat more carbs than usual, but not crazy with the carbs - similar proportion, maybe a bit higher, just more calories worth. For example, on a normal day I eat about 35% of calories from carbs, on a crazy day I might eat 40%. I also find that it does not serve me well to have a lot of big meals, I eat many smaller snacks/meals throughout the day. I have found that if I follow a 2 hour run with a big or small meal, either way, I'm just as hungry an hour later.

Most of my carbs come from fruit or nuts, I eat little grain and no wheat/gluten. If you are going to eat fast carbs or grains, the best time to do it is right after exercising. Your body is going to basically suck in and burn off whatever type of fuel it is.

I have evolved into this over the last couple and it has worked out well. I am 40 y/o with about 12% body fat, 168 lbs, down from about 200 and close to 30%, so my results support my conclusion :-)

secretlobster

I find myself being hungrier than normal the day following a day of a lot of exercise.

I'm 150% with you there!!

Girl_Bomb

If weights are boring then try something like TRX training, or lifting heavy, I find those to be very empowering and enjoyable, have a routine planned befor you go that way you aren't just sitting there thinking about what to do. Or do a program like new rules of lifting for women or body rock videos.