Calories on rest days

sdopps
sdopps Posts: 27 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Wondering what people's thoughts are about calories on rest days? I usually run 7 days a week but am taking a rest day today and am wondering how much/if I should scale back my calories for the day. I typically run about 7 to 8 miles a day (50 to 55 miles a week) and net about 2300 calories a day. Should I cut back to around 1700 calories today because I'm not having that extra "exercise" calorie burn today due to the rest? I am in maintenance mode and not looking to lose any weight, but certainly don't want to gain any weight either. :smile:

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  • Unknown
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  • granitendirt
    granitendirt Posts: 76
    Awesome job on your weight loss!

    If you've been maintaining on that particular exercise routine and calorie amounts, then reducing exercise and eating the same could cause weight gain. I think it's one of those cases where you should give it a try, wait a few weeks and then re-assess as needed.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    With that amount of running, I don't think it would make a difference how much you eat on your rest day, to be honest. I would eat the same amount you normally do.

    Also, I don't know how long you've been on this regimen, but I hope you will consider taking at least one rest day a week from running on a regular basis. Most people's bodies cannot take that much high-impact exercise without recovery time.
  • PinkNinjaLaura
    PinkNinjaLaura Posts: 3,202 Member
    I was just thinking I was going to go over my calories today because it's my rest day when I saw your topic. I pretty much eat the same calorie range on my rest day as I do the other 6 days of the week.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    I workout 6 days a week and Sundays is my rest day normally.... I have been in maintenance now for the past 9 months... My maintenance calories (yes I eat back my exercise calories) is right at 4000 a day except for Sundays. On my rest day I scale back to 3200.... But like I said i use the MFP approach but if you have figured yours based on TDEE then you wouldn't have to change your calorie intake cause you have already included your exercise in..... I agree with the above poster, you might want to think of working in a rest day with that much impact cardio..... Best of Luck
  • andresconejo
    andresconejo Posts: 264
    Wondering what people's thoughts are about calories on rest days? I usually run 7 days a week but am taking a rest day today and am wondering how much/if I should scale back my calories for the day. I typically run about 7 to 8 miles a day (50 to 55 miles a week) and net about 2300 calories a day. Should I cut back to around 1700 calories today because I'm not having that extra "exercise" calorie burn today due to the rest? I am in maintenance mode and not looking to lose any weight, but certainly don't want to gain any weight either. :smile:

    I have this question but in my case, i only workout 3 times/week strenght and cardio.. should i eat the same amount on rest days??
  • sdopps
    sdopps Posts: 27 Member
    I actually said this wrong. I take in about 2300 calories a day total so net about 1700.

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