Rest Day Ravenous, or No Workie Outie--No get to Eatie

FaunalFantasy
FaunalFantasy Posts: 47 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I try to take a rest day every 5th day; I think it is important to give my body a rest from running and challenging workouts. However, on rest days I am so hungry! Part of it may be mental; simply knowing that I can't eat as much as I usually do may make me more hungry. But I am sure some of it is physical. I really am hungry!

MFP thinks I burn 1490 calories on an inactive day (and boy this was an inactive day). My FitBit (a pedometer) is estimating less--1378 calorie prediction for the entire day. While I don't know which is more accurate, I do tend to base my decisions on the FitBit, just so I ere more toward losing weight than gaining it. It's working--I am losing about .5 to .8lbs a week, which I am very happy with. At 1378 calories I am not going to get much of a restriction (278 as opposed to my goal of a 390 calorie restriction a day).

I am not sure it is worth it to fight for that restriction given how freaking hungry I am. I wonder if it is a good practice to eat to maintain your weight on a non-exercise day? Is that something that people do? Then I could eat 1300 calories instead of 1100. Although this whole thing may just be a desperate attempt to eat more; I am hungry right now. lol

What do all you Fitness Pals think?

Replies

  • Joannesmith2818
    Joannesmith2818 Posts: 438 Member
    I save calories on workout day for rest days. So I can eat the same amount of cals!
  • Shuuma
    Shuuma Posts: 465 Member
    I am the same way on Sunday (my rest day). I am going to try to just eat more proteins, fats, etc. on those days so I stay more full. These things are more calorie dense, as well, so it's important to be careful. I plan on logging everything I want to eat in the day and then spread it out in small increments so I can do more of a "graze" day whilst staying within my calorie allotment.

    I'm still dubious about the banking calories thing. I need a bit more convincing before I try it. :happy:
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    Maybe do a little reading on TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). I include my exercise in my daily goal and average it out over the week, so I eat the same amount each day. Here's the calculator I use: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

    Also, the leaner you are the more your fitbit will UNDER estimate your calorie goal. It's based on BMI, which is only accurate if you're the statistical average. (Mine can read anywhere from 500-800 cals a day less than my maintenance calories.)

    Edit: And from your post, the amount of cardio you do is WAY crazier than me, and I would die on that little calories. Don't be surprised by the number that calculator will give you. I was, and I fought it, but when I finally got desperate enough to try it, I lost body fat like mad. Best of luck!
  • FaunalFantasy
    FaunalFantasy Posts: 47 Member
    Maybe do a little reading on TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). I include my exercise in my daily goal and average it out over the week, so I eat the same amount each day. Here's the calculator I use: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

    Also, the leaner you are the more your fitbit will UNDER estimate your calorie goal. It's based on BMI, which is only accurate if you're the statistical average. (Mine can read anywhere from 500-800 cals a day less than my maintenance calories.)

    Edit: And from your post, the amount of cardio you do is WAY crazier than me, and I would die on that little calories. Don't be surprised by the number that calculator will give you. I was, and I fought it, but when I finally got desperate enough to try it, I lost body fat like mad. Best of luck!

    I like that site! It actually didn't give me all that different a result: TDEE 1436 and 1146 cal/day for .6lb/week weight loss (the TDEE is 55 less than MFP and the calorie restriction is pretty much right on). I was pleased to see that I could put in my goal weight at see what my TDEE would be then: 1398! I am looking forward to the day I can eat that much everyday PLUS my exercise calories! Hopefully just 13 more weeks!
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Your Fitbit burn is your TDEE. And it's way more accurate than any online calculator.

    MFP has a Fitbit a users group: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/1307-fitbit-users

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