Day off of excersizing..what to eat?

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spatticus
spatticus Posts: 230 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Have to take a day off of excersizing today I'm so stiff and sore. =[ Any suggestions on what I should eat on days off? Should I stretch or rest completely? Thanks!

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  • might4
    might4 Posts: 99 Member
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    Always stretch...especially if you are sore. Best way to get rid of soreness is a nice long relaxing stretching routine!!
  • AmericanNewfie
    AmericanNewfie Posts: 21
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    REST! Your body needs rest every 4-5 days. Also, don't skimp on your diet just because your not going to excercise. That is the one problem I have with MFP. If you are regularly working out, your body needs to have the same amount of fuel on the day off as the days you are working out. Remember why you are sore in the first place... YOUR BODY IS HEALING. If you don't feed it properly, it will not heal properly and you will not get the desired effects.
    One thing I always do on my day off on the weekend is have a cheat meal. I stay within my caloric guidelines but I eat something that isn't quite as good for me like a slice of pizza or something (dare I say) fried! Believe it or not, this can actually jumpstart you metabolism. Just like mixing up your workouts so that you 'confuse' your muscles, you need to confuse you metabolism once in a while too.
    Good luck and happy eating!
  • geocookie
    geocookie Posts: 23 Member
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    When eating today, shift towards extra protein to help your muscles rebuild. Your body does need time off for repair, so don't feel badly at all about taking a day off, especially when you're horribly sore. I exercise six days in a row and take every Sunday off. Like AmericanNewfie, I also eat a cheat meal once per week, usually on my sixth day of exercise.
  • kwardklinck
    kwardklinck Posts: 1,601
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    I usually do some light cardio or stretching when I'm sore. It seems to help better than "resting". It's very light intensity and doesn't burn many calories but it makes me feel better. I usually eat between 1200-1300 calories on my rest days.

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