calorie cycle on recomp advice

angermouse · May 2019

hi,
im doing recomp, went off a bit but getting back into it. although I just read some articles that's confused me (again!) can I get some advice on what actual calorie cycle I should be doing. below is what I will be doing. 1800 is my maintenance but some days do eat more or less slightly.

weight/gym days are 1800 calories
pro: 130g
fat: 60g
carb:185g

non training are 1600 calories
pro:130g
fat:60g
carb:135g

ive read that if my maintenance Is 1800 I should eat a surplus of 100 on training days and 500 on no training. so that would make it 1900 training and 1300 non train. ive seen other articles saying other numbers but most say to eat surplus and deficit. ive just been eating slight deficit.

I have a fitbit and on non training days I do LISS and say i burn around 1600cals depending how busy my days been. so aim I eating too many cals on non training (1600) as that puts me at maintaining right? should I be eating 1100? seems low. or maybe the 500 is too big. OR maybe im getting this confused hahaha

so to sum it up I burn roughly, according to fitbit info 18-1900 on workout days and 1600 on non work out what should I be eating please.

or is my macro breakdown ok? thanks

maybe1pe · May 2019

Reading this gave me anxiety lol.

IMO you're overthinking it....

I eat my calories based on a weekly goal. Somedays (often days I workout) I'm not as hungry and therefore eat less, but other days (often rest days) I'm more hungry and therefore eat more.
At the end of the week I aim to have my average be my maintenance calories.

I don't think long term it matters if you eat extra on the days you workout or not.

Some people calorie cycle during recomp by doing what you've outlined. Some people calorie cycle by doing the opposite and eating more on rest days and less on workout days. And some people just eat the same amount every day.

Do what's sustainable for your lifestyle. My understanding is the most important thing for recomp is consistency with workouts (do them) and eat at maintenance (or at an average of maintenance over a week or two time period).

sijomial · May 2019

It matters not one jot, tittle or iota.

As long as your calories work out over an extended period of time (meaning months) unlikely you would see any benefit or difference.

The focus on calories and macros is misplaced - it's your training that drives the process.
Optimise your training, train hard, eat in whatever way suits your adherence and enoyment.

Are you actually training yet?

angermouse · May 2019

@maybe1pe lol its sends my anxiety sky high. I was doing that routine confidently until I looked into it. gona stay off google now haha.

@sijomial yes my training hasn't stopped ive started focusing on a programme this last week. it was just my diet that went abit wonky due to kids being off school and distractions, days out etc.

thanks I will stick with what I was doing and not worry then. I will have a weigh-in in 2weeks and hopefully the 4or 5weeks on recomp will show progress

calorie cycle on recomp advice

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