FAT2FIT folks. Rest day question

graysmom2005
graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Today is my one day off. I taught two spin classes yesterday, and the next two days I have 9 1/2 hour Sh'bam training (cardio dance class). Today is my day off. I have been following the fat2fit guidelines mostly, and I was wondering if I eat at the lowest point on my day off, or since I workout 6 days a week would I eat at that level every day? Thanks!

Replies

  • Smuterella
    Smuterella Posts: 1,623 Member
    bump
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    You eat at that level EVERY DAY it's already assuming you have a test day. But if your workout is more intense than usual tomorrow you'd still want to eat slightly more.
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
    I LOVE that answer. ;-) I was so hungry yesterday. I ate all 2200 calories. I was the bottomless pit. I'm logging every single morsel these days though, and it's amazing how that adds up. I'll put it back up to 2200 for today. I did have it at 1700
  • gafrausto
    gafrausto Posts: 24 Member
    Yep, with all that activity, you should stick with the same level. You're body needs those calories for repair and to keep you from bogging down for the next day.
  • AprilPayne24
    AprilPayne24 Posts: 68
    Unrelated question - I have always wondered this with spin instructor's who teach more than one class a day...Do you take it easy because you know you have (2) or do you go all out both classes?
  • fittraier
    fittraier Posts: 138
    Unrelated question - I have always wondered this with spin instructor's who teach more than one class a day...Do you take it easy because you know you have (2) or do you go all out both classes?

    If they are far enough apart you can go all out on both. you only need a few hours rest. but your legs feel it the next day.
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
    Unrelated question - I have always wondered this with spin instructor's who teach more than one class a day...Do you take it easy because you know you have (2) or do you go all out both classes?
    It depends on the instructor. I can't help but go all out, but some days I'll have to decrease resistance here and there as my thursday night class is my 9th class of the week. I'm pretty tired by then! ;-)
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    yeah, certainly do NOT decrease calories on rest days--also, if you're doing above and beyond your activity level that you chose on F2F doesn't reflect the appropriate number of calories for those days.

    Example using my stats:
    Activity Level Daily Calories
    Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 1490
    Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 1708
    Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 1925
    Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 2142
    Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.) 2360

    I'd say that I am "very active" meaning I should eat 2142 calories every day. Since it says "hard exercise 6-7 days/wk" that's taking into account 1 rest day.

    Now on Sundays I sometimes run 15-20 miles--that would qualify me as "Extremely active" if i did it daily right? So in that case I'd be eating 2360 calories a day--since I don't do it daily though it would make sense to eat 2360 on that 1 day while eating at the 'very active' level on other days so that I'm not under or overeating.
  • Smuterella
    Smuterella Posts: 1,623 Member
    I thought the whole point of this approach was that you ate the same amount every day, no less / no more based on exercise. So you wouldn't add for extra exercise or decrease on rest days...
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    I thought the whole point of this approach was that you ate the same amount every day, no less / no more based on exercise. So you wouldn't add for extra exercise or decrease on rest days...

    I think you missed my point.

    Unless you wanted to account for the fact that you're not very active OR extra active and perhaps average the 2 then you'd have to consider a day when you ran a marathon for example or if you routinely do 15-20 miles 1x a week like I do--that's not their definition of "very active" but since you're not doing it every day it's also not their definition of "extra active."

    So..I could theoretically do 2142 +2360 / 2 and eat 2250 a day, every day OR I could eat 2142 on days that are actually "very active" and 2360 on "extra active" days--otherwise I'd be UNDEReating.
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
    Do you typically go by those numbers? Did you lose weight eating that amount?
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    Those numbers are rather accurate for me. I haven't tried losing weight in quite a long time--I was never overweight actually--but these numbers suggest that I would maintain on ~2250 calories and that's pretty close for me--maybe slightly lower than I maintain on actually.

    So I wouldn't be afraid of following those recommendations at all. I currently eat 2200-3000 calories a day--averaging 2400-2500 calories. Still seeing where maintenance really is.

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