How to eat on rest days

[samgraves82]

ISSA BLOG
One of the most common reasons people work out is to build muscle. They desire a trimmer physique or want those six-pack abs. Engaging in the right exercises helps achieve this fitness goal. So too does eating the right foods.

Typically, this involves giving clients advice about what to eat on training days. Pre-workout diet suggestions ensure their body has enough fuel to support the increased physical activity. Post-workout nutrition is also important as it aids in muscle recovery.

But one area of diet that is sometimes left out of these discussions is what to eat on rest days.

Why Rest Day Nutrition Is Important
Some clients believe muscle recovery only occurs on workout days. Yet, muscle repair takes place up to 48 hours post-workout. Eating the right foods to support this repair ensures the muscles have the nutrients they need to grow.

Research also reveals that nutrition is important for reducing workout-related muscle soreness. This soreness can impact range of motion, in addition to causing discomfort. Consuming the right nutrients helps by influencing the body’s inflammatory response.

Determining Your Rest Day Calorie Intake
If you know you’re not going to exercise today, intuition says to reduce your calorie intake. Since you’re not going to expend as much energy, you don’t need to eat as much. Is this true? Should you eat less on rest days when trying to gain muscle?

Some fitness professionals say that fewer calories are needed because you’re not as active. Others feel your caloric intake should remain the same as training days to help the muscles grow. Who is right?

The answer to this question depends, in part, on your client’s goal. If they want weight loss along with muscle growth, reducing calories on rest days can help. The body does still needs nutrients to aid in recovery. As long as these needs are met, calories can be lowered slightly.

If the client only wants to build muscle, it may make more sense to keep calorie intake relatively the same. This ensures they’ll have the energy required for their next strength training session while supporting muscle growth.

What to Eat on Rest Days If Your Goal is to Build Muscle
Helping clients maximize recovery day nutrition involves offering advice about the three macronutrients: protein, carbs, and fat.

Protein
Protein supports muscle protein synthesis. This is when the body produces protein to help repair muscles damaged by an intense workout. Protein in the diet aids in muscle repair by supplying amino acids that help heal recovering muscle tissue.

Because protein is so important to muscle growth, clients should consume the same amount as on training days. For muscle growth, this equates to one gram of protein for every pound of bodyweight, or 2.2 grams per kg.

For athletic clients wanting to build muscle and lose fat, research reveals that a slightly higher intake—2.3 grams per kg of bodyweight—is more beneficial.

Foods that supply a higher level of protein include fish, poultry, nuts, and seeds. Beans, dairy products, tofu, and soy are high in protein as well.

Carbohydrates
Carbs are also important to muscle recovery. They help replace glycogen stores, supplying the muscles with more energy. Studies have also found that carbs are necessary for maximum protein absorption.

The number of carbs clients should consume on a rest day depends on how active they are. If they are fairly sedentary, 3-5 grams per kg of bodyweight may be enough. Carbs should also be lowered if the client wants fat loss in addition to building muscle.

For a more active rest day, 8-10 grams per kg may be necessary to supply the body enough energy. Active rest involves performing light-intensity exercises such as walking or cycling at slower paces.

Complex carbs supply the most nutrition and include foods such as whole grains, beans, and vegetables. Incorporating these items in a client’s rest-day diet helps support the recovery process.

Fats
A client’s approach to fat on rest days can go one of two ways. Some will want to lower their fat intake because they know they’ll be less active. This is especially true if they’re concerned about their weight. Others may look at a rest day as a cheat day and be tempted to overdo it.

Either way, it’s important to remind clients that there’s a difference between healthy fats and unhealthy fats. Healthy fats include those found in avocados, nuts, and olive oil. Unhealthy fats are those found in processed foods such as cakes, cookies, and chips.

Healthy fats are part of a balanced diet. Typically, fat should account for 20 to 35 percent of the client’s total calorie intake. Though, this amount could change depending on their specific eating program.

Are Protein Shakes Beneficial for Active Recovery?
Because protein is so important to muscle recovery, clients may be inclined to consume protein shakes on rest days to ensure they get enough. The question is whether this is really necessary for promoting muscle recovery.

The problem with this approach is that these shakes can be high in calories and sugar. If this is not accounted for, it’s easy to exceed dietary limits.

If clients are having trouble reaching their recommended protein intake, a protein shake can help. This helps ensure that muscle protein levels are where they need to be. Protein shakes are also helpful for clients with rigorous workout schedules.

For those only exercising a couple days a week, protein is best sourced from their regular diet.

Additional Rest Day Recommendations
There are few other things clients can do on their rest days to help support muscle recovery. Here are some recommendations you can make as their personal trainer:

Get enough rest. When you sleep, your body replenishes its muscle glycogen stores. Thus, sleep is necessary for muscle growth.
Focus on hydration. Water helps keep the joints lubricated. Some studies have found that it also reduces muscle soreness.
Relieve tight muscles. If the client notices muscle tightness on rest days, foam rolling can help. Relieving tight muscles also increases flexibility, which can help once they return to the gym.
Let go of the guilt. Sometimes rest day comes with a little guilt. The client feels bad because they didn’t exercise. Reinforce that rest days are part of a healthy workout program. In fact, if they have an intense exercise plan, they may benefit from a full recovery week.

[MONSTRO]

Eat on rest days . Some people think since we dont burn calories we should eat less but at same time is on rest days that we recover and o chose to do rest day after weak muscles like legs ( so i dont think make sense reduce food when you need to recover and grow).

What you think ?

[DarrenW29]

Eat on rest days . Some people think since we dont burn calories we should eat less but at same time is on rest days that we recover and o chose to do rest day after weak muscles like legs ( so i dont think make sense reduce food when you need to recover and grow).

What you think ?

This what the new fashion of this low calories on rest days people do now to so called prevent fat gain it’s the most stupidest thing I’ve seen and some people cut food 2000 calories then moan why they lack energy look flat

How long do people carb up for?
Exactly

Now think of that on rest days

Infact try this

Stop your hgh insulin on rest day and lower your food check the scale the next day…

Hgh insulin within 2 days you loose all the fullness these drugs hormones provide

Diet has to be on point as much as we can unless we have illness or you’ll go flat quick especially big bodybuilders if you think your helping insulin sensitivity you are wrong it doesn’t work like that it takes months of low carb even medication to help high blood sugar not 1 day

and fat gain is mainly poor training and overeating which if your training hard intense using real drugs hgh testosterone tren you only want to be eating massive amounts of food you digest to help support that new muscle tissue and constant protein synthesis turnover and glycogen super compensation

[MONSTRO]

Is like the same bullshit idea of using orals only workout days to detox liver . If you want to restore insulin sensitivity drop hgh + slin for 4 weeks then repeat again or even better use DNP every 2 weeks every 8 weeks

[DarrenW29]

Is like the same bullshit idea of using orals only workout days to detox liver . If you want to restore insulin sensitivity drop hgh + slin for 4 weeks then repeat again or even better use DNP every 2 weeks every 8 weeks

Monstro said it best this is the honest truth that you never hear about this is the priceless real information.