This post is for the peeps who are perpetually hangry, rungry or feeling like they're missing that pep in their step. I bet I know a nutrition tip to enhance your training.
Hopefully you know that rest days are absolutely mandatory during your training schedule. Right now during this funky period of life when I am not really following any kind of plan or training for any race, I find its really easy to accidentally exercise 7 days in a row. Exercise makes me happy, it helps me de-stress and its fun.
But your body NEEDS rest days to recover, to rebuild muscle, to enhance performance.
If you begrudgingly accept rest days, you may be wondering, how do I eat on rest days?? I'm not exercising - should I eat less? should I eat differently? Why do I feel so guilty eating on rest days?
If you begrudgingly accept rest days, you may be wondering, how do I eat on rest days?? I'm not exercising - should I eat less? should I eat differently? Why do I feel so guilty eating on rest days?
Here's the thing, my fellow fitness fanatic, your body still has muscles to feed, a heart to pump and a body to nourish - even if you haven't exercised a second. You need to realize that metabolism is not as simple as "I burn X calories, so I have earned eating X calories." You need to stop letting food, calories, meals cause you feelings of shame, guilt and anxiety. Essentially, you need to shut up and eat. (lol I am being sassy, not mean, I promise)
I understand why it feels hard to eat on rest days. I also know sometimes you are inexplicably starving on rest days and that feels especially scary to contend with. Remember, muscle repair burns calories, and just because you did not exercise today does not mean your body isn't recovering still from a hard workout the day before. Realize that other factors affect our metabolism such as where we are in our menstrual cycle, stress, temperature, non-exercise associated calorie burning, etc...
And the calories you consume on rest days do not magically transform into fat stores, but they are utilized for muscle repair, your metabolism, your brain, to let you live your life without your brain constantly fixating on, "When do we eat next?"
You should NEVER judge your hunger, but trust it. Trust it to tell you when to eat and when to stop. (I know this is soo much easier said than done and it is one of the cornerstones of my nutrition coaching program).
If I haven't yet convinced you that its okay to eat on rest days, then the question becomes WHY do you feel so guilty or anxious about eating on rest days? What does this say about your relationship with your food and your body?
I find in my private practice many female athletes have come to associate their BODY IMAGE with their SELF WORTH. Hold up, I know that feels really deep considering we are just talkin' about eating a sandwich on a rest day LOL, but stay with me for a second.
Why do you feel guilty about eating on rest days? It's more than likely its because you're afraid you'll "get fat." And a "fat body" does not deserve the respect and self-care of nourishment (in your mind). And so you go hungry or eat lettuce instead of whatever it is your craving. And it's messing with you. It's messing with giving your body enough calories to recover and enhance performance. Its messing with your relationship with food (holla at my "sugar addicted" athletes). It is NOT serving you.
My former client, Erin, shared her experience of how nutrition counseling transformed her relationship with her body & food, and I think she put it SO incredibly well that I wanted to share it with you.
If you are ready to break free from guilt and shame while eating, ready to feel proud of your body, if you are ready to CRUSH YOUR PERFORMANCE GOALS, and if you are ready to finally feel FREE from the pressures of dieting... then apply for nutrition coaching.
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