In a busy week of training, it is important for the athlete to have a rest day or Rest day so that the body can regenerate. On a rest day, you do not need to think about your gym and which muscles you need to train today. But there are other questions: how should I feed myself on a training-free day? Now the old rule applies that an effective muscle building training consists of 30 percent training and 70 percent healthy nutrition. But what to do if a Rest Day or a Cheat Day is inserted? Should the athlete also take his protein shakes on a rest day, even though he is not training? May the athlete do everything in one Cheat Day eat what he wants? In the following, let's take a closer look at what you should consume on a Rest Day and when you can integrate a Cheat Day without putting your training success at risk.
The diet on a rest day
One of the main reasons for a strength athlete to take a rest day is the regeneration of the muscles. Now the question arises, which meals the athlete should take on a rest day, without endangering his muscle building. The answer is simple: On non-training days, you should consume the same amount of protein as on the training days. The carbohydrates should be slightly reduced because the body requires less energy without training. Lower carbohydrate intake on a Rest Day also helps keep insulin levels low while maximizing fat metabolism. On a Rest Day, you can therefore absorb more fat through your diet, which means that meals on a non-training day can also be made from minced meat, salmon, eggs, cheese, or high-fat yoghurt. The calorie deficit on a rest day should be 10-20 percent of the "normal" energy turnover of a training day. For example, if you consume 3000 kcal on a training day, the calorie intake on non-workout days should be reduced to around 2400- 2700 kcal.
What is a cheat day?
Under a Cheat Day The strength athlete understands a day on which he may deviate from his prescribed diet sometimes. It's eaten on a cheat day, which tastes good, whether the meals are high in calories or high in fat. Make sure that you do not take your cheat meal on a day of rest, but on a day when you are exercising intensively. On rest days, you usually consume fewer calories, because the body also requires less energy on those days without any workouts. If you then consume a lot of sugary or high-fat meals, it will be difficult to keep to the usual Rest Day daily dose, otherwise too many calories are taken. A cheat day should the strength athletes then insert, if particularly intensive training units are completed. On a cheat day, the body can also absorb more calories, as there is an increased energy requirement. Many athletes are now incorporating a Cheat Day into their training program, as a stupid nutritional program creates a lot of stress that can ultimately affect performance. On a cheat day, you can eat unobtrusively, which also causes the body to relax and regenerate, without the athlete having to take a rest day.
