Do you eat "workout" level calories on cardio days?

[LaraT]

I have noticed from some posts that people are eating at there "Non workout" day calorie levels on cardio days. Isn't a workout a workout or does the NROL4W program just mean "workout" as in the workouts in the book?

On days I do a regular cardio workout (not a HIIT but not low intensity steady state) I burn 300-500 calories per my heart rate monitor. Is it better to have this go towards my deficit and eat at the lower levels or am I risking muscle loss?

[Susan4]

I'm just gonna follow you around this place cause you keep asking all my questions

[GinnyLou]

Isn't a workout a workout or does the NROL4W program just mean "workout" as in the workouts in the book?

I don't know, but I only eat the higher amount of calories on days when I am doing the NROL4W weight training. I keep them low on cardio-only days.
Not sure what is recommended, but this is what I am doing. Good question!

[beach_plums]

I'm only eating the higher amount on NROL4W as well. My cardio-only days are anywhere between 300-500 calories lighter. I also find that on my weight training days, I eat more protein, whereas on cardio-only days, I eat more carbs.

[LaraT]

My concern with eating at the lower level would be more chance of muscle loss due to being in "too much" of a calorie deficit.

[Barrett]

I think it depends on your goals as well. But I think that you should be eating the same as if you were training. I believe this because it will help your muscles repair and get ready for the next workout.

[Kirjava]

This is a great question--I've been wondering the same thing myself. I've been trying to follow the model of eating non-workout cals on my cardio-only days, I guess just to ensure the calorie deficit of my cardio. If I'm starving post or pre-workout, though, I will have an extra little snack. But this has been a fuzzy area for me too.

[mrroach]

Hi, Lara. You can use your weights as a pretty good measure of whether your deficit is too large. If you are rapidly losing strength (some loss of strength is likely while dieting) then odds are that you are overdoing the deficit. Whether you are overdoing it by eating too little, or by doing too much (or too high an intensity) cardio makes little difference.

If your weights are holding steady, or even (unlikely) increasing, then you're fine. If they aren't, then eat more, or do less cardio.

[LaraT]

Originally Posted by mrroach

Hi, Lara. You can use your weights as a pretty good measure of whether your deficit is too large. If you are rapidly losing strength (some loss of strength is likely while dieting) then odds are that you are overdoing the deficit. Whether you are overdoing it by eating too little, or by doing too much (or too high an intensity) cardio makes little difference.

If your weights are holding steady, or even (unlikely) increasing, then you're fine. If they aren't, then eat more, or do less cardio.

Thanks. I am actually increasing in strength. I have upped my weights a bit a few times since starting the program (about 3.5 weeks into it) I am actually eating at higher calorie levels than I was prior to the program. I think I was under eating for my activity level before. I am still not eating quite at the maintenance levels in the book, working my up there. My goal is to lose fat/weight and build muscle and many people here advised me that I was not eating enough and my body was holding on to fat. Not to mention you need to eat more to gain muscle!

I just don't to mess up recovery by not eating enough on cardio days (or risk burning muscle)

[Lisa~]

Cardio only days are non-workout days. Think of it more as lifting and non-lifting days.

You're not tearing up muscle when you do energy system work, like steady-state cardio or intervals, like you are when you lift heavy external loads.

[Cynthia]

Originally Posted by Lisa~

Cardio only days are non-workout days. Think of it more as lifting and non-lifting days.

You're not tearing up muscle when you do energy system work, like steady-state cardio or intervals, like you are when you lift heavy external loads.

Doh. I wish this question had been asked a month ago!

[LaraT]

Originally Posted by Lisa~

Cardio only days are non-workout days. Think of it more as lifting and non-lifting days.

You're not tearing up muscle when you do energy system work, like steady-state cardio or intervals, like you are when you lift heavy external loads.

but say you are burning a good amount of calories during your cardio--wouldn't you be in "too much" of a deficit which could interfere with the bodies ability to recover and/or cause some catabolism?

[rixatrix]

Originally Posted by LaraT

but say you are burning a good amount of calories during your cardio--wouldn't you be in "too much" of a deficit which could interfere with the bodies ability to recover and/or cause some catabolism?

Then cut down on the cardio. =o)

If your goal is building muscle, you don't want to do that much.

If your goal is burning off fat while maintaining muscle, then keep the cardio or switch to intervals.

For me, at least, the biggest difference between lifting/non-lifting days is my post workout shake plus banana. I eat it right after lifting. I mix up the whey protein shake and keep it in my car, so when I'm walking out of the gym, still sweaty (I don't live too far away), the first thing I do when I get in the car is drink the shake and eat the banana. I read somewhere that that post-lifting protein (within an hour of lifting, with immediately after being best) helps your body recover faster and with less pain. The shake plus banana equals approximately 300 calories, or the difference for me between lifting/non-lifting day calories.

Have you been tracking body fat and noticed you're losing a lot of lean mass? I don't even know if that's possible in four or five weeks to know if you're losing that much actual muscle. Or are you just speculating about the future?

[LaraT]

My cardio is intervals. I often do what is suggested in the book--a HIIT workout, followed by 5 minutes rest, followed by steady state. I am doing a 200 mile bike ride this summer (charity thing) so need to keep up with my training for that as well. When I do this type of workout I am STARVING.

Definitely NOT losing lean body mass, in fact I think I have gained some. I am eating more than ever (and not gaining), losing inches and making more strength gains in the last few weeks then I probably did before in 6 months.

[rixatrix]

Originally Posted by LaraT

My cardio is intervals. I often do what is suggested in the book--a HIIT workout, followed by 5 minutes rest, followed by steady state. I am doing a 200 mile bike ride this summer (charity thing) so need to keep up with my training for that as well. When I do this type of workout I am STARVING.

Definitely NOT losing lean body mass, in fact I think I have gained some. I am eating more than ever (and not gaining), losing inches and making more strength gains in the last few weeks then I probably did before in 6 months.

That's fantastic! You're eating more, making strength gains, and shrinking! Keep doing what you're doing, you're kicking butt.

[LaraT]

I just wish the scale would move down a little more!

[Kirjava]

Originally Posted by LaraT

I just wish the scale would move down a little more!

I hear ya, sister. But if we hang in there then results WILL come....I've read your posts and am in the same situation as you (chronic undereater, overexerciser) so I am excited for us to see results based on solid feeds and strength gains. Good luck!

[LaraT]

Originally Posted by Kirjava

I hear ya, sister. But if we hang in there then results WILL come....I've read your posts and am in the same situation as you (chronic undereater, overexerciser) so I am excited for us to see results based on solid feeds and strength gains. Good luck!

yes, patience patience. Good luck to you too! I love hearing about everyone's experiences with this plan. So motivating.