Hello and welcome back to Dr. Adoración Linares' nutrition blog. Today I'm discussing nutrition on rest days from sports. The question is, should we eat less on rest days?
The importance of rest
Anyone who engages in physical activity knows the importance of rest. so that the body can recover and properly assimilate the training sessions. These rest days from sports activity are essential for muscle recovery, prevention of fatigue, the risk of overload or injury, and improved performance.
Therefore, even though we have almost no physical activity on rest days, nutrition remains essential for maintaining optimal athletic performance. So, a nutrition plan for inactive days should also include the right balance of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
Proteins: fuel for muscles
Proteins promote satiety –feeling of fullness– more than carbohydrates and fats because they stimulate the secretion of hormones that reduce appetite due to a series of responses at the level of the hypothalamus.
Therefore, protein reduces hunger levels and temporarily speeds up metabolism, contributing to a reduction in calorie intake, a key factor in weight loss. The body uses energy to digest and utilize nutrients from food; this is the thermal effect of food (TEF)), and the thermic effect of proteins is much greater than that of carbohydrates and fats.
It follows, therefore, that adequate protein intake from high-quality sources is important to promote muscle repair and growth. After all, Proteins are the basic food of muscles.
Some commonly recommended protein sources include chicken, beef, fish, tofu, legumes (for example, beans, peas and lentils) or nuts.
It's important to consider the best time to consume protein after training. This is generally between 30 minutes and 2 hours after finishing physical exercise.
Current recommendations for protein intake for the general population are 0.75 g of protein per kg of body weight per day for adults.
Most people consume more than that, so it is unlikely that additional protein will be needed if you engage in around 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week.
If you regularly practice a sport or exercise, such as training for a race, a cycling event, or weightlifting, your protein requirements may be slightly higher than normal to achieve greater growth and repair of muscle tissue.
Recommendation: Whether you're an elite athlete working towards an ideal body composition, or you just want to lose some belly fat, consider replacing some of your carbohydrates and fats with protein in your daily meals and snacks.
Carbohydrates: energy
The main function of carbohydrates in physical activity is to provide energy. In the case of athletes, if their diet does not contain enough carbohydrates, performance and recovery are likely to be impaired.
Carbohydrates are the key fuel for the brain and muscles during exercise. It should be noted that the body can store carbohydrates in the muscles and liver in the form of glycogen, whose role is to maintain the necessary blood glucose levels in our body and thus satisfy the body's need for this substance.
In this way, these reserves can be used as a fuel source for physical activity, but these glycogen reserves are limited, so for athletes who train at a high level it is important to be fully fueled at the start of any exercise.
Glycogen is the main source of energy at the start of exercise and during short, explosive bursts of activity, so if you do high-intensity training for extended periods and your glycogen stores are insufficient, you will feel tired, lack energy, and be unable to perform at your best.
Therefore, regularly consuming carbohydrate-rich foods can be important in this case to maintain adequate energy reserves. Choosing the right foods can help ensure the body has enough energy for activity and aid in recovery.
The complex carbohydrates, Complex carbohydrates, rich in fiber, are ideal for rest days as they are stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver, although they are depleted with exercise. Some examples of complex carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables, and cereals, rice, pasta, or bread; all of which are much better in their whole-grain versions.
Fruits and vegetables have a high content of antioxidant compounds (polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamins) that fight inflammation, which can do wonders for your body after tough workouts.
Another food rich in carbohydrates is quinoa, one of the so-called superfoods because it also has one of the highest contents of protein and vitamins B complex, C and E of all cereals.
Observation: Foods high in refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, flour, pasta, or rice, and those containing excess sugar should be avoided or minimized on rest days. These foods will not help your body recover metabolically.
Hydration on rest days
Proper hydration is also necessary on rest days. Our bodies are made up primarily of water, so maintaining optimal hydration levels is essential both during training and rest periods. Drinking water helps prevent muscle cramps caused by dehydration, as well as transporting nutrients throughout the body.
Conclusion
During rest periods from physical activity, we should focus on choosing foods that replenish the body and promote muscle repair, as well as keeping it hydrated, although what to eat on rest days does not differ too much from the days when you exercise.
I hope you found this article helpful. If you need further guidance on what to eat based on your training regimen and goals, please feel free to contact me.
Thank you and see you in the next post.
