Why You May Be Hungrier on Rest Days and How to Prevent It
Ever wonder why you feel hungrier on a rest or recovery day? More often than not, it has something to do with how you fueled before, during and after a hard workout or long run. Perhaps you are one of those people who claims you just can’t eat before a workout (real talk: you can). Or you opt to take little to no nutrition during. Or – and I’m guilty of this too – following a long run, you’ve got a 40+ minute drive home so you just figure you’ll wait until then to grab something to eat. Stop it. Now.
Under-fueling – especially on long run or hard workout days – can lead to the feeling of being ravenous on rest or recovery days because your body is essentially catching up with itself. Make a point to fuel right on the day of – and I would even argue the day prior to – a long run or hard workout, and I guarantee you will not only perform better but also feel better afterwards and be much less likely to become a hangry-monster on rest day.
So how much do you need? And how often do you really need to eat? As with most things nutrition-related, everyone is completely different. And what works for you, doesn’t always work for others. Let’s review pre, during and post long run nutrition as well as what you should be doing the rest of the day following your longer efforts and harder workouts (click on the hyperlinks for meal ideas/examples).
Prior to the run, you need enough fuel (specifically carbs and protein) that you can easily tolerate to get you through the workout. Something more substantial than a granola bar or piece of fruit. Think about it: for a 10-mile workout, most of us will burn through about 800 to 1200 calories. Does a 120-calorie granola bar seem like enough fuel in the tank to get you through that workout? I think not.
During the run, to perform at your best, you need at least 30-60 grams of carbs/hour for any run or even workout that may last over 75-90 min, as well as 4-6 oz of fluid every 20 or so minutes to stay hydrated.
Afterwards – as in within 30-60 minutes (ladies need to try to get something within 30 minutes as we have a shorter post-workout recovery window than the men) - consider consuming a recovery beverage or snack that contains at least 10-20 grams of high-quality protein to help repair the damage done to our muscle tissue plus 35-50 grams of carbohydrate to refuel glycogen stores. That’s at least 200-300 calories of high-quality fuel ASAP. Things like an RxBar with a chocolate milk, a good old PB&J sandwich, egg bites and a latte from Starbucks (my go-to), or a superhero muffin and a small container of yogurt. Have a long drive home? Be sure to pack something or find the nearest quick serve restaurant or coffee shop to make refueling easier. And don’t forget about including some fluids to rehydrate. Aim to sip on 24 oz of water or sports drink for every pound of weight lost during the workout over the course of the next few hours.
What about the rest of that day? Normally I’d say recognize and listen to your hunger cues. But following a particularly hard workout or long run, your stomach might be a little off, and you might not feel very hungry. That’s completely normal. But the best thing you can do for yourself is to try and eat something. I promise you’ll feel better if you do. Aim to eat every couple of hours and at meals, use your plate as a visual aid. Fill half of it with carbohydrate-based foods (bread, rice, cereal, pasta, etc.), ¼ with protein-containing foods (chicken, eggs, beef, tofu, tempeh, etc.) and the other ¼ with fruits and veggies. Don’t skip the fruits/veggies. They contain much needed vitamins and minerals that may help reduce inflammation and even support immune health.
Remember - the most important thing to do post-workout to aid your recovery and prevent feeling overly hungry on rest days is to just eat something. Don’t worry so much about meeting the exact macro-nutrient breakdown and just fuel up. Your body will figure out what to do with the energy you provide it - as long as it’s adequate in calories and contains both carbs and protein. And if you are hungry on your rest days, honor that hunger and feed yourself!
Questions about nutrition or how to fuel your body to optimize your performance? Let’s chat! Schedule a free 30-minute discovery call with me here or complete my client application form here!