How often to use low cal days during offseason?

[lift4lyfe]

How often do people throw in low cal days during offseason? Is it based on how much fat is accumulating? Or should it be done regardless of fat accumulation to keep insulin sensitivity in check?

 

[2bigguns22]

Almost sounds like you are over complicating things. For me, the whole point of “off season” is not to have to worry about that kind of thing.

 

[Benf15harp]

Low cal? What it mean?

 

[buck]

Is the off season maintenance or growth. Giving the digestive system a break is not a bad idea in my experience. But it depends on goals. I tracked my calories/macros for decades to get the best results i could.

 

[lift4lyfe]

Is the off season maintenance or growth. Giving the digestive system a break is not a bad idea in my experience. But it depends on goals. I tracked my calories/macros for decades to get the best results i could.

Off season growth. Essentially I'm asking whether carb/calorie cycling should be done during the offseason as it is during a cut/prep.

For example, averaging 4,000cals/week but cycling the days such that rest day is 3,500 cals and leg/back day is 4,500 cals.

 

[lift4lyfe]

Almost sounds like you are over complicating things. For me, the whole point of “off season” is not to have to worry about that kind of thing.

I enjoy "overcomplicating" things, and I call it optimizing.

Low cal? What it mean?

Low cal means lower calories.

 

[Benf15harp]

I enjoy "overcomplicating" things, and I call it optimizing.


Low cal means lower calories.

Still don’t understand.

 

[2bigguns22]

I enjoy "overcomplicating" things, and I call it optimizing.


Low cal means lower calories.

Why don’t you post up some pics of your “optimized” physique so us poor mortals can see what one looks like.

 

[buck]

Off season growth. Essentially I'm asking whether carb/calorie cycling should be done during the offseason as it is during a cut/prep.

For example, averaging 4,000cals/week but cycling the days such that rest day is 3,500 cals and leg/back day is 4,500 cals.

As more energy is used on training days but more growth may actually happen on rest days due to the body being less stressed. I am not sure how much if any benefit will be had. I was watching a podcast with some pro's who talked about eating more on their rest days to store up energy to train. We all have our own theories. Mostly i think getting in the calories one needs over a weeks time is more important then any one day. and getting in enough calories in any month is more important then any 1 week.

 

[bjjgear]

I do a ~1000 calorie deficit one day a week just because it feels good.

 

[lift4lyfe]

As more energy is used on training days but more growth may actually happen on rest days due to the body being less stressed. I am not sure how much if any benefit will be had. I was watching a podcast with some pro's who talked about eating more on their rest days to store up energy to train. We all have our own theories. Mostly i think getting in the calories one needs over a weeks time is more important then any one day. and getting in enough calories in any month is more important then any 1 week.

Makes sense. I've heard the same thing about rest days and calories, but I've seen people do it both ways. I'll focus on weekly/monthly calories and let my appetite decide which days are high/medium/low.

 

[lift4lyfe]

As more energy is used on training days but more growth may actually happen on rest days due to the body being less stressed. I am not sure how much if any benefit will be had. I was watching a podcast with some pro's who talked about eating more on their rest days to store up energy to train. We all have our own theories. Mostly i think getting in the calories one needs over a weeks time is more important then any one day. and getting in enough calories in any month is more important then any 1 week.

Found a YouTube video on the topic:
View: https://youtu.be/9LhiaBOC6IM?si=fuSYuQxDFaHCNGVl

 

[narta]

When my fucking digestive system fires back and says "stop the fuckmnow ahole, you are killing me".

But now days off-season is a blur, I just enjoy life and food

 

[Eddie.]

I'm having 4 training days with 4500kcal, 2 off days with 3200kcal and one off day with a cheat meal which is something like 5500-6000kcal. I need to raise food more as i'm having a hard time adding weight and i'll probably start by raising the training days instead of all days. I like the idea of having some days with high food and some with lower, just to not get bored. I don't have appetite issues but those who have i'm pretty sure they can handle a little MORE food in training days and give their digestion a rest in non training days. Eating every day the same amounts is just boring for me currently.

 

[BuildABro]

Is the off season maintenance or growth. Giving the digestive system a break is not a bad idea in my experience. But it depends on goals. I tracked my calories/macros for decades to get the best results i could.

Even if people who don't want to do it perpetually, I think tracking intake even for a short amount of time can be valuable. It gives people a baseline understanding of what they are putting in their body and also how their body responds to different things in terms of performance.