Last night I tweeted about something I’ve noticed on my workout-free days:
Tweet, Tweet
(Side note: Please excuse my terrible grammar… that was a fly-by tweet. I’m literally cringing right now.)
Apparently I am not alone in this feeling, because several people tweeted back that they feel the exact same way when when they take a day off from exercise.
I think there’s something about a “break” from the gym that makes us want to take a “break” from our healthy lifestyle. When I say that I crave sweets on my off-days from the gym, I don’t mean I want a cookie… I mean I want an entire batch.
Since I don’t deny myself sweets throughout the week, I know my day-off cravings are not due to deprivation. I simply want cake. And cookies. And ice cream.
Thank goodness I got back in the gym this morning and my body wanted some healthy food again! 😀
Workout + Hurtin’ Heel Update
This morning I took my typical Monday-morning BodyPump class. We’re still working on the new release, which I really enjoy. It’s so challenging!
Can one of you BodyPumpers out there confirm that the lunge track on this release is re-flippin’-diculous!? It’s the hardest one yet and I love it, in a sick and totally twisted way.
Post-Pump, I came home and decided to test out my hurtin’ heel and take Sadie on a one mile walk.
My heel is actually feeling a lot better today, though it’s definitely not 100 percent. I’ve been icing it, stretching and and babying it all weekend. The one mile walk with Sadie wasn’t pain free, but my heel felt a lot better than it did on Friday.
All those well-wishes you guys sent my way seem to be working a bit. Don’t worry though, I’m not going to jump the gun and run (it still hurts too bad to do that anyway). Healing and preventing further injury is my priority!
Breakfast
Since I made it into the gym today, my body wanted healthy food for breakfast (though I’m sure it would’ve happily accepted an ice cream sundae).
I decided to make myself a healthified Egg McMuffin on a toasted Thomas’ light multi-grain English muffin.
Canadian Bacon + Egg Whites
My modified McMuffin contained two egg whites, a slice of Canadian bacon and a wedge of Laughing Cow light original Swiss cheese.
Healthified Egg McMuffin
I enjoyed my breakfast sandwich with a dark chocolate Adora calcium disk for a little sweetness.
Breakfast is Served
Sadie was quite jealous.
"Ooooh. That looks goooood."
Lucky for her, she got to enjoy the yolks from my egg whites. 🙂
Yum, Yum Yolks
(Kinda looks like she’s puking, no?)
McDonald’s ain’t got nothin’ on my healthified breakfast sandwich!
Healthy & Delicious
Yum!
Question of the Mornin’
Do you find it easier to eat healthy on days that you work out or on days that you take off from the gym?
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I find it easier to eat healthier on the days I DO go, but it’s the opposite for my hubby – he always eats healthy on days he doesn’t go!
I so agree. It’s much easier to eat healthy on days I go to the gym. Skipping the gym almost instantaneously makes me crave junk.
wow that is too funny!! I am the exact same way. I use to take Sundays off, but I found it hard to stick to my diet..I wanted to eat everything unhealthy. So now I workout on Sunday and take a different day off during the week. And it is easier for me to stay on track because I work.
It’s definitely easier to eat healthy on days when I workout. But yeah, on rest days all I want to do is eat, eat, eat!!!!!! And not healthy things either! 😉
I definitely eat healthier on days I work out. I want to feed my body great things to make myself feel even better when I’m working out and after. Days off…well, that’s another story! Last night I made nutella chocolate chip cookies..I know! I did make it to the gym yesterday, but there’s just something about indulging in sugary sweets on the weekends!
It’s definitely easier to eat healthy on days when I work out. Now, I just have to make sure I work out more consistently! HA!
I’d have to agree with everyone above! On my days off, I crave sweets especially peanut butter….too much peanut butter. and ice cream. and cookies. But it’s something that I’m learning to control. On the days I do work out, I feel the motivation to eat healthy so that my workout does not go to waste!
Definitely eat healthier on days that I do workout. Days off can be trouble for me!
And yes, I totally agree with you on the lunge track on release 74!! YOWZAS! 😯
killerrrr!
I think getting the workout in motivates me to keep it going by eating healthy foods. A lazy (off) day makes me feel like anything goes. In general, though, it’s very easy for me to eat clean all day at work because my food is pre-packed. Dinner is always balanced, but I always leave room for some “forbidden” food and calories. It’s pretty backwards, though… No workout + extra calories = super fail!!! 🙂
It ALWAYS amazes me how when I’m struggling with some type of negative energy the blog world makes me feel human again. The million dollar answer – I think it’s all mental. When we take those physical rest days our mind and inhibition get jealous so they wanna call in sick.
i totally agree! we all seem to battle similar things!
I definitely agree!!! Going to the gym, especially first thing in the morning, prompts me to be (and eat) healthier all day long. On the other hand, on my break days, I take a break from a LOT of healthy aspects, so I eat more junk food!
Lately, I feel like I have been eating terribly regardless of whether or not I work out. On days I do workout, I can eat whatever because I burned so much in my workout. On off days, I can eat whatever because it’s “my day off.” DOH! Need to get this under control! And it’s not what I eat in general, it’s the desserts that get me in trouble! I am physically incapable of eating one bowl of ice cream or just a cookie or two. It’s always a binge with dessert! How do I get over my sweet tooth!?!?
I agree… it’s so weird! On off days, I want to splurge (like on nachos… or pizza), while on days I exercise, I want to stay focused on health… kinda crazy.
Ugh, I was just thinking the same yesterday. I generally take Sundays off and always seem to be ravenous. My gym is launching the new Body Pump tonight. I am so excited! (and nervous about the lunge track now 😉
Yes! The lunge track is a beast! I love feeling the burn…is that weird? I always eat more and take a vacation from my healthy eating habits on my days off from the gym. I need to work on this..Happy Monday!
Definitely easier on workout days! I think it’s for several reasons:
1. My mind is already in “fit mode”.. so I automatically like to stay on track for the day.. eating healthy is right on track with my workout!
2. Also, I remember reading somewhere that our bodies crave sweets more when we don’t work out, because our levels of Serotonin are lower.
I did a quick google and found this:
“When you feel tired, the sugar levels in your blood are low. This means that the feel-good hormone, Serotonin, in your brain is also low. The body reacts by craving sweets. Once you eat or consume sweets like chocolates or cakes, the brain releases the Serotonin. Unfortunately, the brief bursts eventually subside and since you are still tired, you will still feel the need to eat sweets.”
This could be because we don’t have as much energy on days we don’t work out?! Just something to ponder! 🙂
i would definitely say i do…for whatever reason i feel like i deserve to eat better on those days…? which is something i’m working through, but it’s all the more reason to stay active 🙂
I definitely eat better on days that I work out too. I definitely crave the unhealthy foods on the days I don’t work out…I agree that it is a mindset thing.
Hmm, I think it’s a toss up. I know on days I work out that I have more calories I can eat.
I eat so much healthier when I work out. I think I have the mentality that I have burned off calories and it would be silly to go and gain them all back with something like cake. Also, after working out I actually crave healthy food whereas days I slack I am SO searching in the refrigerator for that one stashed chocolate bar, haha.
I definitely find it easier to eat healthy on workout days… I’m already in the “mode” by working out and don’t want to counteract everything I just worked so hard to do with junk…
Oh tweetheart, we all have those tweets that you send out and immediately go “woops.”
Glad your tootsie is feeling a bit better!
I’m on the crave-sweets-on-my-day-off band wagon. The worst part is that I feel guilty and end up working out to counter it, so my day off usually turns into a day on.
I agree – on my days off I usually get more hungry than usual, and have wierd cravings for ridiculous things that I normally wouldn’t feel good about putting into my body, but that all goes out the window. I find it happens a lot more on the weekends, which is totally fine with me, I figure indulgences are SO necessary, and they really just make you wanna get back to eating healthy the next day – so enjoy treats while you crave em’ 😉 I think living a “healthy” life involves cookies, cake and ice cream – just in moderation! 🙂
Breakfast looks amazing and I’m so glad to hear that your heel is feeling better 😀 that’s awesome Julie!!
Meg
p.s. Sadie does look like she’s doin’ a little yakkin there 😉
Totally with ya! My Sunday was sans exercise and full of baby shower treats like cookies, cupcakes, and cookies n cream hersheys kisses that I ate by the handful. I think when I workout, I know how hard I worked and don’t want to negate it. Plus I feel healthier so want to eat healthier. I think my body craves nourishment and not junk. Not so on non-workout days.
I find that if I’m being triggered by some snack foods on a non-work out day, I’ll squeeze a mini-workout in or a long walk. It always curbs that non-healthy hunger cravings!
wow! I can’t believe so many others feel the same way. Definitely reassuring! Love your homemade egg sandwich! Looks really tasty!
TOTALLY agree with you on that. I’ve never been able to understand people who say they really watch what they eat on days they don’t work out. It’s so hard for me to do. Working out in the morning, or knowing I’m going to work out later in the day always helps me stay on track with my healthy eating.
I’m totally in the same boat! Sometimes I feel like my body needs a rest, but I’d be eating all these unhealthy stuff and snacking constantly! I find that when I workout, it reminds my body to eat healthily to fuel the next one. So when I don’t, my body craves those naughty cookies, ice creams, creamy stuff and whatnots!
You look gorgeous in that black dress!
yep! i def eat healthy on days I workout, I think that im just mentally more apt to now screw up! i NEVER drink alcohol on days that I workout either, thats a personal no-no for me!
I am the EXACT same way…Isn’t it strange!? It’s like our we mentally (and our bodies) know when we work hard, and therefore don’t want us to splurge on extra calories/goodies because it knows how hard it was to burn them!
Ugh, story of my life! Yesterday was my “day off” from the gym and I ended up snacking on junk food all day long! Lets just say a box of Graham Crackers and a carton of Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies have seen better days. Oh well, tomorrow is always a new day!
I always find it easier to eat healthier on my workout days. I think one of the main reasons I crave junk on my days off is simply because I have a bunch of extra time!
Hey! So I’ve been meaning to comment— I am doing the Chicago Rock and Roll 1/2 on Aug 1! I was injured for a while, and iced and rested, took advil, and now I’m running again! But the only way it was possible was to take it slow. When you do start running again, and feel any pain, walk for a bit. Then run more. Eventually you’ll be better! Just ice, even when you’re just about better (I ice still even though it doesn’t hurt anymore! Just to prevent injuries…)
Anyway, good luck- and I’d like to know if you do end up running that 1/2! Maybe I’ll see you there 🙂
Oh and in response to your question, days off of working out are definitely days to have 1 too many sweets 🙂 We deserve it!
-Jamie
I definitely feel like I eat more junky food on the days I don’t exercise… and I struggle with feeling guilty about it as well, even though I know that realistically, one day of overindulging isn’t going to do an awful lot of damage 🙂
I LOVE the new Body Pump release – the lunge track slays me – I always feel such a sense of achievement after I make it the whole way through without stopping. I can’t do it with the bar though, I end up holding the weights in my hand instead 😉 I swear this release makes me sweat more than any have done in the past!
I’m glad your heel is feeling less sore, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a speedy recovery 🙂
Yum! And new dress! Did Ryan like it??
yes!! 🙂
It is def easier to eat healthy on the days that I workout…the weekends are usually my free days to eat stuff I usually wouldn’t…but I always eat less on the weekends. On my Sunday long run days I eat everything in my path.