You're feeling beat up so it's time for a deload. You're spending less time working out and the sessions are lighter, so should you be fuelling differently?
What Is a Deload?
This is a week of reduced training frequency, volume and intensity. Deload weeks can be set up in a variety of different ways, but are comparatively "light" in comparison to your "normal" training. Not solely in the weights lifted, but in the general feeling of the workout(s).
Why do we do Deload?
Think of each training week as taking a sip from a full cup. At the end, there's no water left. Now think of the water as your pool of resources to train with, with each sip your fatigue accumulates until eventually you're left with a lot of fatigue and no resources with which to train.
You're achy and sore.
You're not sleeping well
You're irritable.
This is known as "overreaching" whereby your increases to fatigue are greater than your fitness and your performance starts to decline.
This is when we deload. A time to refuel, repair, let your fatigue come down in order for your performance to rise and fill up your cup again.
Fuelling during a Deload
Now we know the purpose of a deload, the question is - do we need to alter how we are fuelling our bodies to account for the change in activity?
Given the reason for the deload is to recover and restore to full training potential and sufficient calories help us achieve that, should we reduce our intake? Short answer - no.
"But if I'm not training, I don't need as much fuel, right?"
Wrong.
Too many fall into the trap of eating less during deload weeks for fear of weight gain but you need food during this week as much as, if not more than, your normal training weeks.
If you cut down what you eat, your body has nothing to use to recover optimally for performance.
Stay at maintenance calories with a focus on maintaining your protein intake to repair muscles and keep you satiated, as well as topping up carbohydrate and fat stores to give you energy for when you get back into the swing of things in a few days time.
Give your body the best chance of recovery by giving it what it deserves to function day-to-day as well as in the gym.
You need to head into your new training cycle energised, fuelled and motivated, not depleted, drained or sluggish.
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