Using supplements on rest days

Doctor Bojangles

Hi,

I was wondering is it a good idea to use supplements on rest days?

At the moment I'm training 4-5 days a week and using both whey protein and a bulking powder.
Is it a good idea to use both supplements on my rest days?

I'm mostly concerned that the bulking powder may turn to fat.
I wonder would it also make a difference if I took 2 rest days in a row and used supplements on both days.

Thanks

Alf Veedersane

Doctor Bojangles wrote: »

Hi,

I was wondering is it a good idea to use supplements on rest days?

At the moment I'm training 4-5 days a week and using both whey protein and a bulking powder.
Is it a good idea to use both supplements on my rest days?

I'm mostly concerned that the bulking powder may turn to fat.
I wonder would it also make a difference if I took 2 rest days in a row and used supplements on both days.

Thanks

They're just food supplements. If you account for the calories as part of what you're getting on board on rest days, then there should be no problem.

Doctor Bojangles

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

They're just food supplements. If you account for the calories as part of what you're getting on board on rest days, then there should be no problem.

Cheers,

I suppose what I'm really asking is do I need the extra calories on top of my normal diet on my rest days as well as the days I train?

Thanks

Alf Veedersane

What are your goals? You bulking/cutting/maintaining?

Doctor Bojangles

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

What are your goals? You bulking/cutting/maintaining?

Very much bulking at the moment.
I've increased the calorie intake by 1200 a day.
I don't have much weight on me but I have been weight training for some time without putting on any bulk. I've had good success with improving definition but not bulking.
I'm naturally thin and always have been.

Cheers

Alf Veedersane

If you're in a surplus of 1200 kcals a day, then just factor in the supplements or don't. If you're hitting the kcals you need and the macro breakdown is alright, then you don't really need the supplements on top of it.

Most bulking supplements are an expensive form of protein + carbs anyway. They're a convenient way of getting those but that's ultimately all they are.

In short, if you hit your surplus with food, you don't need the bulking supplement as well.

Doctor Bojangles

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

If you're in a surplus of 1200 kcals a day, then just factor in the supplements or don't. If you're hitting the kcals you need and the macro breakdown is alright, then you don't really need the supplements on top of it.

Most bulking supplements are an expensive form of protein + carbs anyway. They're a convenient way of getting those but that's ultimately all they are.

In short, if you hit your surplus with food, you don't need the bulking supplement as well.

Cheers,

Sorry I should have mentioned before the supplements give me the extra 1200 kcals a day.
So is it good to have a surplus of calories on rest days as well as training days regardless of the use of supplements or not?

Alf Veedersane

I'd question if your surplus is a bit big. If you train 5 days a week and were only in a surplus those days, it's still a 6,000 kcal surplus.

I wouldn't necessarily worry about the training and non-training days in the week. The weekly surplus will usually dictate the daily requirements, i.e. you shouldn't be looking at it as 1,200 every dayr or just 1,200 on training days and maintenance the other days because there's a difference of 2,400 kcals between both of those scenarios.

So if you want 6,000 across the week, you could go 1,200 on training days (5) and maintenance the other 2 days. Or you could go 1000 on the 5 training days and 500 on the rest days.

Pick what suits you - there will always be a bit of trial and error.

But start with working out what kind of weekly surplus you're looking at. 6,000 does seem a bit high though.

Mellor

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

But start with working out what kind of weekly surplus you're looking at. 6,000 does seem a bit high though.

I agree that 1200 is a bit high, especially for a guy who "doesn't have much weight on him".
But on the other hand, I also doubt that its genuinely 1200 cals. It's pretty common for underweight guys to overestimate intake.

Alf Veedersane

Mellor wrote: »

I agree that 1200 is a bit high, especially for a guy who "doesn't have much weight on him".
But on the other hand, I also doubt that its genuinely 1200 cals. It's pretty common for underweight guys to overestimate intake.

True dat. Everything is predicated on kcals being properly tracked. Otherwise you're at nuttin'.

Doctor Bojangles

Cheers for the advise lads.

I've began calorie counting so I'm more focused on the daily calorie/protein/vitamin intake than the amount of shakes I drink. An extra 1200 calories was too high and I moved my focus away from how many extra calories I should take in a day to meeting a realistic and more healthy daily target

Alf Veedersane

Doctor Bojangles wrote: »

Cheers for the advise lads.

I've began calorie counting so I'm more focused on the daily calorie/protein/vitamin intake than the amount of shakes I drink. An extra 1200 calories was too high and I moved my focus away from how many extra calories I should take in a day to meeting a realistic and more healthy daily target

If really is an eye opener.

Like I said, it's trial and error so you can see how it goes and amend intake as you need.