Deload week query

[Wobmarvel]

Hi guys, after a bit of a layoff I have started getting back to the gym and am enjoying it at the moment. Going through those early weeks where every new workout beats the last. As I start to plateau I am thinking I will have a deload week before trying to progress further.

My question is about diet. What do you do macro and calorie wise during a deload week. If I am lifting with maybe 60% of my usual weight or even taking more days off do I still eat the same or would you normally cut calories due to less energy and stimulus?

 

[TheMrMuscle]

I eat the same or else it feels like it defeats the purpose. I want to calories to aid my recovery so if I get a higher surplus that week it just a bonus.

 

[Wobmarvel]

Thanks guys. A lot of info out there about planning deload weeks and how to evaluate if you need one etc. But not much about diet. I figured since your body is recovering it will still want all the protein and calories to repair. I sometimes have a cheeky bowl of glycogen replenishing kids cereal post workout so would probably skip this but keep the rest more or Less the same.

 

[KvanH]

Echo the above and your own reasoning. I might some times eat a little less, if hunger goes down, as long as I'm eating at maintenance at the minimum. It's important to remember to also eat at maintenance on a deload phase, when cutting, due to the recovery aspect. Even if that feels something you'd not want to do, since you're putting the weight loss on hold for a moment. I didn't used to do this myself, before I saw Mike Israetel recommending that. And it does make sense.