How to Eat During a Deload Week
How to adjust your nutrition during a deload week to optimize recovery, maintain strength, and prepare for peak performance in your next training cycle.
A deload week is an essential component of any well-structured training program, allowing your body to recover from the stress of heavy lifting.
But what should your nutrition look like during this 5-7 day window?
This blog will break down exactly how to eat during a deload week so you can maximize performance, minimize fatigue, and come back stronger.
Strong training starts with strong nutrition.
What is a Deload Week?
A deload week is a planned reduction in training intensity and volume to allow the body to recover from accumulated fatigue. For weightlifters, Olympic weightlifters, and CrossFit athletes, a deload is essential for long-term progress, injury prevention, and optimizing future performance. Rather than pushing through continuous high-intensity training, a deload provides the opportunity for muscles, joints, and the central nervous system to reset, reducing the risk of overtraining and burnout.
The Purpose of a Deload Week
The primary goal of a deload week is recovery. While it may feel counterintuitive to take a step back from intense training, this period of reduced workload allows your body to repair, rebuild, and come back stronger.
However, just because you’re deloading doesn’t mean your nutrition should be neglected. How you eat during this time will depend on your goals; whether you’re maintaining, focused on performance or body composition, cutting weight of filling out your weight class.
Regardless of your goals, the overarching intention is to support recovery so you can perform at your best when training intensity ramps back up.
How Should I Eat During a Deload Week?
The good news is that eating during a deload week doesn’t have to be complicated. Here’s how to adjust your intake based on your goals:
If you’re maintaining: Continue eating as normal. Your energy expenditure may be slightly lower due to reduced training intensity, but recovery is still a priority, so there’s no need to drastically change your intake.
If you’re cutting for a weight class or adjusting body composition: You can maintain your current intake while deloading. However, if you feel particularly fatigued or run-down, this may be a good time to take a short diet break and increase your intake to your estimated total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) to support recovery.
If you’re filling out a weight class or optimizing performance: Continue focusing on nutrient-dense meals and ensure you’re consuming enough to sustain energy levels, muscle retention, and training adaptations. While your total intake may not need to change, prioritizing high-quality foods can make a difference in recovery.
Regardless of your goals, fundamental nutrition principles should still be followed.
Prioritize high-quality, nutrient-dense foods, stay hydrated, and ensure you’re getting sufficient sleep to maximize the benefits of the deload.
Key Nutrition Tips for a Deload Week
1. Continue Prioritizing Protein
Even though training volume is lower, muscle protein synthesis still occurs. Maintain adequate protein intake to support muscle recovery and retention. If needed, using a protein supplement can help ensure you hit your daily target. Try to prioritize whole food protein sources first.
High-Quality Protein Sources:
Lean Meats: Chicken breast, turkey, lean beef, bison, pork loin
Seafood: Salmon, shrimp, tuna, cod
Dairy & Eggs: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, egg whites
Plant-Based Options: Lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, tofu, tempeh, edamame
There is no need to increase or decrease protein intake, simply maintain adequate amounts based on your needs.
Weightlifters need .8-1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight, depending on factors like training volume and body composition.
2. Maximize Sleep and Rest
Nutrition is only part of the equation—recovery also depends on quality sleep. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night, as this is when your body does the majority of its muscle repair and recovery processes.
To improve sleep quality:
Maintain a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends.
Limit screen time before bed, as blue light can disrupt melatonin production.
Create a cool, dark, and quiet sleep environment to promote deeper rest.
Incorporate relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or light stretching before bed to reduce stress and enhance sleep quality.
The better your sleep, the better your recovery, leading to improved performance when returning to full training intensity.
3. Focus on Micronutrient-Dense Foods
Recovery isn’t just about protein and total food consumed—vitamins and minerals play a crucial role too. Incorporate a variety of vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and healthy fats to ensure your body is getting the nutrients it needs to repair and reset.
Emphasizing nutrient variety supports overall health, aids in muscle recovery, and helps optimize energy levels.
High-Performance Recovery Foods:
Anti-Inflammatory Fruits: Berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries), cherries, oranges, and pineapple
Nutrient-Dense Vegetables: Spinach, kale, beets, bell peppers, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts
Lean Protein Sources: Chicken breast, turkey, lean beef, salmon, eggs, and Greek yogurt
Quality Fats: Avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish rich in omega-3s
Complex Carbohydrates for Energy: Quinoa, sweet potatoes, oats, and brown rice
Incorporate these foods when possible to promote recovery and ease with nutrition.
The more nutrient variety you can incorporate, the better for your recovery.
4. Maintain Supplement Intake
If you take supplements that require consistent dosing for effectiveness—such as creatine—continue using them during your deload week. Keeping these levels steady ensures they remain effective when you return to full training intensity.
5. Don’t Neglect Hydration
Proper hydration supports muscle function, recovery, and overall performance. Even though your training load is lighter, continue drinking an adequate amount of water and replenishing electrolytes as needed.
A sound guideline is to aim for at least 0.5 of water per pound of bodyweight daily, adjusting based on individual needs, climate, and training conditions.
Additionally, add 16-24 ounces of water per hour of training to account for sweat loss and maintain optimal hydration levels.
Final Thoughts
Your deload week is an essential part of your training cycle, and how you eat during this time can influence how well you train in the weeks or months following. Regardless of your unique goals or competition timeline, the key is to continue prioritizing nutrient-dense foods, protein intake, hydration, and recovery-supportive habits. Stick to the fundamentals, and you’ll set yourself up for success when it’s time to get back to lifting heavy and high performance.
Hi, I’m Katie!
I work with competitive, high-performance Olympic weightlifters. Over the years, I’ve helped hundreds of athletes achieve their full strength potential while performing at the elite level.
I understand that every athlete’s journey is unique, and generic advice simply doesn’t get the results you’re looking for.
If you want to get as strong as possible, lift your best, and perform at the highest level for the long term, let’s talk. Hit the button below to schedule a call and let’s talk about your goals!