Best Of

If you haven't seen them, you might enjoy some of Stephanie Buttermore's YouTube videos, which includes several about 10k calorie eating challenges, and in some instances a follow-up video about the aftermath from the standpoint of effects on the body. One set has actual lab measurements of various "metabolic" aspects. She has the usual influencer-type banner pages as clickbait, but don't be deceived by that. She's technically knowledgeable with solid science-based analyses. (She's also struggled with EDs, IMU.)

I wish I had a hard time going past 3500 calories. I don't. I'm not saying this as some misbegotten point of pride, but I've logged above 6000 on at least one day, and I'm sure there are days when I've eaten that much and more but not fully logged them, since weight loss. It's not a true binge, i.e., not out of control. It's hedonic. I just like food that much, have the capacity, and occasionally decide to indulge. (I've had to figure out how to make that work and stay at a healthy weight, yes.)

I actually got fat (class 1 obese) eating mostly whole foods, so I can eat a lot even without heavy indulgence in highly-processed foods, though a truly high calorie day usually has some chocolate or desserts and maybe alcohol in the overall total. I completely understand that most people find whole foods more filling - that some people here find them almost magically so if they've been eating mostly refined/highly-processed foods. Nonetheless, it secretly amuses me to see some say things like "it's impossible to overeat whole foods". Yeah, no.

One last thing: Some people here have found that they burn more calories as a smaller person. That's not a promise, but it's a possibility. It has to do with that "more energy" thing, including what the researchers sometimes call "spontaneous movement".

When Duane Johnson was preparing for his role as Hercules, he posted not only his exercise routine (very daunting) but also his eating regimen. His average meal was an 8oz steak, a baked potato, and two cups of broccoli. Perfectly reasonable, I'm having that meal myself tonight.

But he ate that type of meal EIGHT TIMES PER DAY!!!