Ok. Where the hell do I go from here?
Makoce
Posts: 938 Member
Going to try to keep this short and sweet as possible and still get in all the information needed so no one has to read a long story & will have some advice. 
Never had an issue with eating, always was thin and active.
Graduated highschool and for 5 years I gained all my weight eating care-free and like a normal human being during the day, but consuming all the desserts at night ALL night long till like 3AM because I was always home and didnt want to do anything with my life. Was still super active but you know how donuts can be.
Started calorie counting, got a life LOL, and ate whatever I wanted under goal and lost 60 LBS.
Took about a year.
Switched to maintenance.
Decided I was eating too junky, climbed aboard the Paleo/Primal bandwagon and obsessed over macros, mainly carbs ( low carbin it ) & taking out whole food groups such as grains/diary.
Added back dairy after a few months, left out grains. Only ate whole foods.
Dropped another 5LBS and maintained that for about 6 - 7 months, started lifting heavy and eliminated cardio in trade for long distance hikes.
( My end result is the image on the left on my profile picture. I was for once in my life happy with my body. )
Then one night I started feeling ravenous, like I was a starving animal.
I lost ALL control.
I ended up binging at night, on fruits, meat, veggies, nuts, etc.
Binging on whole foods continued but I didnt gain, but then it got worse and I was consuming thousands of calories in fruits and nuts. Then I gained a few pounds.
One night I literally ate 1 M&M, and the sugar demon or something swept me away because ever since I keep binging on processed foods, fast foods, candy, icecream, etc every few days about 3,000 - 10,000 over sometimes even.
Ive put on 11 pounds in the past few months. I probably needed a few more pounds back .. but 11?
( image on right of my profile picture, uploaded it to show what Ive done to myself to try to stay motivated ).
I honestly dont think the binging was emotional ( or due to restriction because I never gave a crap about giving up "junk" food after I switched or even craved it /wanted it ), I think it was just a survival mechanism from my body saying hey, you're not eating enough.
Because even though I was at maintenance, I got down to like 103LBS and Im 5'2.
So I was sorta trying to maintain a low weight.
Then it turned into a neurological-wired habit that I now can't break.
Working on breaking it, but here's the thing -- WHAT do I set my calorie goal to?
I keep getting into the habit of trying to compensate for my binges, which probably lead to more binges.
So Im going to stop that, but Im unsure where to put myself.
I don't know where that leaves me.
Since you have to up slowly to maintenance due to metabolic adaption.
Since I have one - two days a week that I eat like 5,000-7,000 calories and the rest of the week I'm between 1,200-1,500.
Im confident I can stop this stupid binging habit I got going on.. but now, where do I start or go from here to get back on a normal track?....
Originally I was maintaining at 1780 - 1800 TDEE method, so no adding back exercise calories.
So now Im like what the hell do I set my goal to, do I up slowly to TDEE, do I set it to a goal and add back exercise calories, what the hell do I dooooooooooooooooo I am a lost soul. :B
( Also I must add, now Im back to just eating healthy 80% of the time, and eating whatever in moderation if I want it the rest.)
Never had an issue with eating, always was thin and active.
Graduated highschool and for 5 years I gained all my weight eating care-free and like a normal human being during the day, but consuming all the desserts at night ALL night long till like 3AM because I was always home and didnt want to do anything with my life. Was still super active but you know how donuts can be.
Started calorie counting, got a life LOL, and ate whatever I wanted under goal and lost 60 LBS.
Took about a year.
Switched to maintenance.
Decided I was eating too junky, climbed aboard the Paleo/Primal bandwagon and obsessed over macros, mainly carbs ( low carbin it ) & taking out whole food groups such as grains/diary.
Added back dairy after a few months, left out grains. Only ate whole foods.
Dropped another 5LBS and maintained that for about 6 - 7 months, started lifting heavy and eliminated cardio in trade for long distance hikes.
( My end result is the image on the left on my profile picture. I was for once in my life happy with my body. )
Then one night I started feeling ravenous, like I was a starving animal.
I lost ALL control.
I ended up binging at night, on fruits, meat, veggies, nuts, etc.
Binging on whole foods continued but I didnt gain, but then it got worse and I was consuming thousands of calories in fruits and nuts. Then I gained a few pounds.
One night I literally ate 1 M&M, and the sugar demon or something swept me away because ever since I keep binging on processed foods, fast foods, candy, icecream, etc every few days about 3,000 - 10,000 over sometimes even.
Ive put on 11 pounds in the past few months. I probably needed a few more pounds back .. but 11?
( image on right of my profile picture, uploaded it to show what Ive done to myself to try to stay motivated ).
I honestly dont think the binging was emotional ( or due to restriction because I never gave a crap about giving up "junk" food after I switched or even craved it /wanted it ), I think it was just a survival mechanism from my body saying hey, you're not eating enough.
Because even though I was at maintenance, I got down to like 103LBS and Im 5'2.
So I was sorta trying to maintain a low weight.
Then it turned into a neurological-wired habit that I now can't break.
Working on breaking it, but here's the thing -- WHAT do I set my calorie goal to?
I keep getting into the habit of trying to compensate for my binges, which probably lead to more binges.
So Im going to stop that, but Im unsure where to put myself.
I don't know where that leaves me.
Since you have to up slowly to maintenance due to metabolic adaption.
Since I have one - two days a week that I eat like 5,000-7,000 calories and the rest of the week I'm between 1,200-1,500.
Im confident I can stop this stupid binging habit I got going on.. but now, where do I start or go from here to get back on a normal track?....
Originally I was maintaining at 1780 - 1800 TDEE method, so no adding back exercise calories.
So now Im like what the hell do I set my goal to, do I up slowly to TDEE, do I set it to a goal and add back exercise calories, what the hell do I dooooooooooooooooo I am a lost soul. :B
( Also I must add, now Im back to just eating healthy 80% of the time, and eating whatever in moderation if I want it the rest.)
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Replies
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Anyoneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee :B0
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I'm getting that you want to take off at least a few of those 11 pounds. I'd start with TDEE minus 5-10%. Try it for a month and re-evaluate.0
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Eh, Im really pissed at the 11LBS but its not a huge deal since Im mostly focusing on staying back on whatever I have my goal set to instead of binging like a lunatic as my first priority.
But it wouldnt hurt to drop a few of them off, not necessarily all of them because my body didn't like that weight range apparently.
Im at like 112LBS now, Id like to maybe get to 105 - 107 instead of 103.
But anyway yeah, maybe Ill do TDEE - 5%.
I just wasnt sure if I should do TDEE method, or add back exercise calories, or what -- I dont want to be counter productive and gain weight due to reverse dieting stuff ( metabolic adaption ) by just going for it and upping, or something.
In your guy's opinion, what would my exercise hours be for TDEE?
I walk about 20 - 30 minutes a day, hike maybe an hour once a week, and do strength training for 30 minutes maybe twice a week.
Moderately active?0 -
I'd say make your body happy, stay the current weight, turn a few of those lbs to muscle. Lift more and eat to maintain.0
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I'd say make your body happy, stay the current weight, turn a few of those lbs to muscle. Lift more and eat to maintain.
Id have no issues maintaining what Im at IF I could redo my body recomp, because I have such a skinny-fat belly at current.
But the issue is, like I said, do I just jump to maintenance? I heard thats bad0 -
Maybe if you just up to maintenance you'll stop binging.
Get serious about your lifts and start doing it 3x per week to regain the image on the left (you don't need a deficit to get there).0 -
If your gaining at 1800, its obviously to much. If you want to lose, drop them slowly (like 100 cals every two weeks.
I gained in maintenance that was 1561 and slowly dropped my cals back down and found where my body is happy at. Play with your macros and cals to find your sweet spot.
this of course will only work if you stop binging.0 -
It looks like you're already eating at maintenance because of those high binge days. If you're nervous about it, up your daily calories 100 every 2 weeks.0
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Maybe if you just up to maintenance you'll stop binging.
Get serious about your lifts and start doing it 3x per week to regain the image on the left (you don't need a deficit to get there).
That's the plan, to get back to maintenance and start lifting heavy again.
Issue is, how do I get there -- as Ive stated most people recommend upping slowly to make it so you can eat as much as possible to maintain and not shock your body, its often call "reverse dieting" or "metabolic adaption".
Though, if I am gaining from binging twice a week, technically going to maintenance would be a weekly deficit from where I am at, correct? So therefore; I dont need to start low and up, I can just go right back to maintenance??
CONFUSING.If your gaining at 1800, its obviously to much. If you want to lose, drop them slowly (like 100 cals every two weeks.
I gained in maintenance that was 1561 and slowly dropped my cals back done and found where my body is happy at. Play with your macros and cals to find your sweet spot.
Did you even read my post?
I wasnt gaining at 1800.0 -
It looks like you're already eating at maintenance because of those high binge days. If you're nervous about it, up your daily calories 100 every 2 weeks.
Nah Ive been gaining about a 0.6lbs - 1 pound a week due to the binge days.
Soo... technically I dont have to worry about upping slowly like I said in my previous post, right?
I can just jump back to maintenance level calories since I was at a surplus vs. a deficit?0 -
Maybe if you just up to maintenance you'll stop binging.
Get serious about your lifts and start doing it 3x per week to regain the image on the left (you don't need a deficit to get there).
That's the plan, to get back to maintenance and start lifting heavy again.
Issue is, how do I get there -- as Ive stated most people recommend upping slowly to make it so you can eat as much as possible to maintain and not shock your body, its often call "reverse dieting" or "metabolic adaption".
Though, if I am gaining from binging twice a week, technically going to maintenance would be a weekly deficit from where I am at, correct? So therefore; I dont need to start low and up, I can just go right back to maintenance??
CONFUSING.If your gaining at 1800, its obviously to much. If you want to lose, drop them slowly (like 100 cals every two weeks.
I gained in maintenance that was 1561 and slowly dropped my cals back done and found where my body is happy at. Play with your macros and cals to find your sweet spot.
Did you even read my post?
I wasnt gaining at 1800.0 -
Maybe if you just up to maintenance you'll stop binging.
Get serious about your lifts and start doing it 3x per week to regain the image on the left (you don't need a deficit to get there).
That's the plan, to get back to maintenance and start lifting heavy again.
Issue is, how do I get there -- as Ive stated most people recommend upping slowly to make it so you can eat as much as possible to maintain and not shock your body, its often call "reverse dieting" or "metabolic adaption".
Though, if I am gaining from binging twice a week, technically going to maintenance would be a weekly deficit from where I am at, correct? So therefore; I dont need to start low and up, I can just go right back to maintenance??
CONFUSING.If your gaining at 1800, its obviously to much. If you want to lose, drop them slowly (like 100 cals every two weeks.
I gained in maintenance that was 1561 and slowly dropped my cals back done and found where my body is happy at. Play with your macros and cals to find your sweet spot.
Did you even read my post?
I wasnt gaining at 1800.
yes, I did read, however from the other replies I must have misunderstood. I'll keep my two cents to myself0 -
So, even if you run the numbers at the low end and say that you're eating 1200 5 days a week and bingeing 2 days a week at 5000, that gives you 16000 total for the week (average of 2285 daily). Even if you jump up to 1800 right now, you're still creating a weekly deficit from where you were.That's the plan, to get back to maintenance and start lifting heavy again.
Issue is, how do I get there -- as Ive stated most people recommend upping slowly to make it so you can eat as much as possible to maintain and not shock your body, its often call "reverse dieting" or "metabolic adaption".
Though, if I am gaining from binging twice a week, technically going to maintenance would be a weekly deficit from where I am at, correct? So therefore; I dont need to start low and up, I can just go right back to maintenance??
CONFUSING.0 -
Don't worry about going slowly if you're binging. You needed to get there yesterday.0
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I think thats the issue!Maybe if you just up to maintenance you'll stop binging.
Get serious about your lifts and start doing it 3x per week to regain the image on the left (you don't need a deficit to get there).
That's the plan, to get back to maintenance and start lifting heavy again.
Issue is, how do I get there -- as Ive stated most people recommend upping slowly to make it so you can eat as much as possible to maintain and not shock your body, its often call "reverse dieting" or "metabolic adaption".
Though, if I am gaining from binging twice a week, technically going to maintenance would be a weekly deficit from where I am at, correct? So therefore; I dont need to start low and up, I can just go right back to maintenance??
CONFUSING.If your gaining at 1800, its obviously to much. If you want to lose, drop them slowly (like 100 cals every two weeks.
I gained in maintenance that was 1561 and slowly dropped my cals back done and found where my body is happy at. Play with your macros and cals to find your sweet spot.
Did you even read my post?
I wasnt gaining at 1800.
yes, I did read, however from the other replies I must have misunderstood. I'll keep my two cents to myself
I was saying I was at maitenance at 1800, but then I started binging 7,000 calories every few days so I started gaining.
Now Im trying to figure out how to get back to a proper calorie goal without putting on weight from my metabolism shocking itself from the weird fluctuations between low and high. Now my body is all mathematically mishapped.
Make sense?
You dont have to keep your two cents to yourself! I was peoples opinions You just misunderstood what I was asking is all! 0 -
So, even if you run the numbers at the low end and say that you're eating 1200 5 days a week and bingeing 2 days a week at 5000, that gives you 16000 total for the week (average of 2285 daily). Even if you jump up to 1800 right now, you're still creating a weekly deficit from where you were.That's the plan, to get back to maintenance and start lifting heavy again.
Issue is, how do I get there -- as Ive stated most people recommend upping slowly to make it so you can eat as much as possible to maintain and not shock your body, its often call "reverse dieting" or "metabolic adaption".
Though, if I am gaining from binging twice a week, technically going to maintenance would be a weekly deficit from where I am at, correct? So therefore; I dont need to start low and up, I can just go right back to maintenance??
CONFUSING.
Yes! I just had this thought. I was thinking I needed to re-start by reupping from the low goal I was at ( 1200 - 1500 ) and slowly get back to 1800. But if Im at a surplus ... going back to 1800 would be a deficit from where I am. Derppp. Im smart.0 -
Don't worry about going slowly if you're binging. You needed to get there yesterday.
Yes but I dont need to add more weight from the shock of having high weekly calories again, maintenance or not, you know? But I think Im understanding where I need to be goal wise for the week.
NOW the only thing Im unsure about is .. do I compensate for this weeks epic binge, or do I just up to maitenance level and deal with whatever weight gain for the week I get0 -
Changing the calories up only matters after you've been cutting fat. Drop back to a daily maintenance and be consistent with lifting.0
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At this point, because it's still causing you stress, I would just forget what happened before and start at maintenance right now. Clean break, last week's binge is in the past, just more forward from here.Don't worry about going slowly if you're binging. You needed to get there yesterday.
Yes but I dont need to add more weight from the shock of having high weekly calories again, maintenance or not, you know? But I think Im understanding where I need to be goal wise for the week.
NOW the only thing Im unsure about is .. do I compensate for this weeks epic binge, or do I just up to maitenance level and deal with whatever weight gain for the week I get0 -
Makes sense to me!
I think im definably less confused than I was now, thank you loads guys 0 -
Yes. Don't compensate for the binge. Maintenance now.
And ditch the scale for a few weeks. Focus on your lifts and let that even things out. If you're at a surplus you could gain some muscle which wouldn't be bad if you're worried about metabolic adaptation. That could only work to your favor at this point.0 -
I do want to add muscle, but Im upset about how fluffy I look now compared to where I was.
But if I can shift inches/body comp vs weight it works for me.
Amazing how a 2 - 3 month slip up ruins almost 6 - 7 months of hard slow progress/work! >:(0 -
Adding muscle will get rid of the fluff, win-win. :flowerforyou:0
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Don't worry about going slowly if you're binging. You needed to get there yesterday.
Yes but I dont need to add more weight from the shock of having high weekly calories again, maintenance or not, you know? But I think Im understanding where I need to be goal wise for the week.
NOW the only thing Im unsure about is .. do I compensate for this weeks epic binge, or do I just up to maitenance level and deal with whatever weight gain for the week I get
At this point, because it's still causing you stress, I would just forget what happened before and start at maintenance right now. Clean break, last week's binge is in the past, just more forward from here.
^ THiS! Don't make it harder than it needs to be.0 -
I do want to add muscle, but Im upset about how fluffy I look now compared to where I was.
But if I can shift inches/body comp vs weight it works for me.
Amazing how a 2 - 3 month slip up ruins almost 6 - 7 months of hard slow progress/work! >:(
Weeell, the good thing is that your strength should return quickly if you work back up to what you were doing before! 3-7k calories a day...yeah that's bad, no denying it. Girl, get that eating under control! Don't ruin your progress with food after kicking butt working out!
If I eat too much one day, I do tend to eat lighter the next day. I stay stick to eating a little on the lighter for a couple days to get your results up and motivation up! Also, I totally disagree with "forgetting" all about the binge. Don't just sweep stuff under the rug like that. You did it, you made the choice, and suffered the consequences. Keep it in your head long enough to learn your lesson! Don't be too soft on yourself. Obviously don't go extreme and starve yourself cuz that's just dumb. But use the binge as motivation to stay very focused and on plan, avoid mistakes and any "little" things you let slip in your diet before.
Controlling calories doesn't cause a binge, but choosing to give up that control all at once, for no substantial reason, causes a binge cycle.0 -
I did the same thing as you. I gained around 14 Ibs in 2 months. I took my calories to maintenance, started lifting heavy, did some HIIT workouts and ended up looking better than before as I essentially did a recomposition without even realising it or planning it. I ate pretty healthy, lot of protein and it only took a few months to get there. So do not worry, the fluffy look will soon be history. Just kick the binges and get back at it. It is probably more habit than anything now. I too was at too low a weight when the binge hit me.0
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Awesome I'm excited to recommit. Thank you guys!!
Gravel how did you stop the habit side of it!?0
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