Trying to loosen vice grip on calorie intake. Help please.

When bulking you would typically set protein LOWER than cutting, not higher.

Your body won't be trying to use protein in place of carbs for energy, so you don't need quite as much because what you have can go straight to the muscle, as such.

I've never done a bulk, so I haven't spent hours reading up on it - please enlighten me.

That logic makes sense, sort of, but usually when I see blogs/food diaries from people bulking, they still seem to be eating chicken and veggies (and steak, and protein shakes, with the occasional pint of ice cream thrown in), just in extremely large quantities. You need X amount of calories for energy (which can come from carbs, as you say), but you still need a base amount of protein for your body to properly function. Wouldn't you want more on top of that to aid muscle growth?

Put into macro terms, if 1g/LBM is for cutting, what's for maintenance, and what's for bulking?

The people eating protein in extremely large quantities are likely taking anabolic steroids - which allow the body to make use of considerably more protein to build muscle a lot faster.

I've been reading up on bulking recently.
Something like .7-.9g/lb LBM should do it. However, with bulking calories it's probably also not a big issue to go a bit higher too. My intention when I start a (c)lean bulk is to go for about .8g/lb of total body weight. I'm not 10% BF, so that should easily cover the upper region. Will try not to go too over that just so I get more carbs etc - but won't worry if I do on some days.

I'm not sure your body needs a massive amount of protein to 'function' - fat is more important in that aspect as far as I know.
Protein is mostly linked with muscle. It's not an optimal energy source, so your body will try to use carbs if it can I believe - while cutting you're short on carbs. While bulking you should have plenty around.
The levels we are talking about well above WHO guidelines etc.

For the OP - a bit late now, but a barbell isn't about getting 'superbuff', it's about achieving your goals quicker, WHATEVER they are.

A rack doesn't take up much space then a couple of builders trestles can be put away so the bench is probably the biggest thing.

Well my scale is a Wii Fit board so it'd be silly to trash it... The good thing about it though is I have to turn on the tv, wii, boot up the program so it's not like it's in the bathroom where I'm tempted to step on it every time I pee.

As far as going to the GP every two weeks.... I live in America and I'm not rich. :laugh:

Definitely up for some heavy lifting though. Think I'm going to get a barbell set, LOVED barbells in strength training in highschool.

If you go to your doctor's office & just tell them at the check-in desk that you'd like to use their scale, they'll let you back and not charge a visit. There's nothing billable about stepping on the scale. Someone will likely walk back with you to make sure you don't see or hear any other patient info, but that's it. I do that at my doc's office probably once a month and once every three I have them check my BP. They are happy to do it; they are glad to have a patient who wants to know.

For what it's worth, I'm glad that you came into MFP and asked for help. You are on a very dangerous road where you are right now and I'm glad you want to change it. Best of luck!

If I hit my protein, fat, and carb targets for the day and have more calories to eat to hit my target then should I eat more protein, fat, or carbs?

Does the calculator account for all the exercise I do, or do I factor that in as well?

That link I gave you has a bit where you put in how often you exercise per week.
Once you have done that, it gives you a total amount of calories to eat per day, depending on if you set it to maintain, lose fat or to bulk.

Eat MORE!!!!

I get that but how does it know exactly how many calories I burn? I can't see it being that accurate, or should I just weigh myself periodically and adjust accordingly?

Use the 'libra' smartphone app and weigh daily - should be able to get some digital scales for not much.
This then produces an average 'trend' and gives you an average calories deficit/surplus figure based on that.

When bulking you would typically set protein LOWER than cutting, not higher.

Your body won't be trying to use protein in place of carbs for energy, so you don't need quite as much because what you have can go straight to the muscle, as such.

I've never done a bulk, so I haven't spent hours reading up on it - please enlighten me.

That logic makes sense, sort of, but usually when I see blogs/food diaries from people bulking, they still seem to be eating chicken and veggies (and steak, and protein shakes, with the occasional pint of ice cream thrown in), just in extremely large quantities. You need X amount of calories for energy (which can come from carbs, as you say), but you still need a base amount of protein for your body to properly function. Wouldn't you want more on top of that to aid muscle growth?

Put into macro terms, if 1g/LBM is for cutting, what's for maintenance, and what's for bulking?

Get tons of protein whether you're cutting, bulking, or trying to maintain. Protein is king for muscles. To go further, whey Protein is the emperor of protein. Optimal muscle gain and fat loss happens when whey is 40% of your total protein intake, and you have at least 30 grams of protein every time you eat.

PS I think its time to see a psychologist.

YES!

Listen to your body. If you can see bones, there is definitely room for more calories in your day. If you add a few hundred calories and continue working out you'll be fine. Or just start eating to meet zero three days a week instead of only one. Best of luck

The thing with control issues though is sooner or later something will come along that we can't control.... This is not about your weight or shape or calories at all. I feel sad for you that you are unable to grasp this.