Cravings and feeling like in a deficit on maintenance
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Let's get back to the interesting stuff, I loved the idea of an experiment
Oh, and you need a break! I think you should bulk.
See how much muscle you can put on. Get on a surplus and eat some cake I'd slowly add 100 calories per week (more if you want) until you are gaining 0.25-0.5 lbs per week. Do this until you hit 113.
I think you'll be pleasantly surprised that #1, the world didn't end, and #2, you'll look and feel much better than you did at 113 the last time you were there. Promise.
Continue to weight lift, reduce cardio if you want to, eat a moderate surplus. Recipe for awesomeness It's going to take a bit of faith in the process, but I think this is right for you. 2 -
Let's get back to the interesting stuff, I loved the idea of an experiment
Oh, and you need a break! I think you should bulk.
See how much muscle you can put on. Get on a surplus and eat some cake I'd slowly add 100 calories per week (more if you want) until you are gaining 0.25-0.5 lbs per week. Do this until you hit 113.
I think you'll be pleasantly surprised that #1, the world didn't end, and #2, you'll look and feel much better than you did at 113 the last time you were there. Promise.
Continue to weight lift, reduce cardio if you want to, eat a moderate surplus. Recipe for awesomeness It's going to take a bit of faith in the process, but I think this is right for you.
Sounds awesome, but 113 is probably too low for a goal. I am currently "hoovering" between 110 and 113 in some measurements (I think it is mostly because it is very hot and some days I drink a lot of water). So my goal would better be 115 if this is supposed to add calories? I am very sure the world will not end. Thank you so much!
I am going to do this. I want to be able to increase my weights in lifting and not be weak and stressed. Bulking is a new thing for me, but I am doing this. Anything below 120 lbs is perfectly acceptable, as long as I will start losing body fat at some point. In the worst case I would have to cut after that right?
Edit: That is awesome. I edited my goals and I can eat 1800 calories to barely gain? I would not have thought the difference is so much. There's room for dessert now!9 -
I took a peek at your diary, and you look pretty low in fat and protein. You might want to try adjusting those levels. Some people feel much more satisfied and balanced with higher fat or protein.6
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Yeah, I can relate. I'm five three and 120 is where I maintain, looking reasonably slender... and since I am 48 years old and hypothyroid, I only get 1400 cals a day on maintenance, maybe 200 more on workout days. It's a hard lifestyle, but I'm prediabetic so I can't just say screw it and gain weight so that I could eat more.4
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I took a peek at your diary, and you look pretty low in fat and protein. You might want to try adjusting those levels. Some people feel much more satisfied and balanced with higher fat or protein.
This was my thought also. Protein and fat are more satisfying for many people. I also agree that you should try and up calories a little. I think a combination of these 2 things along with your weight training may help you feel good.
I don't agree that, at 25% BF, a bulk is a good idea. Weight training at maintenance should organically increase muscle mass and drop some fat without doing anything else. Also, are you eating back exercise cals?1 -
I took a peek at your diary, and you look pretty low in fat and protein. You might want to try adjusting those levels. Some people feel much more satisfied and balanced with higher fat or protein.
This was my thought also. Protein and fat are more satisfying for many people. I also agree that you should try and up calories a little. I think a combination of these 2 things along with your weight training may help you feel good.
I don't agree that, at 25% BF, a bulk is a good idea. Weight training at maintenance should organically increase muscle mass and drop some fat without doing anything else. Also, are you eating back exercise cals?
I also agree with this. I am very much a carb person who loves starch, but unless I get around 40 grams of fat a day (that's still not much) and 90-100 grams of protein), my appetite goes CRAZY. My protein and fat are requirements for me. I fill in the rest with carbs.
Try structuring your food that way and see if it helps your hunger.1 -
I took a peek at your diary, and you look pretty low in fat and protein. You might want to try adjusting those levels. Some people feel much more satisfied and balanced with higher fat or protein.
This was my thought also. Protein and fat are more satisfying for many people. I also agree that you should try and up calories a little. I think a combination of these 2 things along with your weight training may help you feel good.
I don't agree that, at 25% BF, a bulk is a good idea. Weight training at maintenance should organically increase muscle mass and drop some fat without doing anything else. Also, are you eating back exercise cals?
I am usually trying to eat back my exercise cals. Don't take the last days of my diary as an example of what I eat, I was fighting a migraine for three days and it intervenes a lot with how often and how much I can eat (to be able to keep it down).
I put my calorie goals to a light gain now, because I realized it tricks my brain to eat maintenance, as I will subconsciously try to "keep in the green". I try and eat more protein, but it seems fairly hard for me. I already added shakes, protein yogurt, more lean meat and such to my diet. I was at a point where I got really constipated, though, so I took it down a little, which seems to help with that issue. Are you sure my fat is low? Because I really feel like I crave more carbohydrates, so with high protein I set fat lower, so I can eat enough carbs to feel satisfied.0 -
skymningen wrote: »I took a peek at your diary, and you look pretty low in fat and protein. You might want to try adjusting those levels. Some people feel much more satisfied and balanced with higher fat or protein.
This was my thought also. Protein and fat are more satisfying for many people. I also agree that you should try and up calories a little. I think a combination of these 2 things along with your weight training may help you feel good.
I don't agree that, at 25% BF, a bulk is a good idea. Weight training at maintenance should organically increase muscle mass and drop some fat without doing anything else. Also, are you eating back exercise cals?
I am usually trying to eat back my exercise cals. Don't take the last days of my diary as an example of what I eat, I was fighting a migraine for three days and it intervenes a lot with how often and how much I can eat (to be able to keep it down).
I put my calorie goals to a light gain now, because I realized it tricks my brain to eat maintenance, as I will subconsciously try to "keep in the green". I try and eat more protein, but it seems fairly hard for me. I already added shakes, protein yogurt, more lean meat and such to my diet. I was at a point where I got really constipated, though, so I took it down a little, which seems to help with that issue. Are you sure my fat is low? Because I really feel like I crave more carbohydrates, so with high protein I set fat lower, so I can eat enough carbs to feel satisfied.
If you're feeling hungry eating more carbs, though, something's still not right.
It doesn't necessarily need to be a lot more fat. A teaspoon here or there. Try splitting the difference between the carbs and fat and see if that helps.0 -
fitdaisygrrl wrote: »skymningen wrote: »NelwynnValala wrote: »With 51 kg for 1.60 you are underweight, so it's no wonder you're hungry. :-)
PHd work is incredibly stressful. There have been reports that over 40% suffer from depression (google it). You are in a highly competitive field where a few years of incredible hard work will determine your future or perhaps failure. That is very stressful indeed, even if you don't recognise it as such.
So my advice would be to give yourself a break. Not just from the part time job, but also from dieting too strictly (since your maintanance is actually a diet: you are underweight).
You need the mental headspace to finish up your PHd properly and succesfully. THAT is what will determine your future life and succes, not a few kg more or less.
What gives you the impression that I am underweight? My BMI is calculated around 19-20 (depending on the tool you use), which is perfectly normal. The lowest normal weight for my size would be 49 kg, some say even 47 kg (but I don't want to get there). My body fat % is 25, so I am also not low on "energy storage".
I am 100% in control of academics. My supervisor is there when I need him, but otherwise very hands off, so it is all my decision what I do and how. I am not fixed on getting tenure yet. There are years as postdoc to come to show if I can and want to do that. I have been working in industry before, I know that I am not going to die if I have to/decide to go back. I actually have offers from industry for jobs after my PhD, but as I want to move to my Significant Other I am not planning on taking them up. I am actually trying to not base my future happiness (life and success) on my PhD. Yes, I love academia, but there is much more to life. My stress from the PhD is not about the pressure of insecurity it's about the ratio of work/time currently.
It sounds a little that you are trying to imply I am depressed and underweight. I have been depressed before, currently, I am in a completely different state. A stressful one, yes, but an exciting one too. I love working out or spending time with my friends. In a depressed state, I would most likely avoid all that. I am also very aware of the risk of getting underweight by trying to reduce body fat. This is why I am tracking what I do eat and weight. The problem is, I am trying to avoid the guilt of binging on treats because I would run the risk of trying to "starve it off", losing only muscle and no fat which I definitely don't want.
I must have eaten less while I was actually losing weight. I felt better than I do now. I am trying to figure out, why and how to avoid being caught in any kind of downward or upward spiral. My goal is recomposition, first more on the side of getting body fat% down at least a bit and then increasing the muscle growth.
I plugged in your stats, and yes you're BMI is around 19, which is technically normal- but on the verge of underweight. Don't be so defensive- people are answering trying to offer advice. Eat more and don't stress about food, focus on strength training and fitness for stress release. But eat more, you'll feel better
People who are saying your BMI is underweight may have a point depending on a few things. 18.5 and under is underweight and BMI charts aren't accurate at the low and high points for people who do strength training since muscle is much heavier. I noticed you wrote that your body fat is 25%, is it possible to know where you got those stats (scale, or other way?). Otherwise, you could potentially have put on some muscle and are actually underweight in the fat percentage! Which means that you should up your food intake for sure and keep strength training to gain even more muscle . 1500 doesn't sound off at all based on your stats but that would be for a sedentary older women. I hope you are eating your exercise calories as well! 0 -
I agree with those who suggested you play around with the macros setting in MFP to see if there is another balance of protein/fat/carb that keeps you sated. You'd mentioned you 'like' healthy food, which is great, but we sometimes have a limited notion of what 'healthy' entails. You may have more wiggle room to play with the macros than you think, which might be particularly relevant given your goal of increasing your current muscle mass.
I also agree with those who said your calorie intake seemed a bit on the low side for maintenance. The 1300 you said you're actually consuming is close to my own suggested calorie intake for weight loss, and we're the same height. I'm glad to see that you've 'gamed your brain' and set your calories a bit higher knowing you'd subconsciously try to keep your numbers within the 'green zone'.
All that said, since your goal is maintenance, and since you said you're up for a bit of experimentation, maybe you could also spend a couple of weeks trying to eat intuitively (what this article calls 'mindful eating': https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/08/opinion/sunday/why-you-cant-lose-weight-on-a-diet.html). Some people simply must plan. I'm one of them, and my track record of decades of fatness is evidence of that. You may not have that problem, and—just spitballing here—it could even be that all the structure you're adding to your eating regime (strategising having a peach instead of a meal so you can save calories for later, etc.) is working counterintuitively in your case, and exacerbating that feeling of unsatiatedness and craving. The bottom line is it's better to find a balance where you're not craving than to learn how to learn strategies for fighting cravings (obvs). You could do intuitive/listening-to-your-body/un-preplanned eating for a little while but also track, just to see where your intuitive calorie total leads and analyse accordingly.1 -
I looked at your food diary and saw high carbs, low protein, and a food total far below your calorie budget.
I suggest you change that. Bring carbs down, protein, fat, and calories up.1 -
I also agree with those who said your calorie intake seemed a bit on the low side for maintenance. The 1300 you said you're actually consuming is close to my own suggested calorie intake for weight loss, and we're the same height. I'm glad to see that you've 'gamed your brain' and set your calories a bit higher knowing you'd subconsciously try to keep your numbers within the 'green zone'.
All that said, since your goal is maintenance, and since you said you're up for a bit of experimentation, maybe you could also spend a couple of weeks trying to eat intuitively (what this article calls 'mindful eating': https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/08/opinion/sunday/why-you-cant-lose-weight-on-a-diet.html). Some people simply must plan. I'm one of them, and my track record of decades of fatness is evidence of that. You may not have that problem, and—just spitballing here—it could even be that all the structure you're adding to your eating regime (strategising having a peach instead of a meal so you can save calories for later, etc.) is working counterintuitively in your case, and exacerbating that feeling of unsatiatedness and craving. The bottom line is it's better to find a balance where you're not craving than to learn how to learn strategies for fighting cravings (obvs). You could do intuitive/listening-to-your-body/un-preplanned eating for a little while but also track, just to see where your intuitive calorie total leads and analyse accordingly.
The point is, I am not really losing but maintaining on these 1300 calories. I am trying to eat more, but I get stuck between feeling full, thinking I need to fuel my body for muscle gain, trying to lose body fat and stress eating. I am working on balancing things out, but it is a slow progress. In the meantime, in any case, I want to feel (and be) healthy.
I basically never tracked my food before MFP. I even lived alone for around 5 years, so there was nothing holding me back from eating exactly what and when I felt like it (intuitively). It worked for maintaining, but I was maintaining a much higher weight and body fat (I didn't have a measurment of fat back then, but it was visibly more and 13 kg more weight, too). I did not work out. At all. I used to be extremely sedentary, and when I changed that, I realized that I have so far in my life not developed any real intuition for fueling my body during exercise.
The only reason I "save calories" is because I know I will not be satisfied by a small dinner or I plan a lunch out with friends and don't want to have to be picky about it. I am not a breakfast person, so actually having breakfast is more than I would intuitively have. But I cannot go without a good chunk of food for dinner. Not easily, at least. So I try to save up for that. It is also the meal where I have the most options and time to prepare. I have to bring lunch to work most days, together with my gym stuff and normal work stuff that can be a lot to carry. And I walk and/or take the bus, so I do have to be able to carry it. No complicated huge lunches for me. Anything that does not fit in two average lunchboxes I can't do. I try bringing in two days worth of food when I do not plan to go to the gym, but the fridge space at work is very limited, too.
Cravings have gotten better in the last days. On the other hand I suffered from migraine, which does make me want to eat fairly little. But maybe it was also stress and hormones going mad on me that I had those cravings so badly.
I am taking in all your advice and will try to slowly ease myself into more protein and less carbs and also be less strict with fat. That will require me to change my eating habits quite a bit, so I don't want to just jump into it. And I am definitely going to indulge in everything I can get at my friends wedding next monday. No calory counting that day. No "going for the healthy option". Just the food I want to have in the amount I feel having it. (And vodca. It's a polish wedding...)1 -
Ok then, although I wasn't suggesting you 'return to' intuitive eating but try to instead cultivate it with 'active paying attention', as it were, based on your comments I'll just reinforce my support of the idea to adjust macros. You'd mentioned feeling like your body craved carbs, but note that this is pretty common, and is often less a craving in the 'intuitive eating' sense and more one of wanting more of of the same because we weren't sated the first time around. Everybody's body is different but I think that for most of us we'd say that, relative to carbs, protein is better at getting us full (for the same calories) and fat is better at keeping us full.
Hope you find what works for you.2
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