by | Sep 28, 2016 | The Journey
It’s just over a year since I started following the EM2WL philosophy with a journal titled “Hoping this is the best decision I have ever made” At the time I knew I needed different approach to losing weight, my low cal, high cardio was not getting me anywhere, I grew frustrated with the lack of any real progress.
I think it is important to understand what my relationship with food and exercise was like for several years prior. It all went downhill when I developed an underactive thyroid, sadly this went undiagnosed for at least 3 years. In that time appetite decreased, yet my weight kept creeping up. How does that happen? I was perplexed that my food consumption was at an all time low, tiredness only got worse as I forced myself to exercise because I didn’t want to be seen as the “fat, lazy person.” I lost very little weight and I thought to myself no the wonder people give up trying to lose weight if it’s this bloody hard! No wonder. Eventually I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid, on the correct medication the weight fell off, as food and activity level remained the same.
By this time though, the damage had been done. My relationship with food and how much I could eat, and the amount of exercise needed was skewed, and I felt unable to correct it. Sadly, this led to a diagnosis of anorexia, periods stopped, I had sores on my body, constantly cold, tired but still managed to clock up several hours of exercise. Gaining weight became an immense fear. I liked the control aspect of it, finally something I was good at. I did attend an eating disorder clinic but it just made me worse, they constantly weighed you and as I would never let the ‘scale win.’ I deteriorated. I left to work through it in my own time. I found traveling really helped, but each time I came back my resolve weakened. In 2012 my periods finally returned after a 5 year absence.
Then the big binge happened, my willpower completely broke and went to the other extreme. Binges that went on for about 3 months. In that time, I went up to my highest weight ever 83kg a more than doubling of my anorexic weight. It was horrific. How could I let myself get to this state? Since then I’ve been trying to get myself to a more acceptable weight. Insanity, calorie restriction, insanity, cut calories, 1600, 1400, 1200… Some initial weight loss happened, but would stall quite early after slashing calories, so I’d cut again. Different workout programmes, same results. I’d binge regularly but always managed to blame this or that but never address the true reason behind those binges – lack of calories.
Then I remember the morning I was reading a forum on my way to Uni and someone’s response to someone who was struggling to lose weight mooted the idea that the person wasn’t eating enough and a link to My Fitness Pal and post in relation to EM2WL and an analogy using a flat mobile phone battery. A light bulb moment for me. I then researched further, and read loads on the EM2WL website. Could this be the answer, just as I was about to slash another 200 cals? Really? Other people maybe able to eat that amount, but me? What if I’m the odd one? What if I gain a heap of weight and the process doesn’t work? I eventually decided that doing something totally different to what I had done unsuccessfully in past was the answer. I reckoned if I continued on the same path then I’d be in exactly the same position as I was now as it had been for years previous. This change of direction offered hope, it just needed time, I mentally prepared myself for what lay ahead, this might get worse before it gets better but it would be worth it, if it turned out like what I had read on the forum. I had no timescale but knew I had wasted years on the slash and burn approach that it was only right that I gave this method the same amount of time.
And so began the reset.
I didn’t start my journal till June but started the reset process in May. That first month I stayed off the scales as I increased my calories to match my UP band over (1,000 cals increase) Emotions really swung from day to day. From hesitation and nervousness to one of hope, enjoyment, positivity, not feeling deprived. I switched from 5/6 cardio days a week to 3 days of lifting following NROLFW, that was a huge change for me and took me a while to adapt. My main focus was the years ahead, convinced I wasn’t going to be stuck in the same hamster wheel I had taken residence in for several years. This was sustainable, but I knew I had to deal with the bad before I could reap the benefits. Short term pain for long term gain. I just knew I had to ride out that particular part of the journey and go with the flow, accept that not much was going change at the start, and when the time came those changes would happen very slowly.
The support on the forum has been a key part of my success, especially from Anitra – my rock – from day one offering support, encouragement and nudging me in the right direction. Surround yourself with like minded people who have similar goals will always help you on your journey. Don’t think I could have managed this process by going alone, the concept of eating more will be alien to many of us and so easy to talk yourself out of it without the support from others.
I reset for 7 months, had planned on longer but it felt right to start a cut. EM2WL suggests a minimum of 12 weeks for reset but the longer the better really. Be realistic, 12 weeks is not going to be long enough if you have a history of restriction/severe restriction. I just enjoyed eating more after years of deprivation, I was in no rush to start a cut. When I did, I started with a 10% cut. Now, that may not seem like much but believe me you miss every one of those calories (that’s when you know the reset has been a success). I cut for 6 weeks, then went back to TDEE for a week. That’s the key to this whole process: to keep the metabolism on fire.
Notice how the frequent TDEE “diet breaks” have kept her momentum going in terms of weight loss. Also note this is over the course of 15 months.
Consistency over time = results!Three cut cycles resulted in a loss of 6kg (13.2 pounds). Cut cycles 4 & 5 have not necessarily seen a change in the number on the scale, but it’s important to remember that changes won’t always be reflected in the number on the scale. I recently decided to have a full month of eating at TDEE to give my body a break from being at a deficit, and hoped to put on some muscle during this time as well as preparing myself for another cut. When I resumed with a 10% cut, the scale started moving again. Diet breaks are so important, don’t be afraid to take them. With hindsight I should have taken an extended diet break sooner. Current total weight loss now stands at 7.6kg (16.7 pounds)! I have lost inches all over. Being consistent with food – hitting those macros and lifting regularly will get results over time. I’m a “work in progress” with the fundamental aspects in place I will get to where I want to be and I’m enjoying the process!
So a year later, I look back and I’m thinking this IS the best decision I have ever made. Changes are happening that are sustainable. I don’t feel deprived (well 10% cuts suck), I haven’t binged, and I have the freedom to eat what I want. I don’t feel guilty about going out for meals with family/ friends. I’m not treading the same old path and getting the same old results, the yo yo of losing weight and finding it again plus more all whilst eating very little. I’m learning more about my body as time goes by, what works, what doesn’t and that’s has only happened by slowing the whole process down and not looking for quick fixes with multiple changes at once. I hope that if anyone identifies with any aspect of my eating/exercise history then this will give them hope that they can make a successful change like me.
West (EM2WL Forums)
by | Aug 3, 2016 | Building Muscle, Metabolism Reset, The Journey
I’ve followed the EM2WL method for a few years (with great success!), and then last autumn, race season got a little crazy because I signed up for 2 half marathons. I enjoy running for the sanity-saving benefits (I have 4 kids ages 3-6!) but I LOVE lifting because I love being strong! Since I promised some friends I would run in the half-marathons, though, lifting had to take a backseat while I trained for those races. I was eating “enough” but noticing fat gain/muscle loss and started reducing my calories to try to tweak things. Obviously that was not the thing to do, as my body composition started getting worse and worse, despite eating fewer calories. I never NETTED below 1700 but with how much running I was doing, I still needed more, plus I needed to add lifting back in. (I wish I could go back in time to August 2015 when I started the crazy lowering-lowering-lowering of calories to tell myself to start increasing instead!! But lesson learned.)
Finally, this past January, I complained to my husband about how I couldn’t seem to lose the fat despite decreasing my calories and he asked “do you think you might need a reset? Are you eating enough?” and the light bulb went off. He stated that I can never claim he ‘doesn’t listen to me’ because he remembered my talking about EM2WL and metabolism resets and such a couple years ago! Haha! So at the beginning of February, I started increasing my calories to reach maintenance (2100-2200 based on my Fitbit Charge HR, plus more if I ran). I took pictures of myself before I started my calorie increase (photos on left in comparison shots).
My second half marathon was scheduled for the beginning of April, but I downgraded it to the 5k option because I really wanted to focus on regaining my lost muscle and not worrying about running.
BEST. DECISION. EVER.
I completed a 9 week reset and started a cut at 1900, which I quickly increased to 2000 due to lack of energy during lifts. I had already gained 10 pounds “at a deficit” while training last year that never came off, and then I gained 14-16 pounds during my reset. I started my cut and haven’t lost anything yet, but that’s okay because I’m still making gains in the lifts and that’s what I was mainly focused on. My lowest weight was 132 and I really loved my physique at that weight because I reached it combining running and heavy lifting (calories during cut were around 1800, so definitely following the EM2WL mentality!). Eventually I hope some of the fat will come back off since I’m currently hovering around 156-158 pounds (I’m 5’5.5”). My TDEE has also increased due to my increased weight, I suppose, so now I average 2300 without running based on my Fitbit.
This afternoon I squeezed into the clothes I was wearing when I started my reset, and those are the (tan!) pics on the right. The clothes are definitely tight, but I love how I actually have a better overall SHAPE than I did before! In a week, I’ll be starting a much-anticipated 2-week diet break. My lifting throughout February-April was starting over with StrongLifts 5×5 (since I’d lost most of my strength from running). I’m living in an apartment for about 6 months and don’t have access to my barbell but I did 3 weeks of NRoL Fat Loss 1, and am currently doing your heavy/light dumbbell workout at our apartment gym. Anyway, I just thought I’d share my in-progress story with you!
~mrs_dwr on MFP
by | Jul 7, 2016 | Consistency, Fat Loss / Cutting, Motivation, Strength Training, The Journey
An update to My Journey (so far)…
I ended last with finishing up the EM2WL Beginner Strength Training Manual for 12 weeks and prior to that, I did Cathe’s Muscle Max for 6 weeks. I started (seriously) on 1/1/15. At the end of both programs, I had lost 10 lbs and 10.5 inches total.
I started back doing Muscle Max, Slow & Heavy and walking our garden track. I started STS on 1/24/16. I’m not sure if y’all have ever done STS before but in Meso 1 that woman LOVES pushups!!! Like, seriously…I can’t do pushups on my toes and I have to do them on my knees. Well, I got “creative” and decided to put extra towels under my knees to have even more cushion. BAD IDEA!!! I totally messed up my knee! I haven’t been able to do lower body exercises AT ALL since! I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with Patellafemoral Pain Syndrome as well as mild/moderate arthritis. Thank goodness the week I injured my knee was the last week of Meso 1. So I had an active rest week (which I couldn’t be active at all) then I started Meso 2.
The whole knee thing put me into a tailspin with regards to my diet/calories. I was eating at 15% cut during Meso 1 which was 1890. So during my rest week and when I started Meso 2, I checked my TDEE on Fitbit because I was just maintaining. To my shock (which, in hindsight is shouldn’t have been a shock) my TDEE had dropped quite a bit because I wasn’t getting my steps in…DUH!!! So, grudgingly I lowered my calories to 1676 (yes I’m totally spoiled with eating all the food on this diet). But you know what, it wasn’t hard at all!!!
I have to admit, I was so down because the doctor restricted me to no lower body for 2 weeks (which was at the beginning of Meso 2) the “old me” tried to make a come-back and I was ready to just stop doing anything. But Anitra suggested/told me to just do the upper body workouts, there was no reason to stop doing everything!!! Thanks so much Anitra!!! I just started walking again but I’m still restricted to just walking for the next 4 weeks…then I can slowly add lower body exercises using just my body weight…so I’m still in the healing process, but I’m getting there!
I lost 6 pounds and 7.5 inches just in my first month of STS! There’s one thing that I’ve learned through all of this…the scale isn’t nearly as important as it used to be. I’m more concerned with inches lost than pounds lost.
Since starting this new lifestyle a little over a year ago, I’ve lost 19.5 lbs and 25.5 inches!!! I’ve gone down two sizes in jeans (16 to 12). I’m so excited!! This journey so far is beyond rewarding. It’s a slow and steady pace, but I’m eating food and I’m not starving!!! More importantly, I’m starting to see the changes in my body/taking shape. It’s almost like I’m looking at someone else’s body at times. If that makes any sense… Like I look in the mirror at my side view and my butt is perking up and getting a nice roundness to it! I can see it, not so much anyone else yet, but it’s there and it’s gonna “bust out” someday soon!!! LOL My confidence is coming back…slowly, but it is.
The top row was taken in April 2015 when I finished Beginning Strength (my last update), and the bottom was taken June 2016 one and a half months after finishing STS.
I just can’t express how much this lifestyle has changed my life and my outlook on food and fitness. My only regret is that I waited so long to realize the smart way to do it!!!! But I don’t dwell/beat myself up to much about it… won’t do me any good. I’m just spreading the word to anyone who asks and will listen. As a result, I have introduced a dear friend to EM2WL who was on WW for years and totally frustrated and after a reset and now at cut, she’s lost 12 lbs in 9 weeks! And she has her boyfriend on it too and he’s knocking it out of the park too!!!
Currently, I have finished STS and have started Jillian Michaels Body Revolution. I will not be taking measurements or weighing myself any time soon. You see, down here in the South, the humidity is nasty and I have edema in my hands and legs/feet. I’m finding that it could be hormonal/aging. I’ve had to put the scales away because I’m weighing between 3-7 lbs heavier. That is very difficult for me as I’m a scale addict. But the reality is, I have to put it away in order to maintain my sanity.
The message I’m trying to get across to everyone is just hang in there, it will happen. You may have setbacks that throw you off track, but do what you can and stay the course. That’s the beauty of this – if I can do it, you can too!!!
by | Aug 11, 2015 | Consistency, Metabolism Reset, Strength Training, Testimonials, The Journey
I started my journey almost 2 years ago with a metabolism reset. I’ll try to be as brief as possible with my past, I went to a diet center and did a VERY low calorie (500/day along with taking 3, yes three, diet pills a day) high protein diet for approx. 8 months. When I reached my goal weight, I couldn’t
afford to continue to pay for the maintenance portion of the diet, so 1.5 yrs later I gained it all back and then some. Then, I started a very low calorie diet (on my own) and it took me 1.5 yrs to lose 20 lbs. I was frustrated. My hair was thinning, I was grouchy all the time, couldn’t sleep, my fingernails were paper thin. I was working myself to death and I wasn’t losing weight or inches. That’s when I found EM2WL group on MFP. As I started reading the stickies, it was like I was reading my autobiography! I attempted to do a reset…however, patience (or lack thereof) became an issue and I gave up and went back to a 1200/cal/day diet. After seeing no change yet again…I bit the bullet and seriously did a reset. The only thing I would change about that, is the way I upped my calories. I jumped in gung ho and immediately gained 19 lbs in 2.5 mos time. That was very upsetting to me, but I kept at it. After following Anitra, Lucia and Kiki, I “found” Cathe Friedrich, and I was hooked on lifting!
On New Year’s Eve, my husband, myself and our boys were invited to join friends on a vacation to the Florida Keys. That was the incentive I needed to get real with my diet and exercise. I started my cut on 1/1/15 and did Cathe’s Muscle Max for 6 weeks. Not long after I started Muscle Max, I purchased the EM2WL Beginner Strength Training Program e-book and it was one of the best purchases I’ve made! I timed it so that I would finish the program about 2 weeks before we were to leave for vacation. Giving myself a cushion for “life” to happen and possibly delay me. I finished 1.5 weeks before we left.
On the surface, I only lost 11 lbs and 10.5 inches. I say “only” because the REAL change was internal/emotional/mental. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m VERY pleased with my results so far! The biggest “gain” I’ve made is mentally. I’ve learned patience, patience, patience! I knew going into this that the scale is a big fat liar when you are doing this the EM2WL way. I weighed myself just out of curiosity, not expecting to see dramatic changes in the numbers. Because when you lift heavy, you retain water, which results in the scale going in the wrong direction. Take it from me…the scale is irrelevant!
The feeling I got from lifting and the gains I made with my strength, are priceless. It’s hard to explain the mental gains I’ve made. The best way I can describe it is I realized this change was happening from the inside out. I came of the mindset that people can’t see the changes from the outside….that comes closer to the end. I have a confidence that I’ve never had before. You can’t see it by looking straight at me, but when I look down from my shoulder down my arms, there’s cut/definition!!! I see my legs starting to take on a shape that I’ve only dreamed about.
There’s no doubt in my mind that had I not conditioned myself the way I did, I would NEVER have been able to reel the fish in, balance myself, and endure a minimum of 8 hrs offshore fishing on our vacation. Let me tell you, those fish put up a fight! 
Before we left, I tried on a bathing suit that I’ve had for years…and it didn’t fit right. I was devastated! I turned to Anitra to “talk me off the ledge” of complete devastation. Anitra told me that I shouldn’t judge/base my progress on old clothes. She said that my body is taking on new shape, and clothes that used to fit (smaller ones) probably won’t fit again regardless of the size. She told me not to get discouraged, this is a part of the process. She told me to go out and find something that I’m comfortable in now, that’s the important thing. So, I decided to wear bike shorts and a sports bra under a tank top!
Now, I’m back from vacation and moving on to the next phase of my lifting. I’m going to do Cathe’s Gym Style Series for 6 weeks and then her Slow and Heavy for a few weeks preparing myself for the STS Series on October 1st. All of my workouts have been done at home. No gym membership. It’s nothing fancy, by any means, but it’s mine!
People, this lifestyle is so very, very doable! I’ve made this progress eating between 1900-2200 calories a day! This is the best/smartest way to live your life. I’m never starving, like I was the whole time I was doing the low cal thing. If I want slice of cake, bowl of ice cream, a glass of wine…I have it! Everything in moderation. If you slip up, no worries…just get right back at it the next day! Every day is a new day! I am nowhere close to the end of this journey. My changes are 98% mental, and that doesn’t show in a picture. I have so much to learn and I’m beyond excited to see what the future holds for me! I can promise this…it will forever involve Eating More 2 Weigh Less!!!
Look at the changes through her mid-section! And this after increasing her intake from 1,200 to 1,900 – 2,200 calories a day and implementing strength training!
by | May 6, 2015 | Binge Eating, Increasing calories
If you are like most people, you have probably lived through this cycle at least once, but even more likely, you have lived it over and over: You wake up
one day, go to get ready for work, pull on your favorite pants and can’t get them buttoned. Well, you can, but let’s just say, it’s not pretty! Can you say muffin top?? You vow right then and there to start your “diet” again. No more fast food, no more chips, no more cheese, no more cookies, no more pizza, no more than 1,200 calories a day. In fact, you are so serious, you are even going to cut out chocolate *gasp*.
You wake up early the next morning and make an egg white omelet with spinach (hold the cheese) portion out your carrot sticks and cherry tomatoes for lunch, and you head out for a jog. This time, you are so committed to this new lifestyle that you even sign up take a high impact step aerobics class after work, just to burn off some more calories. If you can keep your food calories at 1,200, and then burn off 600 calories in that one hour aerobics class, well that knocks your net calorie intake to 600 for the day. Then, add in the burn from your morning jog and surely the pounds will just fly off you! Score!!
Well, your new “diet” goes well for a day or two, maybe even a week, but then the cravings begin… Soon they become all encompassing. Every waking moment is spent thinking about those precious 1,200 calories, and how you are going to allocate them to survive another day. You begin to dream about food 24/7. You feel like throwing in the towel, but no … you stand strong. For a while. Then soon, everything crumbles. As you are driving home from work you pull into the closest drive-thru and order enough food for a family of four. Two meals are gone by the time you get home, and the other two follow shortly thereafter.
The next day continues in much the same way. I mean, you already blew your diet, so what is the point in forcing yourself to eat egg whites, spinach and carrot sticks today? You skip the morning jog and hop in the car and head off to Dunkin Donuts. The box of 6 donuts doesn’t even live to make it to the office…
So, these binges may be different for every person. They may last for a day, a week, or even longer. They may involve fast food and donuts, or maybe peanut M&Ms and pizza. The outcomes may vary widely, but the causes are probably strikingly similar, and they almost always will involve restriction….
The good news is, there is something we can do to help control or even eliminate these binge cycles. The even better news is that these issues are addressed by some of the core beliefs of Eat More 2 Weigh Less.
The primary cause for binging involves restriction … restriction of both calories and specific foods.
When we start a new diet, we often start by dropping our calories to a rock-bottom level. I mean, the less we eat, the faster we will lose, no? This can 
be a true recipe for disaster. Dropping your calories too low, and taking an overly aggressive cut, will result in cravings that will soon become overpowering. You can use willpower for a while to overcome these feelings, but eventually your willpower will run out and these cravings will win. Those cravings are much like a slingshot. You can use willpower to avoid the temptation to eat for just so long (as the slingshot is pulled back further and further), but once it gets to maximum tension, it’s all over… The rock is propelled through the air, and then it’s just you and the fridge. And, trust me, it won’t be pretty!
Overly restricting your caloric intake and taking too steep of a deficit is one of the quickest ways to cause a binge. Your body (and brain) will fight against you tooth and nail. The good news is that Eat More 2 Weigh Less addresses this issue by promoting that we eat at only a small deficit from our TDEE. By keeping this deficit small, it is often possible to reduce or even eliminate some of these cravings that result in binges.
So what to do if you are experiencing these binge cycles as the result of eating too little? Find out what your TDEE is and simply gradually start increasing your intake until you are eating either at or slightly below your TDEE, based on your goals. Most people will find that once they are adequately fueling their bodies and eating closer to maintenance calories that they feel more in control. They feel satiated and no longer have that constant gnawing in their bellies that reminds them that they are starving (literally) 24/7.
Another common cause for binges involves restricting certain foods or even entire food groups. Now certainly if you have a medical reason to avoid certain foods, then by all means, do what you need to do for your health. But, if you are eliminating specific foods from your diet simply because you feel as though they are “off limits” or “bad,” then you may want to reconsider. When you completely eliminate certain foods from your diet because you think they are “bad,” then over time the desire to eat these foods will become overwhelming.
With EM2WL, no foods are considered to be “off limits.” In fact, we encourage everyone to enjoy eating a well-balanced diet, complete with treats! Now, is this an invitation to eat cookies and ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as long as it is within your calorie goals? Absolutely not. EM2WL recommends that everyone monitor their macros (using a tool like My Fitness Pal) and set them at 40% Carbs/30% Protein/ 30% Fats. Eating healthfully and concentrating on eating whole, unprocessed foods is certainly going to be best for one’s health, but that does not mean that there is no room for treats! Concentrate on hitting that 30% protein macro each and every day. Make that a priority. If you do that, the other two macros will often just naturally fall into place. Once that protein macro is met, if there is room for waffles, a donut, dinner out at your favorite restaurant, or chocolate, then enjoy! As long as it fits within your caloric and macro goals for the day, it’s all good! You will most likely find that once certain foods are no longer considered “off limits”, and you are able to enjoy them in moderation that those intense cravings will subside… Remember, the fastest way to feel like you absolutely have to have something is to be told that you cannot have it… (Think of a little toddler being told to not absolutely not touch something. We all know how that ends up! :- )
If you are one of those people that feels as though if you have one bite of a food that you have previously considered off limits that you will lose all control and have it turn into an all-out binge, remember this: once you are eating closer to your TDEE or maintenance calories, those feelings will not be so strong. If you try to enjoy one cookie or a piece of chocolate while eating at a steep caloric deficit, then yes, it will be very hard to resist the temptation to eat more, simply because your body is craving more calories. However, if you are properly fueling your body and eating at only a small deficit, then those urges will not be as strong, because you will not be ravenously hungry. Adding back in previously prohibited foods will be much easier once you are well on your way to eating more. Adding them back in while still restricting calories may be a like playing with fire…
If you are still feeling a bit out of control, and still not “safe” around those tempting foods, here are a few things to try that may be helpful:
○ Don’t keep those tempting foods in the house. Yes, it’s okay to have them (in moderation and if they fit within your caloric and macro goals), but it may be necessary to not have them in your kitchen cabinet. If you are going to splurge on a treat, try eating it at a restaurant (or an ice cream or frozen yogurt parlor). Order your serving, enjoy, and then leave … not taking the temptation with you.
○ If you do bring foods into your home and fear losing control with them late at night, only buy a small quantity, and enjoy it in its entirety, not leaving any leftovers for later temptation. If you want to indulge in some chocolate, pick out the best quality in a size that fits your goals and enjoy it guilt-free. By limiting the package size, once it’s gone, it’s gone…
○ Try finding “healthier” alternatives to your trigger foods. If it’s ice cream you crave, try experimenting with other dessert options. My personal favorite is one cup of Greek yogurt with ½ scoop protein powder stirred in (I love peanut butter cookie flavored Protizyme) topped with one cup frozen berries, slivered almonds (or try pecans or walnuts) and a spoonful of dark chocolate chips. It makes a huge bowl and the fiber in the berries will keep you full, as will the protein (from both the yogurt and the protein powder) and it even helps you reach that protein macro!
If it’s pizza that you are craving, maybe try making your own. You can buy whole wheat pizza dough in many stores (check the deli or freezer 
sections) and top it with flavorful cheeses (parmesan and feta are great choices) and grilled vegetables (think onions, asparagus, mushrooms, yellow or zucchini squash). Add some meat if you like and enjoy! By using high quality, flavorful cheeses, you can use less and get a huge flavor punch for less calories. The veggies are very filling and will help you reach that fiber macro. Plus, you get to eat pizza!
Craving a sandwich? Try replacing the mayo with hummus or smashed avocado with a touch of lemon and salt. Want some chips? Try sweet potato chips or make your own kale chips in the oven with some olive oil and sea salt. Standing at the check-out line at the grocery store and feel like grabbing a candy bar? Reach for a protein bar instead.
You can have tons of yummy foods in your diet, just try to make some small tweaks to make those choices a bit healthier. You may find that you can satisfy those cravings while at the same time you are able to reach your macro goals.
Binges are generally caused by restriction. If you can avoid restriction, you can often stop those binges.
○ Overly restricting your caloric intake and taking too steep of a deficit is one of the quickest ways to cause a binge. Eat closer to your TDEE or maintenance calories and you may find that those urges are greatly decreased. On the other hand, starve your body and those cravings will become so strong that eventually no amount of willpower will be able to overcome them.
○ Restricting or eliminating specific foods or food groups can tend to make them even more enticing. Once you are eating closer to your TDEE, allow yourself to indulge on a previously “off limits” treat (in moderation) and work them into your daily or weekly goals. Just knowing that you can have those treats somehow takes away some of their “power”….
If you think you have an eating disorder, then certainly seek professional counseling, but if you are just stuck in a rut of repeated “falling off the wagon” caused by severe caloric restriction, then perhaps some of these tips will work for you and help you gain some control over your life and your food.
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Then the big binge happened, my willpower completely broke and went to the other extreme. Binges that went on for about 3 months. In that time, I went up to my highest weight ever 83kg a more than doubling of my anorexic weight. It was horrific. How could I let myself get to this state? Since then I’ve been trying to get myself to a more acceptable weight. Insanity, calorie restriction, insanity, cut calories, 1600, 1400, 1200… Some initial weight loss happened, but would stall quite early after slashing calories, so I’d cut again. Different workout programmes, same results. I’d binge regularly but always managed to blame this or that but never address the true reason behind those binges – lack of calories.
I didn’t start my journal till June but started the reset process in May. That first month I stayed off the scales as I increased my calories to match my UP band over (1,000 cals increase) Emotions really swung from day to day. From hesitation and nervousness to one of hope, enjoyment, positivity, not feeling deprived. I switched from 5/6 cardio days a week to 3 days of lifting following NROLFW, that was a huge change for me and took me a while to adapt. My main focus was the years ahead, convinced I wasn’t going to be stuck in the same hamster wheel I had taken residence in for several years. This was sustainable, but I knew I had to deal with the bad before I could reap the benefits. Short term pain for long term gain. I just knew I had to ride out that particular part of the journey and go with the flow, accept that not much was going change at the start, and when the time came those changes would happen very slowly.
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