Now that I don't have to be that super strict, it's been nice to enjoy all those foods again. I probably gained about 4-5lbs since May just by increasing my calories back up what they were before I started leaning out.
At first I wanted to go back to my lower calorie food plan to lose those five pounds, but I realized it wasn't healthy. It wasn't healthy because restrictive and very low caloric diets are for leaning out only. Also low caloric diets lead me to binge. It's a vicious cycle. I binge, then restrict myself with eating low calories, then binge, etc...
This all leads to damaging your metabolism! I never used to know this and actually though this was a healthy way of eating. Boy, was I wrong. When your body gets used to eating less food, your metabolism actually slows down. Plus it becomes harder for you to lose weight since your metabolism isn't helping you to burn as many calories. When you diet down so much, you get to a stalling point. So when you add those calories back in, your body will put on weight faster since your metabolism is slower.
If you're more interested in metabolic damage check out Layne Norton who is not only a master of bodybuilding but a phd in nutritional sciences. He has such great (and free!) knowledge of metabolic damage, macro needs, and maintaining your body weight.
So I've decided instead of eating clean all week and binging on the weekend, I'm going to start tracking my macros more closely. I don't want to feel like I can't have any "bad foods" or "unclean foods". My new food plan will still be hitting my regular macro numbers, but if I want a certain food I will work it in. This way I can still enjoy some treats, but stay on my numbers. So I can factor in my treats without binging and not feeling guilty for eating "certain foods". Finding a balance, I guess, is what you can say I'm looking for.
***Do you ever feel like you deny yourself treats and then binge out?
***Do you feel like you've found your eating balance?
Balance is definitely the key, though it is something that I struggle with on an almost daily basis! :(
ReplyDeleteI think finding the right balance is one of the hardest things.
DeleteBalance is the key in life! I gained a good amount of weight this winter while I was training for my half and starting weight lifting for the first time. I try to keep track of the calories, fat and protein of the food I am eating but don't restrict myself. If I tell myself I can't have ice cream I am going to want it even more the next time and then up eating an entire carton. by myself.
ReplyDeleteYes so true. When you know you can't have something, it makes it worse.
DeleteI really like that first pic! Healthy habits feed into each other! :-)
ReplyDeleteYessss!
DeleteI love this post Ashley! I feel like I do the same thing...try to eat as strictly as possible then going crazy, then feeling guilty, etc. I love reading that you are being positive and not worrying about the scale because I really struggle with that. It helps to see others have the same concerns and can work through it.. thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! It's true, no one should feel guilty for indulging in treats. For myself I need to stop going crazy when I do and indulge more frequently in little amounts. Someone's weight means nothing! My trainer had me weighing myself daily for the past year. Sometimes my weight would fluctuate 3-4 lbs overnight, it's crazy!
DeleteI love Layne Norton and his extensive research! Great job on not reverting back to a competition diet merely to lose a few extra pounds, as tempting as it is! And congrats on realising how vicious the cycle really is of restrict/binge/repeat. I have many friends who follow IIFYM approach to alot of success, and no doubt helps them stay on track and not restrict anything!
ReplyDeleteLayne Norton is awesome! It's sad so many people think that restricting and then binging is a way to live. It is not healthy for anyone's body.
DeleteGirl, as I am reading through your blog, I see we have SO MUCH in common! The ways you used to eat- that was me, too!! To find my balance, I allow myself small treats every day, rather than one cheat day a week, or a whole cheat meal. This keeps me sane.
ReplyDelete