how do i get my metabolism working again ?

[deaths_ally]

Ok, I have a serious question ... as you all probably know I messed up my metabolism a few months back when I was taking in less than 500 calories per day and exercising excessively(4-8 hours a day on cardio alone!) and taking fat burners and such ... I screwed my metabolism up and then i started to change it around by doing 45 min cardio a day or 20 min HIIT and 1 hour of weights per day. I ate roughly, 2,200 calories per day now and was gaining some lean muscle. The past month .. I kinda fell back into that whole routine of not eating enough and doing too much cardio(again) i am sick & tired of that because I feel its doing more damage than it is doing good. And I need a healthy change not a quick fix. I have lost a lot of weight in a short period of time, not sure how much of it was "fat" weight but about 2 months ago I got my fat % checked and it was 24 % or something like that. Thats a lot of fat for a person like me. I dont care bout the scale though, anymore. I want to see that extra flab gone and some tight lean muscle EVEN if I go up to 140 lbs. Thats not important. I just feel like when I get discouraged somehow I go back into that whole slump of trying to lose weight, not just fat but weight. So Im really trying to fix it and I want to get my body working better and my metabolism up again. I WANT to lose this extra flab. It is there people ... despite any one that thinks its not cause i dont weigh a lot, I could be a fat skinny person, u know. Cause I can literally grab a handful of skin and pull it away from my bone on my bottom half of my body, hips and thighs. Dont make me take a picture of it to prove it cause thats embarrasing on my part but i dont want ppl not believing it, cause its true. (i wouldnt lie because i want the best results here, and if i lied i wouldnt get the results i want!) It jiggles so much and when i look in the mirror i can literally see all the extra flab and its hideous and I think its fat cause my body prolly thinks its going into starvation mode or something when i eat right then i dont eat and then i cheat, and then i fast for a few days to compensate! Well .. im done with that and im as serious as hell. I want a healthy lifestyle and my body deserves to be healthy. Anyone help me? I really want to change this. I really do. Any good websites? I will read through them all !! I will read every reply and take to heart every reply, just post it in THIS thread cause i lose track of some of my threads and pls, someone explain to me what i have done to my body and how to get it working better? THANK YOU!

[LightCrow]

To answer the simple part of your question first. You just need to eat at maintenace calories for two weeks to "reset" your metabolism and recover from abnormal hormones that result from dieting.

That's not going to address the deeper issue that you bring up in your original post, though. It sounds like you might be a female beastie, but it doesn't matter either way. I've been on the road to anorexia before and barely came out of it before I went too far. You should really reach out to those around you that care about you right now. Talk to friends and family about your concerns about your body. Maybe even go see your doctor about it.

I stopped myself from going into anorexia by watching the movie the "Machinist." The lead actor showed me the body I was going to have in a few months if I didn't start to eat better and take care of myself. I was in denial (and liked the comments) when people told me how skinny I was starting to look. My parents even asked me if I was sick and I denied all of it. My usual response was, "I just don't have an appetite." You, like I did, are the only one with the power to decide to do things differently. Look for support from those around you and maybe reach out to Eating Disorder support thread on the Nutrition board for further advice.

[ExplosivePower]

give it 4 weeks.
then start weight training and reduce cardio to 90min per week (max intensity)
like 15minx6 days

[deaths_ally]

Thanks guys, And see, when I see pictures of anorexic women, I dont find that "attractive" at all. Thats not my goals at all. But I do think that my standards of how I am supposed to look and "all women" for that matter is incorrect. I mean, I think that every woman should have the "jessica simpson" figure. Not the actual Jessica Simpson but the way she looked in daisy dukes. Which could be kinda bad in a way considering she doesnt even look that way in real life, just did for the movie. How many calories should I be taking in right now? I still life weight, for an hour a day and 60 min cardio. Will I gain any fat from all the damage I have done ??? And how can i tighten up that loose skin, its horrible and it makes me so depressed just looking at it in the mirror Is there any foods I should refrain from eating. Thnx guys

[deaths_ally]

Oh and if u want I can take pictures of my flab so u all can see what im talking bout and im not just saying it, its seriously disgustingly gross and it makes me want to cry It's horrible I dont even have a bum, like ... its like just skin that moves, its horrible and it hangs ... i want my bum to be lifted up ...

[boyscouT]

Oh and if u want I can take pictures of my flab so u all can see what im talking bout and im not just saying it, its seriously disgustingly gross and it makes me want to cry It's horrible I dont even have a bum, like ... its like just skin that moves, its horrible and it hangs ... i want my bum to be lifted up ...

Squats .

I'm off to the gym right now, but I'll answer your questions (if they haven't been answered) when I get back.

[deaths_ally]

okay, im going to the gym too, since it clses at 5:00 cause its a holiday, ill talk to u when i get back have fun

[MCconditioner]

Take some pictures. My guess is you have a body image disorder. These boards can only help so much.

[LightCrow]

Your maintenace calories are roughly 15x bodyweight. Yeah, post a pic though and we could maybe give you some more detailed info.

Don't feel like you're the only one taking an elitist attitude about overweight people. I think a lot of people that work to get their weight down or are naturally thin kind of frown at heavy people. I know I catch myself doing it sometimes. I just have to remember some people just don't care what they look like, or would rather be able to eat poorly and say screw their waistline.

[Confucius Taoka]

Noob question...

How would you know if you screwed up your metabolism?

[Rachel_n_SD]

like everyone else said, eat at maintenance for awhile. if you decide to create a deficit after that, start off at only 300 below maintenance.

off the subject, having read many of your recent posts, i think you really need counseling for this. you probably have body dysmorphic disorder, and you definitely have very disordered eating patterns. and i know where you are coming from, because i used to be the same way. i still relapse from time to time, but few and far between.

you recently were dieting for a few days, then massively cheating. now you have decided to eat at maintenance, which i think would be great for you, so you can learn to eat normally. you need to stop obsessing, honestly, the way you describe yourself, has to be 80% in your mind, or you would look like a freak, which im sure you dont. you cant look at yourself in that light, or you are destined to fail, focus on your strengths instead of your perceived flaws.

i also think you should quit weighing yourself entirely. to measure your progress, you should take measurements every 3-4 weeks, and thats IT! when you start to have bad thoughts about yourself, just STOP! thats all, just completely stop that whole train of thought, and instead think about something good you did, like, add 10 more pounds to your squat, or lose 1/2 inch from your waist.

good luck!

[TrainSmarter]

off the subject, having read many of your recent posts, i think you really need counseling for this. you probably have body dysmorphic disorder, and you definitely have very disordered eating patterns.

Excellent advice I sincerely hope she takes it.

Ok. Yesterday I ate a lot(good foods) and I felt a tad guilty so I tried to fast all day today and It nearly killed me. I got all grumpy and upset over everything and I felt so sick and weak, I could barely work out. I had a banging headache and I am bruising like crazy and I really feel like everything is in check now except my eating patterns. I mean ... I have cut back the cardio a lot and all but my eating is just the worst. am i messing it up when i starve myself like this. I just gave into my growling gut 10 min ago to a bowl of cheerios and whole wheat bread and chicken because i had taken in less than 500 calories today so i dont think that mattered cause i did work out and all. Am I jeaoardizing my gains a lot by doing this?

ps. is it ok to sometimes eat with the family like have a plate of whole wheat spaghetti with the family or chicken that is fried or whatever instead of cooked in water? What have i got to do to really firm up my body ? the healthy way. I cant do it this way anymore!

See your doctor and get a referral to a psychiatrist or psychologist that specialises in eating disorders.

Get your mental self healthy FIRST then worry about your body.

Ashley, your problem is not WHAT you eat and WHEN... the problem is inside your mind and you should be spending your time working on that at the moment. I honestly would be happier to see you eating ANYTHING 3-6 times a day and feeling OK about yourself and food than eating a bodybuilding style diet.

[miss_carrie]

i tried to PM you but your messages are full... clear some so i can send you one back!

[deaths_ally]

Thanks guys, I will take some pictures tonight and post them on here around 8:00 or 9:00 So then you'll see. And I dont think im fat or anything. Just a lot of flabby skin that really aint that attractive!!

And I ate well today .. here's what I ate oki

Breakfast: 1 1/2 cup oats + 1 tbsp almond butter

snack: 1 scoop of whey protein << had to be quick because I was helping my dad at work!

Lunch: 2 tbsp almond butter on 2 whole wheat sandwiches

Dinner: 1 chicken breast with some lettuce (approx 2-3 cups) with 2 tbsp fat free dressing and bout 6 cashews

Before bed I am gonna have 16 cashews with 1 full cup cottage cheese

Approx 2,000 calories

I also did cardio today, bout 50 min and lifted weights for 30 min, the gym closed early today so i couldnt stay that long doing weights & all

[deaths_ally]

i tried to PM you but your messages are full... clear some so i can send you one back!

sorry hehe, i emtyed it!!

[deaths_ally]

Your maintenace calories are roughly 15x bodyweight. Yeah, post a pic though and we could maybe give you some more detailed info.

Don't feel like you're the only one taking an elitist attitude about overweight people. I think a lot of people that work to get their weight down or are naturally thin kind of frown at heavy people. I know I catch myself doing it sometimes. I just have to remember some people just don't care what they look like, or would rather be able to eat poorly and say screw their waistline.

Is maintence that calories u would need to just lay in bed all day ??? or including activity ?

[miss_carrie]

Is maintence that calories u would need to just lay in bed all day ??? or including activity ?

maintainence includes activity...and clear your inbox again! lol

[PRiSM92289]

haha youre crazy

good job bro

but answer THIS: are you seriously 19?

[PRiSM92289]

oh **** I have firefox up with about 4 differnet threads in 4 different tabs and I posted that^ in the wrong thread

[boyscouT]

oh **** I have firefox up with about 4 differnet threads in 4 different tabs and I posted that^ in the wrong thread

So go to edit, advanced, and delete.

[LightCrow]

Is maintence that calories u would need to just lay in bed all day ??? or including activity ?

The 15x assumes that you are at least moving around during the day and moderately active. If you just stayed in bed all day and did nothing more than get up to pee, I would go with something like 10-12X bodyweight.

[deaths_ally]

okay thnx everyone, and is it bad that i find it uncomfortable jumping or running because i have all this flab, like when i sit its like it just hangs off my bones, i can literally pull skin away from my bones and when i lay down everything just spreads out, this is maken me so depressed,

[deaths_ally]

and do u really want me to take a pic of this, will it be able to help u guys figure out what i should do if i do ??

[TrainSmarter]

read

As someone who has had an eating disorder I speak from the heart in telling you that the most important thing to realize that any problem no matter how small you think it is is a big one when it comes to body image issues. Which is really what eating disorders stem from in a lot of cases. I'm so glad to see that you are seeking professional help because that is the most important step and it seems that you are taking that help to heart, which is also important. I would caution you on a few things though, just speaking from experience. One, the thought process that you have developed about food over the years never totally goes away. Two, if there are certain foods that you know will make you feel guitly or make you want to workout obsessively just don't eat them as a cheat food, incorporate them into your diet plan. ( I know that this sounds like encouragement to "cut" a certain thing which causes problems, but I mean more along the lines of having a really small portion of that food so you can get the satisfaction of it without getting the guilt, because like I said before, you never truly get rid of that way of thinking.) Three, although you are seeing a therapist, you need to see a nutritionist as well and get a set meal plan specified for your body, because as you probably already know, every person requires a different amount of caloric intake. (I didn't truly feel better about food until I had a nutritionist plan my meals for me when I started competitng this past year, it was the best amount of money that I ever spent.) So with all that said, Good Luck with your recovery! You can focus the negatives of eating into positive ones and see real gains and then help others with the same problems because believe me, there are so many people out there that need the support of a friend. I know that it helps because after watching my best friend go through the same problems this past year, it really hits home at how many people suffer from many different types of eating disorders.

[deaths_ally]

I read that and I agree on some points but right now im really depressed and when i post my pics ull see why, u really will, i promise then ull see its no eating disorder, just a lot of extra flab disorder if anything

[PRiSM92289]

yea post pics, it cant be that bad, (I just finished watching this plastic surgery show where this womans skin is so saggy that she can strectch it out and hold objects on it)

sample diet?

[deaths_ally]

Okay, Im tryen to install my webcam right now And its like this, I look good standing up with clothes on and all, and everyone sees THAT part of me. Right. But then I take off my clothes and lay down on the floor or sit and its weird cause it just hangs off my bones, specially my bum. I can literally hold my ass in my hands(no lie) theres nothing there but skin/fat, dunno which one it is but u can see the fat spread out when i lay down and its horrible and it makes me want so so so sad because i train so hard and put 100% into everything i do and i have this nasty skin, i should l0ok perfect or close to it for the work that i do, i might as well eat what i want and be fat, then to be/feel like this!!

here's my diet

meal one: 1 1/2 cup oats with 1 tbsp almond butter
meal two: 1 scoop of whey protein with water
meal three: 1/2 whole wheat pita with 1 can of sardines and 1 tbsp almond butter
meal four: (pre work-out) Used to be a protein bar but now ill just have 1 cup of oats
meal five(dinner): 1 chicken breast + 2 cups lettuce + 1 cup cottage cheese with fat free dressing
meal six(before bd): 16 cashews with 1/2 cup cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is fat free and the nut butter is all natural and the pita is whole wheat

[deaths_ally]

go here to see the pics

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...=1#post9639225

[MCconditioner]

I figured I would see something like this. So let me tell you:


YOU LOOK GOOD!!! You have a body 95% of women would be envious of. You do not need to lose that weight, the only way you will is by strict contest dieting. I am very ripped; even I have some fat on my butt. Its good, people like it.

[LightCrow]

go here to see the pics

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...=1#post9639225

You don't look overweight or fat to me at all. What it looks like you are pulling away from your body is just tissue. I don't think you should really lean out any more at this point. For men it's not really healthy to walk around at sub-6%ish bodyfat levels for a long period of time and I imagine it's the same thing for women with comparable bodyfat levels. I think you should set your goals at one of two things right now: A. focusing on eating enough for your body, being healthy, and exercising regularly, or B. (if this is what you want) have a slight caloric increase and maybe work on adding a little muscle and strength to your lifts.

If you still aren't completely comfortable with eating right and enough for your body, I would definately stick with A. When those things are sorted out, you can assess your long term goals for your body then. Like I said before, it's important you reach out to your friends and family if you still have problems with your body image. They can give you encouragement in being healthy and making good choices for yourself.