I need some advice regarding diet.i've been trying to lose weight since 2016. by trying, i mean that i did lose weight but would eventually hit plateaus for long periods of time. sometimes some of the weight would come back, but the trend was steadily going down. my most recent plateau was around 165lbs. i've recently broken this plateau. just today, i weighed myself at 155lbs which was my goal weight (started at 225lbs). the way i got around breaking this plateau was to walk a lot more, lift like i normally but cut down a lot on my calories, usually eating around 1600 or so calories. i would also go on extended fasting periods where i'd eat my first meal late in the afternoon. now that i got here, im unsure how to go about maintaining my weight.i know the answer is simply to eat more, but i think the long cutting process, especially with the recent "harder" cutting period has affected me psychologically. i've gotten used to feeling hunger, to the point i almost enjoy the hunger pains, and developped a reduced desire to eat. not that i don't like food or that im afraid of eating, but the only driving force to eat was to maintain energy to work, train and not starve myself.anyway, im looking at a TDEE calculator and it suggests i eat around 2500calories. this number seems daunting because it's so much higher than what i have gotten used to eating. it stresses me because it feels like i'll certainly get fat eating that much, even though it's considered a normal amount. writing all of this makes me feel like i've developped an eating disorder which is perhaps that's the case, but i don't think it's feasible to not think about food intake so much when you were focused on the scale going down for so long. does anyone have experience when it comes to the transition period betwwen cutting and maintaining? my gut tells me that i should slowly increase the calories until my weight stabilizes, but im curious to know if anyone else has had this experience before.
>>77513473i just need to lock in
i just need to lock in
just do 2000 and after a month see if you gain or lose, then adjust.
Holy shit. I really do need to lock in.
>>77513473ye you prob got an ED now or at least very close to maybe developing one. if you are prone to being mental in other ways (bpd, ocd etc) this is more serious, otherwise just be careful and increase slowly while tracking *average* weight. sometimes in this stage when you switch to maintaining and have an upwards temporary weight fluctuation you might freak out and reduce calories too much, causing yoyoing and then strengthening disordered behaviour. maybe get some anti anxiety meds you sound a bit highly strung from the way you type, just try to chill a bit you've done the hard part already.
>>77513843yeah probably on the way to developping an ED, but as I said i think that comes with the territory. for what it's worth, i actually feel pretty good and don't feel anxious. i'm especially happy to have been able to reach this milestone as i was told time and time that it was impossible to get that lean.i just know i need to adjust my diet because i don't want to keep losing weight, but i havent increased my calories in a long time so i can see myself struggling with that at first. i think it's challenging to change habits generally speaking. it's hard to cut because people are used to eating more, and now it's just the other way around.because i weigh myself daily, i am used to seeing weight fluctuations so they don't bother me that much. but i'll take the advice and increase the calories slowly slowly
