It’s 10:30am and I can’t even look at food.
I just started working with a new trainer and I’m determined to gain some muscle. I am always complaining about not being strong enough, and not having enough gains, while at the same time doing the things that I know won’t get me there.
I have had countless trainers and friends tell me I don’t eat enough, and that when I run/lift/crossfit like a crazy woman without enough fuel in me, my body is using my muscle for fuel. It’s looking for energy, and it can’t find any, so it eats the very part of me I’m trying to grow. Blast.
I know this, but I also love training. And I hate eating. Ha. I never wake up hungry. By lunch time, I’m often still not hungry and will nibble on a salad. I might get the urge for a snack around 3. Then I work out. Fueled by… pretty much nothing. And then I eat something for dinner around 7:30.
On Monday I got an RMR test done to see what’s going on with my metabolism. Everyone always assumes I have a fast metabolism because I’m lean, but knowing my eating habits I suspected that was not the case. I was right, but it was worse than I thought. My resting metabolic rate, the calories I burn daily while just at rest, is 1120. That’s not much, y’all.
So my new trainer is putting me on a plan to reverse the damage, which means tracking calories again, which I haven’t done in forever. I set out yesterday with a plan to eat more, and aim for around 1500-1800 calories. No problem, I thought. I’ve done this before. In fact, when I track my calories for cutting before shows, I am at about 1400-1500/day. So I figured this would be no problem.
I ate breakfast, a snack, lunch, a snack and then went home from work and crashed on the couch. I was so full from the day I couldn’t imagine eating more. I entered my foods online to see where I was… 950.
950 and I was full and bloated and felt like I’d been eating all dang day. So clearly my metabolism is jacked.
I ate my dinner anyway and a snack before bed, getting me to 1590. Ugh. So. Full.
This morning I ate breakfast and just had my snack. And I would be happy not to eat again all day. But, it’s day two of German Volume Training, so I will be squatting a bunch tonight, and I need to follow orders.
“We’re going to treat you like an old school bodybuilder,” new trainer says. “You need to lift heavy, and you need to eat, and skip cardio for now.”
It’s like he’s trying to get me not to like him. 🙂
But for once I’m going to listen and see where it gets me. Eat, lift, eat. Don’t run. And maybe I’ll grow.
This new plan does at least allow for more pool time.
As long as I don’t swim any laps.
Bikinis and Broccoli 
I’m not a trainer (as you well know) but I have always heard that if you don’t eat enough, then you won’t desire to eat. Maybe you’ve eaten so little for so long, that that is why you don’t care to eat. I’m guessing you have bought a new notebook for all that calorie tracking. I would.
I’m going new school and doing it online 🙂 Much easier when you can just plug in what you ate and let Mr. Internet tell you how many calories that was, along with the protein/fats/carbs info – which is essential to know. (Although I’d like to eat my 1800 calories in ice cream, that would not be helpful.)
Tracking calories is one of my favorite things!! No really. I love the science behind it. And for me, it works (not to gain muscle but to lose weight).
I hope this new plan works for you… If not, there’s always cheeseburgers…
Ugh, I wish I had this problem! Limiting myself to 2500 calories this week has been absolute torture!!! I do think your body can adapt though. I used to only eat 1100-1200 calories for many years to maintain my weight, yet I rarely felt hungry. Now I’m eating more than double that to lose fat, and I am so damn starving all the time I could eat my own arm. Have faith and I’m sure you will come to love eating as much as me 😀
thanks Tara – good to know I can adjust. I do feel less bloated today. Maybe I’m beginning to get used to eating all day.