Need to eat more but can't?

[MikeyFXD35]

I am finding it difficult to increase my diet and say on a schedule eating time. This is what I would like to do. Schedule can very a bit due to family considerations but its close.

Wake at 7:00 - preworkout drink, BCAA, gear, check email and go to the gym
9:00 - Breakfast- oatmeal, 2 eggs, banana
10:30 - protein shake
12:00 - Lunch- tuna, green salad, nuts
2:00ish - protein shake
5:30 - dinner- fish or chicken or beef, salad, brown rice, veggie
8:00 - protein shake

Problem it am not hungry at 12:00 or 1:00 then if I leave it to late no shake or I am not hungry at dinner.

Should I just listen to my body and eat when I am hungry and not worry about when I eat?

[Praetorian]

Start a bit of cardio....stairclimber for 10 minutes....that should help with appetite and not burn too many calories.
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[BAM]

Are you on test?

[canadianmuscle0803]

Start a bit of cardio....stairclimber for 10 minutes....that should help with appetite and not burn too many calories.
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totally agree.. im having issues with my bulk diet and i was told to start cardio as well.. decrease your sodium levels and fat intake as well.. this can bloat you out.. its hard for me to put down food as well.. but im on anadrol and im thinking i have to stop that to get my appetite back.

[spankmonkey]

Black Hole from Controlled Labs was the only thing that helped me break 5000-6000 cal mark without discomfort or bloat.

[steve_d]

Start a bit of cardio....stairclimber for 10 minutes....that should help with appetite and not burn too many calories.
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I would be giving the same advice to someone trying to lose weight. Start doing cardio - burns extra calories. It seems weird to me that doing cardio would increase your appetite to the point where you want to eat more calories then you are burning.

I still never understand when people have a problem with appetite in that they WANT to eat more. I'd pay money to have that problem. The only time I ever feel like my appetite suffers is when I am eating too much and am 15% fat +.

Also, is it just me, or does anyone else count his calories as below 2000. If you have no appetite at sub 2000 calories, then i'd visit a doctor!

[nii]

The only thing that worked with me originally was to force feed myself. I absolutely hated it, felt like i was drowning with every meal. Eventually you get used to it. But honestly mate, you dont have much on your plate :p u basically have 3 square meals a day.

[JonnyO]

I would be giving the same advice to someone trying to lose weight. Start doing cardio - burns extra calories. It seems weird to me that doing cardio would increase your appetite to the point where you want to eat more calories then you are burning.



Ever diet for a contest before? Your eating a lot, doing cardio and your NEVER full! Cardio will help manipulate your metabolism creating hunger, 10-20 mins cardio a isnt going to do anything for weight loss.

[Praetorian]

totally agree.. im having issues with my bulk diet and i was told to start cardio as well.. decrease your sodium levels and fat intake as well.. this can bloat you out.. its hard for me to put down food as well.. but im on anadrol and im thinking i have to stop that to get my appetite back.

Orals will kill your appetite period...dbol, var, and especially drol.
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[Praetorian]

I would be giving the same advice to someone trying to lose weight. Start doing cardio - burns extra calories. It seems weird to me that doing cardio would increase your appetite to the point where you want to eat more calories then you are burning.

I still never understand when people have a problem with appetite in that they WANT to eat more. I'd pay money to have that problem. The only time I ever feel like my appetite suffers is when I am eating too much and am 15% fat +.

Also, is it just me, or does anyone else count his calories as below 2000. If you have no appetite at sub 2000 calories, then i'd visit a doctor!

There is no way you can tell the amount of calories from his post...it is not specific enough. Most people have little idea of the amount of food it takes to grow...I am 280lbs offseason about 10-11% BF...do you realize the amount of food i intake just to maintain my weight not to mention grow. Appetite is what inhibits many in reaching their potential in BB.
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[steve_d]

There is no way you can tell the amount of calories from his post...it is not specific enough. Most people have little idea of the amount of food it takes to grow...I am 280lbs offseason about 10-11% BF...do you realize the amount of food i intake just to maintain my weight not to mention grow. Appetite is what inhibits many in reaching their potential in BB.
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You're right there is actually no way to tell. But I just took rough guesses of quantity. I assumed 1 shake was 1 scoop, and tuna meant 1 can, and salad meant not 10 tbsp of dressing etc. As for the oatmeal, I assumed he wasn't spooning down a large salad bowl of the stuff.

Let's let mickey elaborate on the actual quantity. I really think it's not alot of calories. Nor do I know his goals.

On a side note, you must be huge! 280 at 10% means you'd be like 250 on stage!

[steve_d]

Ever diet for a contest before? Your eating a lot, doing cardio and your NEVER full! Cardio will help manipulate your metabolism creating hunger, 10-20 mins cardio a isnt going to do anything for weight loss.

I've done 15 or so shows. The reason your never full is because for the entire time your dieting you're body fat is below where your body is comfortable being. It's telling you EAT. I know what its like - I am feeling the effects of it right now, and I haven't even really started to diet hard or do any cardio.

1-2 of my shows I did zero cardio and felt just as hungry as when I did a lot. The only difference was that I had to diet longer, and suffer a little more. Usually I lose 1-2 pounds per week even in the last few weeks and up the cardio like mad for the final weeks to get it done.

I know what you mean that cardio makes you hungry. No one can argue that. I just don't know if it brings you to a point where you eat enough to make up for what you burned. Especially 10 minutes!

[Dryvrgrl]

i had days when it would be 10 pm and i'd be crying over a bowl of chicken and rice

(Sample of my diet around january)
meal... 2 scoops protein 4 egg whites 1 cup oatmeal 500 ml orange juice
snack... yogurt, orange, scoop protein 1oz of cheese or peanutbutter
meal 1 cup rice 8 oz chicken 1 oz fat 2 cups chick peas
snack... 2 scoop protein
meal... 6 oz chicken 1 cup rice 2 cups veg (green)
meal 6 oz chicken 1 cup rice
snack... scoop peanutbutter, yogurt, scoop protein 500 ml orange juice
(might I reiterate... my contest weight was 113 lbs, highest I got was 126)

best advice I have... eat your am meal while you check your email...

[steve_d]

Now I am going to go the opposite and say wow that is actually ALOT of food for someone competing at 113. I don't know many girls that could eat that much and still get really cut, without massive cardio of course.

I am one of those unfortunate ones that once I hit about 6% or less I need to drastically cut calories, or drasitically increase cardio...For example, if I eat 2000 calories a day, I practically need to do about 3 hours or 2000 calories of cardio just to keep fat loss going. But once I am off season, at about 15% or so I could basically eat 5000 calories and not gain an ounce. I really believe in set point theory. My body like to stay in a range of about 10 pounds, any less and I am starved, any more and I could eat a cow and not gain weight

[RagingRandy]

I am 280lbs offseason about 10-11% BF...do you realize the amount of food i intake just to maintain my weight not to mention grow. Appetite is what inhibits many in reaching their potential in BB.
P
I will admit that this is my limiting factor. I am about 220 and simply can not eat enough to get past that. I used to love eating before I started BB, now it is a chore.

[monkey]

My appetite fluctuates.. but I always eat. I noticed that keeping a gallon of milk and nuts lying around helps a lot when my appetite is shot. Milk never gets me full for very long but always goes down easy.. but yeah, that might just be me.

[Praetorian]

I've done 15 or so shows. The reason your never full is because for the entire time your dieting you're body fat is below where your body is comfortable being. It's telling you EAT. I know what its like - I am feeling the effects of it right now, and I haven't even really started to diet hard or do any cardio.

1-2 of my shows I did zero cardio and felt just as hungry as when I did a lot. The only difference was that I had to diet longer, and suffer a little more. Usually I lose 1-2 pounds per week even in the last few weeks and up the cardio like mad for the final weeks to get it done.

I know what you mean that cardio makes you hungry. No one can argue that. I just don't know if it brings you to a point where you eat enough to make up for what you burned. Especially 10 minutes!

Ten minutes burns very few calories yet will up your metabolic rate enough (especially if done early in the day) to increase appetite.
When you dieted with little cardio how lean did you get? Striated glutes? Do you have any pics?
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[steve_d]

Ten minutes burns very few calories yet will up your metabolic rate enough (especially if done early in the day) to increase appetite.
When you dieted with little cardio how lean did you get? Striated glutes? Do you have any pics?
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Agree with you there, but I also would think that upping your metabolic rate would in turn burn more calories throughout the day as well. Although, I could argue that if you took two individuals, 1 guy does 10 minutes of stepper, and continues his regular workout - depending on his workout type, the next guy could do no cardio and still have the same effects. For example, some days my squat day feels like the most intense cardio ever. 30 reps on leg press for multiple sets makes a crazy burn.

There are so many factors - I guess all you can do is try the 10 minutes of stepper and see what happens. If its enough to stimulate appetite enough to eat an extra 250 calories, then it worked. Plus the benefits of cardio go beyond just that.


I would never diet for a show without cardio again. It's just way easier to do it. I've only had striated glutes for 2 of my shows. One of them was in 2000 (I was only 20) and I basically ate 1500 calories a day while burning off all my muscle and fat at the same time doing about 1.5 hours of cardio and doing manual labour all day. I looked like garbage but I was more ripped then anyone ever needs to be. The other time I dieted slowly over a period of about a year - losing .5 pounds per week - I held onto a lot more muscle and looked decent.

When I dieted without cardio - I would have needed another 3 weeks of dieting to have striated glutes. Or I would have needed 1.5 weeks with lots of cardio. I have no pics. Personally, striated glutes don't really happen for me. My hamstrings get ridiculous and still no striated glutes. Although, not alot of guys have striated glutes!

[JonnyO]

No not many guys do have striated glutes. I've got a big butt and havent had striated glutes before, and I get well conditioned. I'm trying to do it this year and we'll see, I'd be very happy with having near striated glutes for once, lol. Besides, glutes dont win shows.

[Dryvrgrl]

No not many guys do have striated glutes. I've got a big butt and havent had striated glutes before, and I get well conditioned. I'm trying to do it this year and we'll see, I'd be very happy with having near striated glutes for once, lol. Besides, glutes dont win shows.

I was talking to a judge (now retired) once who told me that if it's a tight competition, he looks at ass and calves (granted we were talking about women BB's)... I guess that's the last place to lose for most women.
(Im sorry I know it's mostly guys on here posting... )

[MikeyFXD35]

I am trying to reduce body fat but its not my primary goal at this point. I what to increase muscle mass so I'm not really counting calories but more focus on protein intake. I would like to get more protein from food but if I'm not hungry it is hard to scarf down a can of tuna or a chicken salad. Last time I did the math in Fitday I was at 2500 +/- calories. 52% from protein. 300mg total protein

[JonnyO]

I was talking to a judge (now retired) once who told me that if it's a tight competition, he looks at ass and calves (granted we were talking about women BB's)... I guess that's the last place to lose for most women.
(Im sorry I know it's mostly guys on here posting... )

I agree there for sure, if its neck to neck and one person has better calves and a tighter butt they'd get the nod from me too...but for women do we want a female with striated glutes?? LMAO ;)

[JonnyO]

And Mikey I love your Avatar buddy!!!

[Dryvrgrl]

wrong thread sorry

[Praetorian]

Agree with you there, but I also would think that upping your metabolic rate would in turn burn more calories throughout the day as well. Although, I could argue that if you took two individuals, 1 guy does 10 minutes of stepper, and continues his regular workout - depending on his workout type, the next guy could do no cardio and still have the same effects. For example, some days my squat day feels like the most intense cardio ever. 30 reps on leg press for multiple sets makes a crazy burn.

There are so many factors - I guess all you can do is try the 10 minutes of stepper and see what happens. If its enough to stimulate appetite enough to eat an extra 250 calories, then it worked. Plus the benefits of cardio go beyond just that.


I would never diet for a show without cardio again. It's just way easier to do it. I've only had striated glutes for 2 of my shows. One of them was in 2000 (I was only 20) and I basically ate 1500 calories a day while burning off all my muscle and fat at the same time doing about 1.5 hours of cardio and doing manual labour all day. I looked like garbage but I was more ripped then anyone ever needs to be. The other time I dieted slowly over a period of about a year - losing .5 pounds per week - I held onto a lot more muscle and looked decent.

When I dieted without cardio - I would have needed another 3 weeks of dieting to have striated glutes. Or I would have needed 1.5 weeks with lots of cardio. I have no pics. Personally, striated glutes don't really happen for me. My hamstrings get ridiculous and still no striated glutes. Although, not alot of guys have striated glutes!

Losing muscle equates to a very poor diet....i dont consider that getting lean even if you end up with striated glutes...the idea is to keep your muscle and have striated glutes.
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[Praetorian]

No not many guys do have striated glutes. I've got a big butt and havent had striated glutes before, and I get well conditioned. I'm trying to do it this year and we'll see, I'd be very happy with having near striated glutes for once, lol. Besides, glutes dont win shows.

They may not win the show for you but they put you in a separate class of conditioning and you will stand out from all others...that means top three easy and a qualification to the next round. Huge legs and huge arms dont win shows either....what wins show is size, shape/symmetry, and conditioning...however you have little control over shape and symmetry...so do the math!!!
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