NoMoYoYo:
After gaining about 65lbs in the last 9 months, I've finally hit a point that my body isn't happy with me.
I feel tired, sluggish etc.
I am about to change my strategy. I want to still gain, but in a much healthier way. i.e. less fast food.
I know what I've done to myself. I knew I'd reach this point. Surprised it took as long as it did.
Does anybody have any suggestions on how to keep gaining while being healthier?
BigBallBellyGirl:
I've struggled with this too.. gaining and then feeling an extreme toll on my body, stamina, and mobility. I by no means have mastered a perfect balance. In fact, I still fall off the wagon once every couple of weeks and end up putting on weight as a result. I'm currently about ten pounds heavier than what I set as my absolute limit. BUT... I have slowed down A LOT, and I'm taking steps (including literal ones) to ease knee and back pain that at one point, had become unbearable.
A couple of observations from my lived experience:
1) I love junk food. I can put down 10 fast food burgers without feeling full. Fat, sugar, and carbohydrates don't give me the right kind of energy though. I feel much better if I've included salad, greens, fresh vegetables, and fruit than when I exist off McDonald's and Pizza Hut.
2) My drinks of choice are Dr. Pepper and chocolate milk, but I feel loads better when I make myself drink water.
3) Movement is essential. I carry my weight in my midsection and have a very round, heavy belly. I have limitations on what I can do physically because of my size, but I do sitting stretches and lift weights sitting. It keeps the strain on my body from being unbearable. I also make myself get outside, and I'm walking about three miles a day, broken up into small segments/multiple outings. I'm slow, but I get those steps in, and my knees are better for it
I hope some of the things that work for me are helpful to you too. And adopting new habits doesn't mean you have to lose weight. I certainly haven't. Sometimes the difference is in the little things.
NoMoYoYo:
Thanks. Wow 10 burgers! I've had 3 and nuggets. Thats a level I'm not sure I'd ever reach.
I know I need to do more exercise...including walking. I did much better while on vacation a couple weeks ago than I thought I would. But boy was I exhausted and a bit sore.
BigBallBellyGirl:
Extreme stuffing is one of my favorite aspects of feedism, and though I've always been fat, massive calorie intake put about 200 pounds on me last year. I don't regret the gain, but I will say, I stretched my stomach out so much, it is very, very challenging to maintain. I initially said 500 was my limit, but I couldn't put the brakes on. Then I capped myself at 525. I overshot that as well, and I'm currently in the 530s. The gain has been much slower, but it's still a struggle, and I still fall off the wagon.
I hope you find the balance you're looking for, and I hope you reach a place where you feel well enough to do everything you want to do!
Munchies:
Wishing you well as you find your balance.
As a tangent OP, if you have a hard goal, it's best to start pumping the breaks when you are getting close to your limit. After all, when you are driving, you slow down when you are getting close to the stop sign. You don't stomp the breaks once you get there - especially at highway speeds.
If you don't, you'll overshoot it and end up back on that yo-yo diet grind.
I do have a hard goal - 275lbs.
I set it when I crossed back over 200 last July. My initial thought was to take it easy and get there in a few years. Little did I think I'd be most of the way there in 9 months.
As I've mentioned in other posts, I have yo-yo dieted most of my adult life. I'm not there. I do want to continue gaining. But I know I need to slow down. I have to eat better and get exercise. I just want to be a big guy. If I don't change my strategy, I risk getting to a point that I'll want to lose...and start the cycle again.
I appreciate the advice.