Question for big guys

[Tagio]

this question is for anyone who's heavy for their height, or has been (not counting obesity)

Most of you, like B fold, Slobberknocker, etc. seem to make a conscious effort to get in lots of calories. My question is: If you stopped worrying about calories, and just ate according to your appetite, making sure to get your protein, would you lose weight, maintain weight or gain weight?

Basically I'm asking, does your appetite grow with your body or is there a point past which you need to make an effort to grow and maintain?

I'm interested because I'm planning to bulk up to 210-ish , maybe 220, long-term goal being a lean 200 (then just working on strength). Right now my appetite is such that I gain weight when I eat according to my appetite (which is convenient) but I'm wondering how I can expect this to change when I get 20 or 30 pounds heavier.

CCJ, you've basically already done this, you gained weight and then stabilized/ started losing at around 210 pounds. was this conscious or did it just sort of take its own course?

and here are some pictures of food to make up for a long thread

 

[coolcolj]

Well I used to eat a lot, now my appetite is fairly stable.
Remeber your muscle mass will increase to consume the extra food. After a point your bodyweight and fat levels stabilise on it's own accord.
It just adjusts your metabolism, otherwise I'd be a blimp right now

I'm not dieting but using sprints etc to get me leaner, increase energy consumption, rather than cut down, that is a better way to lean up.

 

[Tagio]

thanks, that's what i was hoping to hear

 

[Liftbig]

actually if you eat very often(like every two hours), your appetite decreases. this is called "spattsing it". you cant eat a tremendous amount at once, but the total volume for the day adds up.

 

[slobberknocker]

I'm basically eating according to my appetite right now, and I'm very very slowly losing weight; like 1 lb. or so a week.

Over the summer, I was force feeding myself, and got up to the 390's. Now my body is slowly coming back to a much more functional weight for me, even though I continue to gain strength.

Muscle burns calories, so the more muscle you have, the more calories your body will want. So yeah, that will make you hungrier. Hope that answers your question.

 

[Nonerz]

wow...this thread really made me hungry...

 

[b fold the truth]

wow...this thread really made me hungry...

So does your avatar... (sorry nate...I can't help it...lol).

I only bulk out of my mind with food about 3x per year...and it sucks. Most of the time I just eat whenever I get hungry (which is pretty often) and I try to eat as much as I can when I do.

I don't feel that bulking up a lot is healthy, especially if you are not in good cardio shape. Gaining a bit of fat is great...but when it hangs over your belt AND you get out of breath at anytime when walking...I feel that you are probably pretty unhealthy.

There are FAT strongmen...but they are also in VERY good cardio/running/sprinting conditioning.

B True

 

[kingc_79]

So does your avatar... (sorry nate...I can't help it...lol).

I only bulk out of my mind with food about 3x per year...and it sucks. Most of the time I just eat whenever I get hungry (which is pretty often) and I try to eat as much as I can when I do.

I don't feel that bulking up a lot is healthy, especially if you are not in good cardio shape. Gaining a bit of fat is great...but when it hangs over your belt AND you get out of breath at anytime when walking...I feel that you are probably pretty unhealthy.

There are FAT strongmen...but they are also in VERY good cardio/running/sprinting conditioning.

B True

on that note...i really need to start some type of plyo routine

 

[b fold the truth]

on that note...i really need to start some type of plyo routine

Nonerz's avatar made you think of that?

Hmmm...



B True

 

[slobberknocker]

I don't feel that bulking up a lot is healthy, especially if you are not in good cardio shape. Gaining a bit of fat is great...but when it hangs over your belt AND you get out of breath at anytime when walking...I feel that you are probably pretty unhealthy.

There are FAT strongmen...but they are also in VERY good cardio/running/sprinting conditioning.

B True

I agree. When I was 390 I was too big for life. Couldn't even walk without getting out of breath. At 350 I feel great, especially since I started doing lots of GPP work. I'd still like to lose another 20 or so though...

 

[b fold the truth]

I agree. When I was 390 I was too big for life. Couldn't even walk without getting out of breath. At 350 I feel great, especially since I started doing lots of GPP work. I'd still like to lose another 20 or so though...

At 305 I would get out of breath walking to the back bathroom...which is located in the back part of the house (could just see the Kentucky jokes rolling downhill like a snowball headed for Hell...lol) and I would break a sweat doing so.

I can say that I weighed 305 though, have the stretch marks around my belly to prove it too.

B True

 

[slobberknocker]

At 305 I would get out of breath walking to the back bathroom...which is located in the back part of the house (could just see the Kentucky jokes rolling downhill like a snowball headed for Hell...lol) and I would break a sweat doing so.

I can say that I weighed 305 though, have the stretch marks around my belly to prove it too.

B True

No Kentucky jokes from me. My grandparents live in a tiny little town outside Lexington. Nothing like playing around in a tobacco barn when you're a little kid.

 

[b fold the truth]

No Kentucky jokes from me. My grandparents live in a tiny little town outside Lexington. Nothing like playing around in a tobacco barn when you're a little kid.

Anywhere Nicholasville?

B True

 

[Zander1983]

Those ribs looks so good

I'm glad I've decided to back off bulking for the moment. At ~195 I was very close to saying I weighed 200, but I wasn't feeling myself at that size.

I love being strong, and I have never felt or been that strong before, but I don't want to sacrifice health, athleticism and I hate to say it, looks.

 

[slobberknocker]

I don't know, but I'll find out. It's called Brookville, and I think it's about 40 minutes or so from Lexington.


Actually there's an outside chance I'm coming down for Thanksgiving...maybe I'd be able to sneak off for a bit and just say hi or something. Don't want to take you away from your family on the holiday or anything. Anyway, I'll let you know if I'm in the area, in case you have some time free.

 

[NWinters]

Well I used to eat a lot, now my appetite is fairly stable.
Remeber your muscle mass will increase to consume the extra food. After a point your bodyweight and fat levels stabilise on it's own accord.
It just adjusts your metabolism, otherwise I'd be a blimp right now

I'm not dieting but using sprints etc to get me leaner, increase energy consumption, rather than cut down, that is a better way to lean up.

The way id do it.

 

[Tagio]

thanks for all the replies
Yeah Zander, I tried 'bulking' last year and it was a disaster, i just got chubby (and gained strength, but not faster than on a more moderate diet). I have way too much capacity to overeat junk food for that to be a good idea for my goals. had to diet down a bit to get bodyfat under control. Luckily was able to add strength while dieting though.

So now I'm just gonna ride out my natural weight gain by eating a normal 80% clean diet. I'll weigh in every week and see how it goes. I'll keep people posted.