Hey all! Seeking help for a unique situation. Hopefully some knowledge around here from guys with bigger intakes can chime in!
Background:
Until 10-11 months ago, I was active in MMA, weights, and cycling, eating 4500-5000 kcal daily to maintain 76-79kg with around 12% body fat. I was using anabolics intermittently throughout this period, for recovery purposes.
This started after losing 20kg several years ago, quitting alcohol, and tracking 1600-1800 kcal. I got to 5000 gradually increasing my intake and activity over 1+ year(s).
My normal bodweight before anything 75kg. With no exercise whatsoever. Got to almost 90kg, eating normal portions, just all fast food and candy thanks to working long hours.
I then lost 20+ kg with diet and exercise, still very normal portions. Since I started training a lot and ramping food up following this- my issues began.
Eventually, I was eating huge portions (e.g., 800 kcal of broccoli out of 5000 total) to prevent overshooting even 5000 calories! Yes- I trained hard. Very. And was hungry, 24/7. 4+ hours a day. Some days 5k was a defecit.
When my activity level dropped to weights and 20 minutes of cardio thanks to work, I struggled with binge eating, consuming huge portions of healthy foods. I gained 10kg in 4-6 weeks and felt awful, despite eating whole, healthy foods. Meals were meat, veg, fruit, egg+whites and dairy. Very expensive diet.
My doctor prescribed Mounjaro/Tirzepatide (Tirz), and I started at 1.25mg, increasing to 6mg over 6-8 weeks. While it helped curb binge eating, I never felt the strong appetite suppression I hoped for. I consistently ate around 3000 kcal, across 3-4 massive meals, even with high volume foods, and slowly lost weight (now 80kg), but with less muscle due to reduced training.
Current Situation:
I want to shrink my stomach capacity and eat normal portion sizes again. My goal is to feel full with smaller meals—like a sandwich or chicken wrap—without overeating. I really genuinely miss being able to just eat a 350-500g meal, 3 meals a day with a snack. That was a long time ago now, but I did it for my whole life until I started pushing the activity.
Since being used to eating 4-5 peoples portion sizes worth of food a day, I’ve struggled with maintaining normal portion sizes, often consuming far more than necessary, which impacts my daily life.
For example, dining out is difficult because I need far larger portions to feel satisfied, which makes eating out expensive and very high calorie.
I recently started back on GLP-1s, using 4mg Tirz for the past 4 weeks and increasing to 6mg in the last 2 weeks.
However, my binge eating has returned, likely due to my body fat percentage decreasing. I've held around 80kg but I am decently leaner than I was 3 months ago.
I did this during my break from GLPs, just volume foods, between 3000-3500 depending on the day. I still train hard.
I currently have 30mg of grey Tirz (never used grey) and a 1mg/dose Pharma Ozempic pen on hand. I also have a script for Mounjaro- but it's very expensive. So I've got T30 from a grey source on the way.
Questions:
Extra notes- I like to be lean, it's my thing, and I know that being lean makes you hungry more. But 12% should NOT be causing hunger like it is.
I do want to go into a small surplus soon- I just want to have a normal stomach capacity again so I can enjoy not stressing things so much when I decide to get leaner again. Bulking I was still hungry. Always.
Also- I can deal with the mild/moderate hunger between meals- i've always been fine with it- it's the waking up or not able to sleep unless I eat a tonne of food that bugs me. I'm waking up starving at all hours and binge eating, destroying my sleep.
Background:
Until 10-11 months ago, I was active in MMA, weights, and cycling, eating 4500-5000 kcal daily to maintain 76-79kg with around 12% body fat. I was using anabolics intermittently throughout this period, for recovery purposes.
This started after losing 20kg several years ago, quitting alcohol, and tracking 1600-1800 kcal. I got to 5000 gradually increasing my intake and activity over 1+ year(s).
My normal bodweight before anything 75kg. With no exercise whatsoever. Got to almost 90kg, eating normal portions, just all fast food and candy thanks to working long hours.
I then lost 20+ kg with diet and exercise, still very normal portions. Since I started training a lot and ramping food up following this- my issues began.
Eventually, I was eating huge portions (e.g., 800 kcal of broccoli out of 5000 total) to prevent overshooting even 5000 calories! Yes- I trained hard. Very. And was hungry, 24/7. 4+ hours a day. Some days 5k was a defecit.
When my activity level dropped to weights and 20 minutes of cardio thanks to work, I struggled with binge eating, consuming huge portions of healthy foods. I gained 10kg in 4-6 weeks and felt awful, despite eating whole, healthy foods. Meals were meat, veg, fruit, egg+whites and dairy. Very expensive diet.
My doctor prescribed Mounjaro/Tirzepatide (Tirz), and I started at 1.25mg, increasing to 6mg over 6-8 weeks. While it helped curb binge eating, I never felt the strong appetite suppression I hoped for. I consistently ate around 3000 kcal, across 3-4 massive meals, even with high volume foods, and slowly lost weight (now 80kg), but with less muscle due to reduced training.
Current Situation:
I want to shrink my stomach capacity and eat normal portion sizes again. My goal is to feel full with smaller meals—like a sandwich or chicken wrap—without overeating. I really genuinely miss being able to just eat a 350-500g meal, 3 meals a day with a snack. That was a long time ago now, but I did it for my whole life until I started pushing the activity.
Since being used to eating 4-5 peoples portion sizes worth of food a day, I’ve struggled with maintaining normal portion sizes, often consuming far more than necessary, which impacts my daily life.
For example, dining out is difficult because I need far larger portions to feel satisfied, which makes eating out expensive and very high calorie.
I recently started back on GLP-1s, using 4mg Tirz for the past 4 weeks and increasing to 6mg in the last 2 weeks.
However, my binge eating has returned, likely due to my body fat percentage decreasing. I've held around 80kg but I am decently leaner than I was 3 months ago.
I did this during my break from GLPs, just volume foods, between 3000-3500 depending on the day. I still train hard.
I currently have 30mg of grey Tirz (never used grey) and a 1mg/dose Pharma Ozempic pen on hand. I also have a script for Mounjaro- but it's very expensive. So I've got T30 from a grey source on the way.
Questions:
- How can I shrink my stomach capacity and return to normal portion sizes? Is the best way just cranking up GLPs until I cannot eat more than a few bites, sitting here for a bit then tapering down and off GLPs?
- I'm debating combining Tirz @6mg with Sema at 0.25mg to enhance appetite suppression. Is this a good approach? I didn't like Sema due to fatigue, but I can deal with it assuming my portion sizes drop. Immunogenicity/untested ground here worries me.
- What’s the best approach to manage my goal of eating smaller meals (total of 2500 kcal or less) and getting back to normal portion sizes? I.e not having to live on cauliflower and chicken breast, doing excessive cardio and always following a diet, but able to have some 'normal' sized food again- and not pack on 10kg straight away again! I like to keep around 12% bodyfat. Keep in mind I eat literally 3-4x most peoples food intake in weight terms. This is really expensive, hard to do and tedious
- I am not interested in losing more weight. Maybe 3kg at most. I just want to hold this weight without stupid portions of expensive food and constant cardio, then cease treatment with GLPs until I require them again. Is this feasible?
- I also suspect that i've somehow disordered my eating. I actually find I eat less when not 'tracking' calories (I sometimes do this, weigh it, don't track it until the next day to prevent me from a binge/restrict cycle) is therapy a good idea?
Extra notes- I like to be lean, it's my thing, and I know that being lean makes you hungry more. But 12% should NOT be causing hunger like it is.
I do want to go into a small surplus soon- I just want to have a normal stomach capacity again so I can enjoy not stressing things so much when I decide to get leaner again. Bulking I was still hungry. Always.
Also- I can deal with the mild/moderate hunger between meals- i've always been fine with it- it's the waking up or not able to sleep unless I eat a tonne of food that bugs me. I'm waking up starving at all hours and binge eating, destroying my sleep.