[Bootsy]

Hey guys,
Hope you can help out here.

Basically have been attempting to cut for the last year, and the same thing keeps happening, I am strict as anything during the day and its fine but by 3PM I'm starting to get really hungry and by 8PM its just insatiable, and all the days work/training is ruined.

I've had a year of this and its driving me mad, so I thought I'd get your perspectives. Background: Currently around the 13-15% BF mark, Natural, Two Years Serious BB style Training and Eating. Endomorph body type (very - have lost a tonne of weight, 110kg four years ago, 77kg now). Have been down to maybe 11-12% before as absolute lowest, about a year ago and a half ago.

I'm extremely well read on nutrition but this baffles me having tried all of the following in the last year to solve the problem. Most of these stemmed from my assumption that its a blood sugar issue. Keep in mind that until the cravings come I eat 100% clean.

* 6 Meals / 4 Meals / 3 Meals per day
* Hi-Carb / Low-Carb
* No High-GI Carbs
* Cut Caffeine down to One Cup a Day
* Chromium Supplementation
* Ridiculous Amounts of Omega 3's
* No Carbs at Night / More Carbs At Night
* Calorie Cycling (3 days @ 2200, 1 @ 2800 - 3 @ 2200, 1 @ 3600 and even 5 @ 2200, 2 @ 3400) - though recently I can't even control it on high days and i end up around the 4000 mark. Once more, perfect dieting with no issue whatsoever until around 3-4PM.

Yet, over the last year no results. This is extremely frustrating as I do 3-4 weight workouts a week and 5-6 light/medium cardio (equivalent to 4-6km walk). Its getting to the stage where I am just exhausted (mentally and physically).

This is extremely frustrating, my only two remaining explanations are ...
1. Insulin Resistance
2. Over training is causing this.

I never had this problem in my first year of training, in fact my discipline was rock solid and I would eat perfectly without fail...so I really think there is some physical grounding to this problem.

Thanks for any help guys.

[Thomas_Rivera]

If you've been attempting to cut for a whole year then I would say thats far too much. You need to cycle between clean bulks and efficient cuts to get the most out of your body. Even cutting for 3 months is draining to some people, so i imagine at a year out you'r at wits end.

Keep it to 6 meals a day. Cravings are just something you have to resist, point blank, you have to get over them. Buy some no calorie diet drink mix, eat fruit as a carb source, do something healthy that won't make you wind up eating through a cake.

I really think at this point you're in need of a bulk so that you can mentally get stable.

Post your diet up that you try to follow through the day.

[Freak]

Don't buy cheat foods and it won't be a problem. Simple but effective.

[Thomas_Rivera]

I agree with you, but if he's hungry enough he'll still binge on the food he has around his house. While it's not as bad as binging on junk food, still not good for him.

[Bootsy]

Thanks for the advice guys, but in response....

Having lost over 30kg, I do know the meaning of discipline. There has been times where I had not had a cheat food for 60 days straight, no exaggeration. I've had ridiculous discipline in the past, and continue to work out 4 times per week and cardio 7, AND eat perfect 100% until cravings kick in and I have no control, binge and screw it all up.

This is not 'oh, I really want some cake, fuck it I'll have some...oh and now some more, etc.'

I've had bad cravings before and willpower beats them easy, but I think this is beyond the realm of 'resisting cravings', I think its biochemical or hormonally induced, like some pretty severe hypoglycemia, its insatiable to the point of actually being painful.

Any feedback appreciated.

if you consider it this serious, talk to a doctor.

i think thomas is just correct, you need a bulk. or just a "mainetenance phase" if you do not want to gain any weight. you have been cutting for way to long.

[musclemaniac uk]

to prevent from giving into your cravings, you should have a cheat meal once or twice a week. this will be like a reward for sticking to your diet. set a day in the week where you have a cheat meal, during the week try not to keep any cheat foods in the house, this will eliminate some of the temptation. by setting a day for a cheat meal it becomes more of a reward for your strict dieting than just giving in to your cravings. one day of cheating will not harm your dieting, in fact you will probably find that you will start to be more motivated and thus lose the unwanted weight. just make sure during the week you stick to your diet and when you feel like cheating, just think of how good your cheat will taste on your set day if you stick to your diet and push past the cravings.

[Freak]

Do you incorporate fruit into your diet? If not you should.

[skeptic]

Dig bootsy!! haha welcome man

[MetalMX]

Hmmm... I have the same problem bro to a degree. If you've lost a lot of weight... then it might make your body susceptible to these cravings. The first thing you should do is see a doctor.

Other than that don't diet for too long, add EFA's (lack of essential fats cause the body to crave foods so it can get a hold of some) or you could also pick up a thermogenic which is also an appetite suppressant.

Though how do you feel exactly when you have these cravings?
Lightheaded, nervous, stressed?

My problem is i wake up during the night and eat two sometimes four times a night(though with my intense training i'm not getting fat just bigger), i get intense cravings which are uncontrolable. Some days i dont have enough meals is probably why i do it but i think it stems deeper than that as ive lost a lot of weight in the past and then it started.

SSRI's (selective serotonin receptor inhibitors) help to control serotonin in your body thereby preventing you from having those intense cravings. I'm looking into trying something like Zoloft for my problem which is an SSRI. Though i'm not sure if its suitable for your condition ask your doctor if your interested.

[Followthereaper87]

MetalMX why do you feel the need to take drugs to solve every problem you have. it is so frustrating. By the way SSRI is a Selective Seretonin REUPTAKE Inhibitor and have you researched the side effects at all? you should not be giving advice about stuff like this you could really hurt someone. Bootsy please do not take SSRI's if you feel you need to take a thermogenic by all means do so im not going ot try to stop you but it really all comes down to will power not drugs or supplementation.

[Thomas_Rivera]

He got the name wrong, but its still the basic idea. He's just giving advice based on what experiences have happened to him.