Reverse Diet - Check in. Week 6

I am in week 6 of my reverse dieting experiment. I am up to eating 1,800 calories per day. My weight is up just .2lbs over that time. Funny that the math thought I'd actually lose weight during this time. I did NOT expect that, but of course, would have been nice! 

But, I'm certainly enjoying having more freedom and wiggle room with my intake. I am used to logging in my projected food for the day and then having to remove things. Now, I log everything in and get to ADD things. Much nicer.  This is very new, so not sure if it means anything yet, but this morning, and yesterday morning, I felt hungry when I woke up.  I can't imagine that 6 weeks is long enough to restore a hunger mechanism that has been dead for years. But its a good sign. 

I will be going up one more time, to 1,875 in two weeks. I am not sure how long I need to stay there before dropping my calories again to try for fat loss. I've got a little more research to do. 

Exercise-wise, I am doing good, but not great. I've got some mystery thing going on with my eye, and doctor's orders were to "not lift anything very heavy", "don't bend over (head down)", and "don't do any intense cardio" - basically: nothing that increases pressure in the eye. 

So, I am still working out consistently, just not as intensely. Frustrating, of course. But, I don't mess with my eyeballs. I need those. I'll see a retina specialist at the end of the month, and should hopefully get some answers and more accurate guidelines. 

I have a new DEXA scan next week. Visibly, I've made no progress since the last one. But I got that new Hume scale that seems to be horribly inaccurate with it's readings, and I don't think I can trust it. Having the DEXA data at least will allow me to directly compare it to the Hume readings and see where it aligns how, how it aligns, so I can still use the Hume with a translator

2026 : A look ahead

 Ok, we did the 2025 in review... and to be honest, it bummed me out. So now its time to look ahead! 

The last few years I've tried to not make weight-specific goals, because historically, I've never ever met a single one! But, when I think about it, without an easily trackable metric... I feel a little aimless. 

So, I'm making a goal. Now, a few things are going into this goal setting - 

1. I saw a TikTok of a woman talking about her "12 week year" and how when she's making goals for the year, she breaks them into 12 week goal, instead if for the whole year. Because it is long enough to make a difference and achieve "big things",  but short enough to hold your attention and motivation. 

2. I'm doing a little bit of reverse dieting at the moment. I've been dropping my calories lower and lower, based on MacroFactor's recommendations. But I have my actual RMR from testing last year, and it's low, about 1,300. And if I continue to eat lower and lower, it's only going to get worse. A better way to increase my deficit is to increase my RMR. This is my reverse dieting "schedule" I decided on - 

So then, I calculated my (estimated) deficit for each phase: 

Which suggests that I would lose about 6lbs in 8 weeks of reverse dieting. Now, has science EVER worked for me? Heck no, lol. But, I have no other avenue. I gotta just keep trying. 

If I extend out this plan to 12 weeks, and continue eating at 1,875 for those additional 4 weeks - it is estimated that I would lose about 8lbs. If my body follows the expected pattern (he he haw haw),  I would likely start to drop my calories back down to 1,750 or so to try and get real weight loss flowing. 

So I am aiming for 10lbs in 12 weeks. I've never set such a reasonable goal, that it actually feels paltry. But I haven't been losing ANYTHING, 10 lbs would be excellent progress. It's just a hard mindset to change, when you feel like you have so much to lose that 10lbs is "nothing". 

Ok, I digress. Back to my goal. 

Jan 1, I weighed in at 226lbs. I am aiming to hit 216 by March 26.  

I really want this. I need to reiterate how I can get there - 

STAY CONSISTENT. Even when the numbers aren't in my favor. Stay consistent anyway!