I lift four days a week, chase 160g protein, and guard sleep like it’s a second job. Recomp is the goal, not just a smaller number.
But lately the quiet appetite has started feeling less like a tool and more like a scoreboard.
I caught myself proud for skipping lunch after a heavy squat day, then dressing it up as 'listening to my body.' I know that voice from years ago, and it never once cared about muscle, labs, or energy. I’m not blaming the med.
I’m saying the appetite switch can make restriction feel efficient. So I set a boring rule: no skipped planned meals on lifting days, protein first, and a drop while underfueled doesn’t count as progress.
Anyone else walking that line between using the tool and letting it shrink your world?