Woman describes shift from weight loss to muscle building after wedding stress
8 reported
A woman who had been lifting weights casually for years describes a period of intense body-loathing triggered by wedding planning, followed by a decision to "bulk" — intentionally gaining weight to build muscle. She reports that after her fiancé proposed, she began weighing herself daily, tracking calories, and restricting food, then bingeing, despite knowing the behavior was unhealthy. A month before the wedding, she moved into an apartment with a well-equipped gym and began lifting heavier weights. After the wedding, discouraged by the process of trying to shrink, she decided instead to try to gain weight and build muscle. She consulted online calorie calculators and spoke with experts including Dr John Turkish of the Mayo Clinic and Casey Johnston, author of a health newsletter. Her bulk lasted three months, during which she tracked calories and increased her protein and carb intake.
What’s reported
The author had been lifting weights casually for a few years before her boyfriend proposed.
Wedding planning triggered a body-loathing spiral that included daily weighing, calorie tracking, and cycles of restriction and bingeing.
A month before the wedding, she moved into an apartment with a gym that had heavier weights, barbells, and a Smith machine.
After the wedding, she decided to "bulk" — eating in a caloric surplus and training with progressive overload to build muscle.
She consulted multiple online calorie calculators that gave widely different answers for her total daily energy expenditure.
Dr John Turkish, director of the orthopedic sports medicine fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, stated that if you are not eating enough calories, your body will cannibalize existing muscle for energy.
Casey Johnston, author of the newsletter She’s a Beast and the book Physical Education, said three months is the minimum effective length for a bulk.
The author did not weigh herself during the bulk, instead using a "vibes-based approach" while tracking calories.
Key figures
Dr John Turkish, director of the orthopedic sports medicine fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona
Casey Johnston, author of the health and fitness newsletter She’s a Beast and the book Physical Education
Sources: The Guardian
