[MWTB]

Why is it that two friends of mine who have just last year finished studies at university, one for nutrition and one for a masters in dietetics both told me the same thing, which is what I relayed in my post then?

I understand the role of cortisol, but how is it possible that I was on 1500 calories, not losing or gaining, yet I have since upped my calories to 2500-3000 per day and I am still not gaining or losing? How does cortisol related water retention explain that? Yes, I may be gaining muscle but not enough to disguise the amount of fat I should be losing per week.

I am still 110kg. My BMR should be approximately 2400 calories. Then factor in the fact that I go to the gym 6 days a week, lift 4 days a week and work an extremely active job. My TDEE is well over 4000 calories per day. And I was not losing on 1500? I weigh my food. I was not over eating. I was usually under 1500. 3 grilled chicken breasts per day, 200g broccoli, 200g green beans and 100g sweet potato was basically my diet.

Also I realise it can be reversed, that's what I'm in the process of doing at the moment by eating closer to my TDEE.