Metabolic Age

[uberpangit]

Hi All - just had a question. (Im 24 years old and 5'8" if you need this info)

I have been dieting/going to the gym since January 5th and went from 212lbs. down to 200lbs. in the past month and a bit.

My problem is that I am eating clean (I can post my diet if you want) and logging all my calories into fit day - I eat about 1700-1900 calories daily.

I work out at the gym 3x per week with Full Body and do Cardio also 3-4x a week (Walk on the treadmill incline for 45minutes) - burns about 500calories or so.

Anyways here is my problem - for the past 3-4 weeks I have not moved anywhere on the scale. I seem to be halted at 200lbs - I only weigh myself in once a week and it never moves. I started checking every other day and on Monday it could be at 201, 202 then the next 200 - so it fluctuates but average per week I stay the same at just 200lbs - it won't go lower.

I had my Metabolic Age tested at the doc just by standing on some Tanita scale and she said I had a metabolic age of a 49 year old. Meaning I do nothing pretty much - I understand all my life I have done really nothing (desk job, no sports etc.) - so whatever.

But I have cleaned my diet up and exercise now - so how come I am halted at 200lbs?

Should I stop restricting calories and eat more and start weight lifting like crazy to raise my BMR? I was also shocked to see that I had like 42% bodyfat - I always thought I would be lower than that - which means I guess I have very little Lean Muscle.

Any advice, answers or tips or anything that you can offer? I am feeling a bit discouraged especially in the last 3-4 weeks where I am not seeing weight difference.

Thanks!

[Grizvok]

What does the mirror tell you?

[AtleastItried]

The plateau you're talking about doesn't seem like too much to worry about. You can't expect the weight to fall off as fast as it does when you first start. Hopefully you're building some lean body mass at a rate that is offsetting your fat loss. As long as you're building strength and going gradually heavier on your weights, you should be fine.

As for the fluctuations, I've noticed the same thing in the past month or so for me as well. I never change my weight status anymore untill it stays below that point for a few days in a row. I can swing as much as 5 pounds in a 36 hour period, which I didn't even think was possible!

[Xbrutalx233]

You think it could be possible that you may have gained some muscle, I don't know how intense you work out, but that's a good possibility.

[BasilExposition]

If you are exercising and progressing on those exercises (i.e. more weight, more reps, faster, more distance, more incline, etc.) and your weight is steady, then you are making progress pure and simple. It is only once you stall out on all fronts that you really need to be concerned.