The Metabolic Slowdown Thread

[lee__d]

After letting one's self go for a while and getting fat as a result is it best to try to bulk then cut, or to cut and then start trying to add size back? If only I could both at the same time.

Depends on how fat you are, and how much fatter you mind getting. It would be easier to tell you with a pic, but I'm guessing you'd need to cut

[Electricheadd]

Hey Lee, thanks for creating this thread, its full of great information. I am in the 6th week of a reverse diet and have actually dropped two lbs during the process. I am running a log for anyone interested its been a fantastic ride to this point.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=153750981

[Kostya1981]

Lee, reverse diet, is it possible to make it on keto-diet?

[lee__d]

Hey Lee, thanks for creating this thread, its full of great information. I am in the 6th week of a reverse diet and have actually dropped two lbs during the process. I am running a log for anyone interested its been a fantastic ride to this point.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=153750981

Great stuff, bro. I'll check out your log

Lee, reverse diet, is it possible to make it on keto-diet?

I suppose getting out of the deficit would be helpful, but the general consensus is that bringing carbohydrates upward is the way to go.

[Ironhearted]

Well after ten days of reverse dieting I switched to 2500 calories a day, and after the first six days of this I've dropped 2.4lbs. I know water weight is playing into this, and it's difficult to get a completely accurate picture right this second, but still I think it's good news.

I know that for one thing I don't get light-headed for a couple of seconds when I stand up anymore. I guess 2000 was just too low for me.

[billsplate]

Over the course of several months, I've been increasing my calories. Currently I am maintaining at 2800 calories (I weigh everything), largely from protein and fat. After reading this topic and seeing all Layne's video's (and the other video's in the first post), it seems rather silly that I was maintaining on 1600 calories about 6-7 months ago. I'm slowly increasing my carb intake, since I've tried keto for a couple of months. Keto allowed me to loose weight rapidly (about 22 pounds in say 4-5 months), but it's hard to stay on track for a long period of time. For everyone interested in keto: use psyllium husk powder. You'll thank me later .

I am glad that I choose to work on my metabolic capacity, since I've been eating too little for too much time (years maybe). Unfortunately, I lived by the Dutch credo 'elk pondje gaat door het mondje', which means something like 'every pound goes through the mouth' and 'wat er niet bij komt, hoeft er ook niet af', which means 'you don't have to burn what you don't gain'. It took me years to realize that that's utter BS. Lifting weight and tons of cardio didn't get me the results I was after.

But hey, **** happens, right? I'm determined to achieve a single digit fat percentage. I'm a little over 6 ft (183 cm), about 191 pounds (quite steady for the last 2-3 months), I guess my bodyfatpercentage is around 20 percent. I need some advice, in order to loose fat (again). Hopefully I'll get some solid advice, since I believe that Layne hasn't covered this in his 3 video's on metabolic damage.

1) How long do you need to 'maintain' at the highest calories possible before you're going to cut back calories? In order words, when is your metabolic capacity ready to getting lean?
2) In case your metabolic capacity is ready to loose fat, how many calories do you need to cut back in general? 10% of the amount you were maintaining on?
3) Say I'm maintaining at 2800 and I'll cut back to 2520 (10% cutback). What do I need to do when loosing fat stalls?? If I hit a plateau, do I need to 'up' my metabolic capacity again or do I cut my calories back once more?

I'm not a active person, only in the gym. I lift about 4 times a week with little cardio (skipping rope as a warm up and sometimes hiit training with the jumping rope afterwards) and I'm boxing 1-2 times a week.

4) Is it better to create a deficit in my case via calorie cutback or via extra cardio?

Any help is much appreciated! Greetings from the Netherlands (first post, forgive me for greeting )

[JosephWrigh]

I had been dealing with metabolic slow down not too long ago. I was doing exceptionally low calories (1, 800) for my size, and cardio. weightlifting Dropped a few lbs and stalled again. Did research on damage and reverse dieting. Took two months to slowly bring calories up and ceased cardio. Feels great to eat as a regular individual and lose.

[lee__d]

Over the course of several months, I've been increasing my calories. Currently I am maintaining at 2800 calories (I weigh everything), largely from protein and fat. After reading this topic and seeing all Layne's video's (and the other video's in the first post), it seems rather silly that I was maintaining on 1600 calories about 6-7 months ago. I'm slowly increasing my carb intake, since I've tried keto for a couple of months. Keto allowed me to loose weight rapidly (about 22 pounds in say 4-5 months), but it's hard to stay on track for a long period of time. For everyone interested in keto: use psyllium husk powder. You'll thank me later .

I am glad that I choose to work on my metabolic capacity, since I've been eating too little for too much time (years maybe). Unfortunately, I lived by the Dutch credo 'elk pondje gaat door het mondje', which means something like 'every pound goes through the mouth' and 'wat er niet bij komt, hoeft er ook niet af', which means 'you don't have to burn what you don't gain'. It took me years to realize that that's utter BS. Lifting weight and tons of cardio didn't get me the results I was after.

But hey, **** happens, right? I'm determined to achieve a single digit fat percentage. I'm a little over 6 ft (183 cm), about 191 pounds (quite steady for the last 2-3 months), I guess my bodyfatpercentage is around 20 percent. I need some advice, in order to loose fat (again). Hopefully I'll get some solid advice, since I believe that Layne hasn't covered this in his 3 video's on metabolic damage.

1) How long do you need to 'maintain' at the highest calories possible before you're going to cut back calories? In order words, when is your metabolic capacity ready to getting lean?

I think 2-4 weeks would do. Lyle mentions 2 weeks at maintenance for his diet breaks iirc.

2) In case your metabolic capacity is ready to loose fat, how many calories do you need to cut back in general? 10% of the amount you were maintaining on?

Normal 10% deficit will do

3) Say I'm maintaining at 2800 and I'll cut back to 2520 (10% cutback). What do I need to do when loosing fat stalls?? If I hit a plateau, do I need to 'up' my metabolic capacity again or do I cut my calories back once more?

I'm not a active person, only in the gym. I lift about 4 times a week with little cardio (skipping rope as a warm up and sometimes hiit training with the jumping rope afterwards) and I'm boxing 1-2 times a week.

Eat less or move more. I personally would rather see one try to have an active lifestyle rather than slave over cardio ( this is just me projecting my preferences on others). Park farther from a store, walk throughout the whole store, take up a sport, etc.

4) Is it better to create a deficit in my case via calorie cutback or via extra cardio?

If you're going to remain sedentary, then you will have to cut back calories.

Any help is much appreciated! Greetings from the Netherlands (first post, forgive me for greeting )

bold.

[joe24916]

Update on my situation:
Carbs at 180 fats around 70 protein around 210 taking 2,200 cals. Still slowly adding 5-10 carbs per week while upping cals as much as I can. Losing a lot of motivation though with all this as I feel the wheels are just spinning day in day out. In all honestly I am too concerned with my abs and sides (love handles) that it takes away from any other potential gains. For instance lost 2 pounds but feel my sides are larger than before and I look less tight. Trying to see past it but it's a mental thing that won't quit.