Weight Loss Plateau

[madskizzls]

I've been dieting for around 20 weeks, and have finally hit a plateau. Im down from 175 to 154, but my weiht loss has stopped completely. Ive been having a refeed once a week for the past 3 weeks and still nothing.i havent been doing any cardio but i cant cut my food intake any more, im starving. i do practice IIFYM, so heres my macros.

Regular day 2400cal 53g fat 270c 210p
Refeed day 3000cal 50g fat 460c 155-160p

I often have my fat under 50,not by much but maybe 43g for the day.

should i continue with the refers? Make them more frequent? and/or throw in some cardio?

I lift 3 days per week on 5/3/1 and my lifting stats went up over this dieting period. but are now at a halt in deadlift. bench and squat are continuing to progress.

My profile picture is me currently

[Ccm644]

Well done for the loss already

I would start doing some cardio.

When you diet for so long you will be starving especially coming towards the end, so i would not state i cant cut no more of your food intake as you have to do what you have to do.

What are your aims?

[simpleguy4]

What is your goal? If competing, at 5"'10" and 153lbs, you may need to stop the cut and go the other way. By your pic you are very lean and do not see the need to cut much more...

[madskizzls]

im competing in april 2013, itll be my last show as a teen. i understand im tall and skinny but i wanna compete one more time. i figure ive got about 5 pounds left to lose in fat, then a couple pounds of water. i wanna come into this show lean and dry, i was bloated the last two times. to put it in perspective, i was 155 my last show, so i want to do it right this time. like an idiot, i didnt start tracing my macros till this year so sadly i didnt put on more than a pound or two of muscle since my last show at 16

[fltallpaul]

If you are determined to get leaner I would recommend starting a cardio routine. Since you are doing none and only train 3 days a week you will see immediate results. I would start with 20 minutes of LISS 2 times a week and see how you respond keeping all other variables the same. you could also lower caloric intake but since you are doing zero cardio I would start there.

[TiffGarrett]

Is there a reason you're currently not doing any cardio? As the others suggested, I would add cardio a few days a week.

[madskizzls]

the reason i havent been doing cardio is the time constraint, i lift before class and then my day is pretty much boked after school with work. but im already uncomfortably hungry with the amount of food i intake, and i have 14 weeks to go. id rather not cut calories anymore until it gets closer to showtime.

ill go for 20 minutes on the stair stepper twice a week. BUT, should i try to hit numbers of calories burned? or just stick with whatever i burn in 20 minutes? and if i hit another plateau and i have more to lose should i up the time? or add another 20 minute session in the week? Im going to continue with the 3000 calorie refeed once weekly seeing as it hasn't made me gain or lose any weight. Hell, maybe ill up my intake to 2500 calories a day and do 3, 20 minute sessions a week of cardio.

[odality]

Nice work already bro.

Like it was said there, you're already very lean according to your picture.

It seem 14 weeks left is WELL more than you need. I would try to slowly up fats & carbs during 4-5 weeks in order to get back the muscle lost during your diet.

This will speed up your metabolism, then you will be able to go deeper into your fat loss for the next 9-10 weeks.

You will end up with a bit more of lean mass and more ripped. looking like promising.

[demonwareltd]

Nice work already bro.

Like it was said there, you're already very lean according to your picture.

It seem 14 weeks left is WELL more than you need. I would try to slowly up fats & carbs during 4-5 weeks in order to get back the muscle lost during your diet.

This will speed up your metabolism, then you will be able to go deeper into your fat loss for the next 9-10 weeks.

You will end up with a bit more of lean mass and more ripped. looking like promising.

I would agree is bringing up calories slowly and incorporating a couple LISS cardio sessions a week like Paul said. You won't add any significant muscle however in 4 to 5 weeks but could increase your capacity to burn additional fat for the remainder of your prep

[madskizzls]

Before I start I just want to make I a point that I'm not questioning any of you experience wise. I'm still learning, I like the idea of upping food intake but there's the fear in the back Of my head that says more food = more weight. How would you recommend I add carbs and fats? Weekly increments? And by how much? If I start gaining weight and not looking as lean or leaner, do I just lower food intake again? Thanks for all the help guys

[John1262]

Yea increase weekly, the amount small of carbs/fat won't make you gain unless you make a big jump like 100 carbs all of a sudden o.O, plus you are going to start doing cardio. Incase you start gaining then stop adding until your weight is stable.

[madskizzls]

what do you reccomend for increments? obviously its different for everyone but where should i start, add 20g of carbs a week and 5-10g of fat?

[odality]

Don't be afraid, even if you gain 1 or 2%bf, 9 weeks is MUCH MORE than you need to lose it again. In fact, you will go deeper this time!

Your weight WILL goin up, mainly from glycogen and water associated, assuming you're fully depleted...

Try to increase by 5% from your total calories per week, every weeks, without cardio. Then drop back you calories and try to find time to do cardio in order to keep metabolism HIGH as long as possible.

[madskizzls]

Idk how I can be glycogen depleted on 270g of carbs a day. But I will up my cals 5%, and you say NO to cardio now? And out of that 5% calorie increase, how much of it should be fats/carbs? Sorry about all the questions, just wanna make sure I do it right.

[madskizzls]

An when I drop calories after 4-5 weeks do I immediately drop it to 2400 again(with cardio) or slowly drop it from my end point of the refeed weeks with cardio ?

[odality]

If you were lose weight, you should be somewhere depleted.

Yes, no cardio especially during the first 2 weeks in order to refeed your muscles and trying to grow a bit. Cardio burn glycogen.

For the carbs/fat, respect your diet ratio.

I'ts important to drop slowly, by 5% in order to get your metabolism high as long as possible. For the finals weeks, you may try to go even lower of 2400. You will end-up ripped as ****.

[madskizzls]

Ok so starting Monday for one week 2520 cals 295c 56f 210p
Then 2646 cals week two etc..

Then after 5 weeks start reducing cals by 5% each week with two, 20 min cardio sessions a week and become shredded haha

Thanks for the help everybody

[madskizzls]

Another question... Depleted? I am, I can't believe I forgot, but it seems like I can't really get a pump in the gym. I became vascular but no pump lately. I lift in the morning usually an hour after I consume oats and egg whites. My question is, once I go back into a deficit for the last 9 weeks pre show, I will flatten out again like right now, no? Do you think if I leaned out quickly I could start increasing cals by 5% again before the show for a week or two? I don't like the idea of carb loading the night before a show, it leaves to much to chance

[madskizzls]

bump =p im two weeks in to the reefed, monday starts week 3 at 2778 calories. 340c 64f 210p. i am bloated, but when i get a pump i look good again lol. and suprisingly i haven't gained any weight. im at 155 still in the mornings. hopefully i can stay this weight for 2-3 more weeks, then start cutting again. thanks for all the help guys!