what to do when weight loss stalls?

[chancellor14]

so I've been doing intense cardio for 1 hour 5 days a week and my weight loss has stalled. I've dropped 50 pounds in the first 2.5 months all the way down to 220 at 5'9. I'm anywhere from 15-19 percent bodyfat according to multiple scales and test and I have a good muscle base from doing bodyweight exercises over the years. I've been eating 1700 calories a day and I fear ib may have messed up my metabolism! I eat very healthy and can't afford to go any lower on calories, somebody push my in the right direction. Thank you!

[vismal]

How long has it been? If it hasn't been 3 weeks of no weight change then wait longer. Water weight screws everything up. If it has been 3 weeks or longer then your only option is either to decrease calories or increase activity. You did not break your metabolism. You really can't do that by eating 1700 calories a day...

[chancellor14]

How long has it been? If it hasn't been 3 weeks of no weight change then wait longer. Water weight screws everything up. If it has been 3 weeks or longer then your only option is either to decrease calories or increase activity. You did not break your metabolism. You really can't do that by eating 1700 calories a day...

ok that's good to hear I'll wait a few more weeks

[soon2beshredded]

As vismal said, if weight is same after 3 weeks then lower calories.
I do not see why people recommend the refeeds/eat at maintenance option at higher levels of body fat.
Do not listen to them. Too many people want to hear they should refeed so they can "take a break" from their diet.
If you want to take a break from your diet, do it because you're only human and want to go to that restaurant to socialise or have a drink with mates, don't do it to "restart" your metabolism and make sure to not make it a regular thing.

[Ramborage]

Too much cardio. You need to reset, maintain a few weeks and focus on weight training and nutrition. Your 1700 calories at your bodyweight is way to low and should be losing weight regardless. I found that when I was overdoing cardio as well, I was making up the calories in snacks on the weekends as I had cravings and binges I thought weren't a problem. I went on a short bulk, and decided to cut again this time using no cardio and eating whole foods. Sticking with 2500 calories at 190lbs I'm losing weight no problem.

[chancellor14]

Too much cardio. You need to reset, maintain a few weeks and focus on weight training and nutrition. Your 1700 calories at your bodyweight is way to low and should be losing weight regardless. I found that when I was overdoing cardio as well, I was making up the calories in snacks on the weekends as I had cravings and binges I thought weren't a problem. I went on a short bulk, and decided to cut again this time using no cardio and eating whole foods. Sticking with 2500 calories at 190lbs I'm losing weight no problem.

I appreciate it but I like cardio and am losing weight at faster rate then I would at 2500 calories

[barbariancase]

Boost up your calories to current suggested maintenance for awhile and your body may/should fix itself out, then cut properly.

[celtic723]

If you're not losing you're most likely under-estimating your calorie intake through poor tracking.

I really doubt you're tracking everything properly.

Until you do, I cannot help you.

[vismal]

Boost up your calories to current suggested maintenance for awhile and your body may/should fix itself out, then cut properly.

NO! Eating more is not the answer! What does his body need to fix?!? Starvation does not occur at 1700 calories!

If you're not losing you're most likely under-estimating your calorie intake through poor tracking.

I really doubt you're tracking everything properly.

Until you do, I cannot help you.

This is MUCH more likely. People miscalculate all the time. Are you weighing/tracking everything? Any cheat meals/days? Any liquids with calories you aren't counting? Any of those things can throw off the count.

[chancellor14]

NO! Eating more is not the answer! What does his body need to fix?!? Starvation does not occur at 1700 calories!

This is MUCH more likely. People miscalculate all the time. Are you weighing/tracking everything? Any cheat meals/days? Any liquids with calories you aren't counting? Any of those things can throw off the count.

I'm calculating everything so my metabolism is the only answer

[vismal]

I'm calculating everything so my metabolism is the only answer

Christ! It's not your metabolism. I don't know how many different ways to say it but if you are taking in 1700 calories ITS NOT YOUR METABOLISM. You need to eat WAY less then that for months and months to have a large metabolic slowdown. It's either water weight hanging on or you are eating too much. I'm sorry if you don't like this but its the truth. If you want to eat maintenance for 2 weeks go ahead but its not going to do anything but give you a mental break. People who break stalls through maintenance are doing so because the maintenance break gives the body time to release the water weight. But again, you DO NOT HAVE METABOLIC DAMAGE!

[mreyna008]

Are you lifting weights op?

[chancellor14]

Are you lifting weights op?

no I'm already happy with my muscle base and want to focus on cardio to lose weight faster, so I can begin lifting weights again on a bulk

[chancellor14]

Christ! It's not your metabolism. I don't know how many different ways to say it but if you are taking in 1700 calories ITS NOT YOUR METABOLISM. You need to eat WAY less then that for months and months to have a large metabolic slowdown. It's either water weight hanging on or you are eating too much. I'm sorry if you don't like this but its the truth. If you want to eat maintenance for 2 weeks go ahead but its not going to do anything but give you a mental break. People who break stalls through maintenance are doing so because the maintenance break gives the body time to release the water weight. But again, you DO NOT HAVE METABOLIC DAMAGE!

I'm waiting a few more weeks to see if it's just water fluctuations like you suggested. if weight loss is still stalled at that time I'll go to the doctor to get examined for metabolic damage

[celtic723]

I'm waiting a few more weeks to see if it's just water fluctuations like you suggested. if weight loss is still stalled at that time I'll go to the doctor to get examined for metabolic damage

You don't have metabolic damage.


Listen to Vismal please.

[AncientYouth]

so I've been doing intense cardio for 1 hour 5 days a week and my weight loss has stalled. I've dropped 50 pounds in the first 2.5 months all the way down to 220 at 5'9. I'm anywhere from 15-19 percent bodyfat according to multiple scales and test and I have a good muscle base from doing bodyweight exercises over the years. I've been eating 1700 calories a day and I fear ib may have messed up my metabolism! I eat very healthy and can't afford to go any lower on calories, somebody push my in the right direction. Thank you!

If your avi is your current condition you are more like 25% bf

[chancellor14]

If your avi is your current condition you are more like 25% bf

I've been told that he scales were wrong, but I have a good muscle base under the fat, do I'll look good after I'm finished cutting

[Tommy W.]

I've been told that he scales were wrong, but I have a good muscle base under the fat, do I'll look good after I'm finished cutting

You have very little muscle base actually. You need to drop your calories from where they are now. Doesn't matter if you're counting correctly or not, you just need to drop them. Get your body fat down another 15 lbs or so then add muscle.

Your metabolism is fine, you just eat too much.

[Serpentarius]

You have very little muscle, when you cut down bodyfat you will end up looking like an average joe, you need to eat less and lift weights. Prob have a good 40 lbs to lose.

[invrlose123]

You are probably not tracking calories properly.

If you aren't sure about how many calories are in something shoot high, not low.

For example I had a boiled egg at a hotel continental breakfast. Myfitnesspal had a few boiled egg options, from 60-100 cals so I picked the 100 cal