2 Month Plateau - Advice Needed

[rydin4life]

I started working on losing weight in March 2015 at 288.2 with my all-time high a 334 a few years prior. A year later, I'm at 238.8 but I've been at a plateau for the past two months with a low of 236 and a high of 241 and fluctuating in between. My body fat has gone from 30.3% to 22.6% but has been there for a few months as well. Granted, I'm using a hand-held device which isn't extremely accurate, but I should be seeing some movement. I've dropped calories accordingly and am now at 2450 calories a day but may drop to 2200 or 2250. I have a sedentary desk job and do ICF 5x5 three times a week. I know this is probably as simple as moving more or eating less, but is there anything else I should be aware of? I'm hitting my protein and fat macros and staying within my calories, so I should be fine there. It's getting warmer out so I'd like to add in some cardio on my non-lifting days. Anything else I can look at here?

[ClintMcc]

Sedentary desk job here too - the calculators never come out right for me, my cutting calories are always, ALWAYS without fail much lower than suggested. To get anywhere near 10% I had to drop to 1700 calories on average.

Sitting on your ass for 9 hours a day doesn't really do much for calorie burning, and ICF 5 x 5 3 times a week is not really worth adding additional calorie load onto your weekly amounts.

People forget sometimes that fat-mass is not calorie-active, it's just hanging around. If you have 160lb of lean mass and 90lb of fat, your daily calorie intake requirements are going to be the same as a shredded 160lb guy, but less than someone with 180lb of lean mass for example.

So in short, yes it is that simple, move more or eat less

I prefer keeping cardio for when it's required - just drop to 2200 calories and make sure you are strict with counting, things should move along. Remember fat loss will slow down the more fat you lose.

Good luck man, just keep at it.

[reicherts78]

I wouldn't cut calories any more or you will likely burn off some muscle. I typically do not recommend eating less than 10 times your bodyweight in calories. Instead, just add some cardio, try something like intermittent fasting. Also, if it's been since March 2015, I would take a full week off from working out, and a month of bringing your calories back up to maintenance. This will refill glycogen and help get things moving again. The longer you diet, the slower your metabolism gets. You need to throw a log on the fire every once in while (by eating more carbs) to keep it from smoldering too long .

[rydin4life]

Thanks guys. I have added a cheat meal here and there in the past and actually took about 4 days off two weeks ago to jump start things. I gained 8 pounds in four days (mostly salt/water probably). I was hoping that would get things moving a bit, but they just evened out pretty quickly again. I suppose moving more is the easiest answer at this point so I'll work on adding more cardio in!

[reicherts78]

Thanks guys. I have added a cheat meal here and there in the past and actually took about 4 days off two weeks ago to jump start things. I gained 8 pounds in four days (mostly salt/water probably). I was hoping that would get things moving a bit, but they just evened out pretty quickly again. I suppose moving more is the easiest answer at this point so I'll work on adding more cardio in!

Taking 4 days off and a cheat meal here and there is much different then a structured refeed or maintenance eating and allowing full repair of your muscular system and CNS. Cut calories if you want, but be very careful getting into that trap. I've seen guys 250lbs eating 1200 calories per day and not losing a single pound. Very viscous cycle to get into ....lowered testosterone and lowered metabolism will not get you weight loss. Those same 250lb guys after a year of starving themselves, burning off all of their muscle, start getting stronger and leaner when they finally start adding calories back. You aren't near that point now, but just always keep in mind structured refeeds, reverse dieting, and taking time off to eat at maintenance.

[rydin4life]

I am extremely cautious of cutting calories as I find myself hungry now and I don't think that I'd need to go too much lower. As ClintMcc said, it's certainly possible that I'd have to do that as everyone is different, but I would like to avoid it if possible. As I said, it's getting warmer out so I'd like to get back into walking or jogging and may even pick up a cheap mountain pike for some other options. I like that you mention eating at maintenance. If I'm eating 2400 calories now and gained or am fluctuating slightly, am I close to maintenance at that number? Most calculators put me at 2800-3000 for maintenance, but those are just estimates as we know.

[outofshape111]

Taking 4 days off and a cheat meal here and there is much different then a structured refeed or maintenance eating and allowing full repair of your muscular system and CNS. Cut calories if you want, but be very careful getting into that trap. I've seen guys 250lbs eating 1200 calories per day and not losing a single pound. Very viscous cycle to get into ....lowered testosterone and lowered metabolism will not get you weight loss. Those same 250lb guys after a year of starving themselves, burning off all of their muscle, start getting stronger and leaner when they finally start adding calories back. You aren't near that point now, but just always keep in mind structured refeeds, reverse dieting, and taking time off to eat at maintenance.

this is awesome info. thank you.

I don't mean to hijack OP thread, but I have to ask. If my starting weight is 170-175ish and I'm cutting down to 150 or maybe even 145, do I need to be mindful of these things (e.g. too steep of caloric deficit)? Or is this advice more for people who are obese/ have greater amount of weight to lose.

[reicherts78]

I am extremely cautious of cutting calories as I find myself hungry now and I don't think that I'd need to go too much lower. As ClintMcc said, it's certainly possible that I'd have to do that as everyone is different, but I would like to avoid it if possible. As I said, it's getting warmer out so I'd like to get back into walking or jogging and may even pick up a cheap mountain pike for some other options. I like that you mention eating at maintenance. If I'm eating 2400 calories now and gained or am fluctuating slightly, am I close to maintenance at that number? Most calculators put me at 2800-3000 for maintenance, but those are just estimates as we know.

I would say 2800 is about right, but it really depends on a lot of things such as how often you work out and how intense your sessions are. I typically advocate some HIIT cardio instead of too much steady state. HIIT cardio would consist of sprints for 20 or so seconds, walking for 40 seconds, and repeating for about 20 minutes. This intense training will help burn fat and maintain muscle, provided you are not undereating.

I typically tell my clients to remember you are eating to perform. You are eating to fuel an athletic physique. So you need to eat to the level that you ask your body to workout. You won't find many athletes cutting calories lower than 10x their bodyweight unless they are in the final couple bodyfat % points from show or making weight.

If I were you, I would take a week off, during that week slowly raise your calories back up to 2800, then start over with an additional HIIT cardio session. To answer your question, you are at your maintenance if you eat at a certain calorie level for over 2 weeks and stop gaining weight afterwards. It's normal to put a pound or three on when you reverse diet, or raise calories back up, because you typically eat more carbs, which store in your muscles, giving you a fuller look, and adding a little bit of weight. After a couple weeks, that stabilizes.

[reicherts78]

this is awesome info. thank you.

I don't mean to hijack OP thread, but I have to ask. If my starting weight is 170-175ish and I'm cutting down to 150 or maybe even 145, do I need to be mindful of these things (e.g. too steep of caloric deficit)? Or is this advice more for people who are obese/ have greater amount of weight to lose.

It's actually more important to listen to this advice as you get leaner. The body wants to hold on to a little bodyfat naturally, and the leaner you get, the harder it gets to lose it, and so these things like reverse dieting, carb refeeds, and taking breaks come into play more. The more obese the less you need it unless you started out with a drastic calorie drop, which some people do. Since I've been in this industry and had countless clients with food journals that I critiqued, I can say for sure that undereating is a huge reason people do not lose weight. They try on their own through crash dieting for years, completely damaging their metabolism and hormones, before they come see somebody like me, at their wits end, eating 1200 calories per day and working out 6 days per week.

[outofshape111]

It's actually more important to listen to this advice as you get leaner. The body wants to hold on to a little bodyfat naturally, and the leaner you get, the harder it gets to lose it, and so these things like reverse dieting, carb refeeds, and taking breaks come into play more. The more obese the less you need it unless you started out with a drastic calorie drop, which some people do. Since I've been in this industry and had countless clients with food journals that I critiqued, I can say for sure that undereating is a huge reason people do not lose weight. They try on their own through crash dieting for years, completely damaging their metabolism and hormones, before they come see somebody like me, at their wits end, eating 1200 calories per day and working out 6 days per week.

can I ask.. if I'm 5'6, 160 lbs and around 17% BF, is losing 2 lbs a week too much? what about 1.5 lbs? should I aim only for 1lb a week? I see so many transformation stories where these guys lose 2lbs a week for 2 or 3 months straight and get shredded. so I'd like to do that if I can...

[reicherts78]

can I ask.. if I'm 5'6, 160 lbs and around 17% BF, is losing 2 lbs a week too much? what about 1.5 lbs? should I aim only for 1lb a week? I see so many transformation stories where these guys lose 2lbs a week for 2 or 3 months straight and get shredded. so I'd like to do that if I can...

1% of your body weight is considered safe weight loss, except for the first month, there is generally much more than that from water loss. So in your case I would say to stick with 1.5lbs per week.

[rydin4life]

Great advice here, much appreciated! I've made a lot of progress but am now to the point where I think I need to change things up and just wasn't sure what to do exactly. I'm looking into purchasing a bike to ride around my neighborhood once or twice a week just to add some different cardio options. I'll be out kayaking once a week as soon as the weather changes too, so that will help as well. Again, thanks for the input!

EDIT:
When you say take a week off and work up to 2800 calories, I take it that you mean adding 50-75 calories a day from my current 2450 until I get to 2800. After that week, maybe drop 100-200 calories a day to 2600, 2400, etc. to jump start things, also while adding a day or two of cardio into the mix?

[reicherts78]

Great advice here, much appreciated! I've made a lot of progress but am now to the point where I think I need to change things up and just wasn't sure what to do exactly. I'm looking into purchasing a bike to ride around my neighborhood once or twice a week just to add some different cardio options. I'll be out kayaking once a week as soon as the weather changes too, so that will help as well. Again, thanks for the input!

EDIT:
When you say take a week off and work up to 2800 calories, I take it that you mean adding 50-75 calories a day from my current 2450 until I get to 2800. After that week, maybe drop 100-200 calories a day to 2600, 2400, etc. to jump start things, also while adding a day or two of cardio into the mix?

Yes add them slowly. Since you have been cutting weight for a year, I would stay at 2800 for a month. You may put on 5lbs or so but after that month your metabolism will be good as new and you will see those 5 lbs come right back off and continued weight loss. I guarantee it. After the month, drop back down to 2300-2400.

[Maverick2015]

You can go lower in calories at your weight and BF%. It will be helpful to move around more when you can (not just exercise). If you were coming off a bulk it might be a little different, but you can definitely cut lower in calories. Lift heavy and count accurately.