Why am I not losing fat?

[esotericks]

I have been wieghing 208 for the past 4 weeks while dieting. I was doing Max OT for the first 2 weeks, but then I switched to a modified HST training regimine. Currently I am doing a full body workout for an hour 3 days a week (I should be burning about 1200 calories right there; sessions are 1 hours and very intense; all exercises are close to failure). I am also doing 2 days a week of medium paced cardio on the bike where I keep my heart rate at 150 BPM for 30 minutes (600 calories should be burned there roughly). So that makes about 1800 calories that should be burned. I am intaking less than 2000 calories a day and keeping track at fitday.com.

I don't understand why I am not loosing wieght. In all honesty, I am eating an extremely clean 40/40/20 diet, and taking lipo 6, 5 g fish oil, multi, bcaas, and calcium everyday. This is driving me crazy!

I should note, that I am noticing strength and muscle gains (I think). I am looking much more vascular and bigger lbm wise. Is it possible I am putting on muscle and loosing fat (I thought that would be highly unlikely since I am in a pretty serious calorie deficit).

I should note that I had previously taken a 6 month break from heavy lifting and lost alot of muscle. Perhaps I am loosing BF and increasing LBM due to muscle memory?

[nithos]

#1 - You need to eat more than 2000 calories a day.

#2 - Track your change in bodyfat, not the change in your scale weight.

[esotericks]

#1 - You need to eat more than 2000 calories a day.

#2 - Track your change in bodyfat, not the change in your scale weight.

#1 - could you explain why? That is rather counter intuitive...

#2 - I have this cheap ass digital bf calipers from bb.com that don't seem to work very well. According to it I am about 7.2% bf, which is impossible. Also, it changes alot; like 2 consecutive readings can fluctuate between 5%!

[stahlhart]

It could be that you're at a temporary plateau, or as you've said you are gaining some lean mass to offset the fat loss -- though you'd think that you'd be able to see that change in the mirror. (?)

The guy at work I go to the gym with on occasion has been in the 205-215 range for a couple of years straight now -- but he goes off of his diet quite often on a regular basis (i.e. just about every weekend).

What is your height? You might already be pretty much at your target weight and, as Nithos said, perhaps you should pay more attention to the visual changes than the scale numbers. I've been floating in the 175 range (+/- 3 lbs.) since about April, but I'm making slow but noticable inroads into my abdominal fat still.

C.K.

[ellipticer]

#1 - could you explain why? That is rather counter intuitive...

#2 - I have this cheap ass digital bf calipers from bb.com that don't seem to work very well. According to it I am about 7.2% bf, which is impossible. Also, it changes alot; like 2 consecutive readings can fluctuate between 5%!

I'll let nithos explain #1, but for #2, don't take the first reading from a measurement point. Take 4 or 6 readings and then use the average. You can plug the numbers into a page like this instead of letting the caliper add them up. Nothing wrong with the calipers, but you should improve your technique. This is a great page on how to use calipers w/ instructional photos.

[Enoptix]

I think you are probably gaining muscle and not losing much fat. That will still lower your bf% tho obviously. Follow these rules if not already:

1) Keep carbs in the morning only (and simple carb right before workout)
2) I suggest taking all fat out of your diet and replacing it with the fats found in flax oil.
3) Kick up your cardio to five days a week. 3 times med-low intensity for about (40-60 mins) (probably on weight tringing days). 2 times very high intensity (20-30 mins).
4) Eat more calories. Just make sure they are from the same clean sources (more from protein than from carbs for now).
5) Eat the most in the morning, then taper it off as the day goes by.

[esotericks]

It could be that you're at a temporary plateau, or as you've said you are gaining some lean mass to offset the fat loss -- though you'd think that you'd be able to see that change in the mirror. (?)

The guy at work I go to the gym with on occasion has been in the 205-215 range for a couple of years straight now -- but he goes off of his diet quite often on a regular basis (i.e. just about every weekend).

What is your height? You might already be pretty much at your target weight and, as Nithos said, perhaps you should pay more attention to the visual changes than the scale numbers. I've been floating in the 175 range (+/- 3 lbs.) since about April, but I'm making slow but noticable inroads into my abdominal fat still.

C.K.

I am 6' tall.

I have gone off my diet once, and that was last saturday at a family party where I eat about 3200 calories (1200 from beer).

I am noticing a change in the mirror though...

[esotericks]

I think you are probably gaining muscle and not losing much fat. That will still lower your bf% tho obviously. Follow these rules if not already:

1) Keep carbs in the morning only (and simple carb right before workout)
2) I suggest taking all fat out of your diet and replacing it with the fats found in flax oil.
3) Kick up your cardio to five days a week. 3 times med-low intensity for about (40-60 mins) (probably on weight tringing days). 2 times very high intensity (20-30 mins).
4) Eat more calories. Just make sure they are from the same clean sources (more from protein than from carbs for now).
5) Eat the most in the morning, then taper it off as the day goes by.

Very good - I am definetely thinking about upping my cardio. Maybe doing 2 days of HIIT on the stairs near my apartment and doing 3 days of med-low cardio at the gym.

[nithos]

I'll let nithos explain #1

That's no fun. Just look up the Katch-McArdle formula for BMR calculations. I think it will show that your TDEE is estimated at 3000-3300 calories, subtract 500 from that and you should be eating in the 2500-2800 calorie range.

[esotericks]

That's no fun. Just look up the Katch-McArdle formula for BMR calculations. I think it will show that your TDEE is estimated at 3000-3300 calories, subtract 500 from that and you should be eating in the 2500-2800 calorie range.

I've looked it up, but I can't seem to find information explaining why eating this calorie rate is optimal for fat loss.

I don't understand - if I am not loosing wieght eating 2000 calories a day I would think that I have not created a big enough deficit. So how would 2600 calories help me loose more weight?

[optimumacid]

I could help you out, but anything I say, I'm bombarded by a bunch of idiots who listen to the media too much so they call me a troll. I enjoy seeing my 0.5-1lb a loss per day of PURE fat.

[esotericks]

I could help you out, but anything I say, I'm bombarded by a bunch of idiots who listen to the media too much so they call me a troll. I enjoy seeing my 0.5-1lb a loss per day of PURE fat.

You could PM me if you don't mind - I actively listen to what anyone has to say...

[optimumacid]

just read my starvation thread and the one about me losing fat...
i talk about my diet, its a healthy modified starvation diet... you can try it, everyone loses weight rapidly on it... if you try it and dont fail.

[ellipticer]

You could PM me if you don't mind - I actively listen to what anyone has to say...

Go ahead if you want to listen to 17 year old who can't stick to an eating plan for longer than 3 days. He will tell you about starvation diets-- meaning under 800 calories a day. It teaches you nothing about healthy eating or maintenance over the long term, but it can result in drastic weight loss. If you do not do it precisely as described, it will result in muscle loss and not just fat.

In any event, eating that little is neither healthy or recommended for longer than a few weeks... but this kid will tell you it is the holy grail of fat loss and everyone should be doing it.... even though he is still fat and can't stick to the plan himself.

[optimumacid]

Go ahead if you want to listen to 17 year old who can't stick to an eating plan for longer than 3 days. He will tell you about starvation diets-- meaning under 800 calories a day. It teaches you nothing about healthy eating or maintenance over the long term, but it can result in drastic weight loss. If you do not do it precisely as described, it will result in muscle loss and not just fat.

In any event, eating that little is neither healthy or recommended for longer than a few weeks... but this kid will tell you it is the holy grail of fat loss and everyone should be doing it.... even though he is still fat and can't stick to the plan himself.

i went a month straight, anyways....
yes mine is 550cals at most, but u can do 800-1000 if u want.... i dont lose muscle, and i gain strength....
yes u dont learn healthy eating, but how much do u enjoy being fat right now?
i lost over 30lbs of pure fat....

[optimumacid]

actually dude, eat 2800 calories just like they say, you can be an experiment... tell us how long it takes for you to gain each pound back...

[ellipticer]

i lost over 30lbs of pure fat....

You've never been calipered, you have no idea what you lost or gained. Your results are meaningless.

[optimumacid]

i used an estimator online...
actually ur right, i lost 30lbs of pure muscle... thats why my fut went down, i have no abs now

[ellipticer]

i used an estimator online...

Hear that sound? It is everyone on the forum who has any knowledge of fat loss laughing at you all at once.

[Enoptix]

Starving yourself is just going to teach your body to hold on to fat. Your body MUCH rather use your muscle as food in times of starvation. Fat would be lost, but much more so muscle... It's also horrible for your metabolism. Obviously you can't do this for a long period of time (you would be hospitalized)... so as soon as you go off the diet guess what happens? It'll all come back... and probably more fat than muscle because your body thinks that it is gonna die.

[nithos]

I've looked it up, but I can't seem to find information explaining why eating this calorie rate is optimal for fat loss.

I don't understand - if I am not loosing wieght eating 2000 calories a day I would think that I have not created a big enough deficit. So how would 2600 calories help me loose more weight?

Unfortunately, this is a very involved answer and requires too much typing. BFFM by Tom Venuto has a 20+ page chapter answering just that question. Try thinking of it in terms of the following analogy:

“If you’re earning $4000 a month, but your boss suddenly cuts your pay to $2500 a month, you will try to live the same lifestyle on $2500 a month as you did on $4000 a month. After a while, you have to adjust and save money, and change your lifestyle. The same is true with a calorie intake that is simply too low. When calories are cut below basal metabolic needs, the body will accommodate and slow its metabolism, so it becomes difficult to lose fat even on low calories.”

[optimumacid]

Starving yourself is just going to teach your body to hold on to fat. Your body MUCH rather use your muscle as food in times of starvation. Fat would be lost, but much more so muscle... It's also horrible for your metabolism. Obviously you can't do this for a long period of time (you would be hospitalized)... so as soon as you go off the diet guess what happens? It'll all come back... and probably more fat than muscle because your body thinks that it is gonna die.

You sir need to do research and not suck ellip's dick, everything in that post is actually a lie except if you do it for a long time, like the holocaust victims, you will die...

[ellipticer]

You sir need to do research and not suck ellip's dick, everything in that post is actually a lie except if you do it for a long time, like the holocaust victims, you will die...

You really aren't too swift are you?

I've never said PSMF doesn't work. I've never said VLCDiets don't work.

I said YOU are an idiot and YOU do not have the willpower or the knowledge to pull this off correctly. YOU do not have the lean mass to go down to 10% on such low calories. YOU will fail because you are trying to starve yourself for too long. YOU cheat all the time.

YOU will fail and YOU need to stop professing the benefits of a plan that you've been unable to stick to for longer than a few days at a time. PSMF is a solid concept when excecuted correctly and for a short period of time. Do not confuse the two.

[esotericks]

just read my starvation thread and the one about me losing fat...
i talk about my diet, its a healthy modified starvation diet... you can try it, everyone loses weight rapidly on it... if you try it and dont fail.

Thanks for the suggestion bro, but I will have to pass on that one.

Although my primary goal is to loose wieght, I am quite sure that a starvation diet will seriously destroy my metabolism. I remember this happening to one of my ex girlfriends. With the amount, and intensity of lifting I do I really can't afford to loose any muscle mass or strength.

Thanks though!

[esotericks]

Unfortunately, this is a very involved answer and requires too much typing. BFFM by Tom Venuto has a 20+ page chapter answering just that question. Try thinking of it in terms of the following analogy:

“If you’re earning $4000 a month, but your boss suddenly cuts your pay to $2500 a month, you will try to live the same lifestyle on $2500 a month as you did on $4000 a month. After a while, you have to adjust and save money, and change your lifestyle. The same is true with a calorie intake that is simply too low. When calories are cut below basal metabolic needs, the body will accommodate and slow its metabolism, so it becomes difficult to lose fat even on low calories.”

Good analogy - is that a book or article bro?

[stahlhart]

Good analogy - is that a book or article bro?

http://www.burn-the-fat.com

C.K.

[esotericks]

Starving yourself is just going to teach your body to hold on to fat. Your body MUCH rather use your muscle as food in times of starvation. Fat would be lost, but much more so muscle... It's also horrible for your metabolism. Obviously you can't do this for a long period of time (you would be hospitalized)... so as soon as you go off the diet guess what happens? It'll all come back... and probably more fat than muscle because your body thinks that it is gonna die.

Very logical answer and it coincides with everything I know about fitness.

Hmm, maybe I am actually ****ing up my metabolism by creating to much of a calorie deficit so that I can't support my BMR?

[Enoptix]

In response to optimumacid

You are rediculous.

I, myself, lost 98 lbs. back when I was 16 yrs old. I am now at 6% BF. And since then, have successfully helped many, many other people get to their goal weights as the gyms youngest personal trainer. I was trained in both nutrition and personal training not only by someone who has 20+ yrs experience, but also have certifications through the NFPT and NHCA programs. I am currently working on getting a degree in Exercise Science. It is my job, and I am extremely passionate about what I do...

...and to see you suggest a diet that is basically a starvation technique, makes me sick. It's wrong... I don't care how you go about it, that "diet" is nothing but harmful to the average person.

[optimumacid]

doesnt mean you are an expert because u lost 98lbs...

secondly, to the thread starter, you're a dumbass and i hope you gain some fat back because of it.

[esotericks]

Could you elaborate on who "you" is here? Thanks much...

C.K.

In response to optimumacid