cant loose weight, diet is off HELP!!

[drkovacev]

I am 5' 5", 168lbs, 46 years old, I have 23% body fat currently, probably a endo-mesomorph body type (more endo)
I have done many activities such as marathons, half marathons, Spartan race, tough mudder, half ironman, and i still weight train. Currently I am in the gym lifting weight 5-6 days per week for about 1 hour or longer, and i dont take very long rests between sets. I run 4-6 miles 2 days per week for cardio @ a 8:45 min/mile pace. alternating days slow cardio after weight training 3 days per week brisk uphill walk on treadmill for 15-20 min.

- Here is the issue:
I am trying to lose body fat and weight, i would like to be 150lbs. I used to take brown or slow glycemic index carbs and tried to stay calorie neutral in the past, but now am having trouble losing weight, I use UnderArmor my fitness pal and track macros, calories, ect.
Diet: this is where i am sure i am screwing up.. I used to take 1500 cal per day, didn't lose an ounce, then I cut it to 1300 cal per day, losing VERY slowly and seem to be on a plateau. macros: goal is 20% carbs, 35% fat, 45% protein. Honestly I usually don't go over carbs, except on cheat meals (2-3 per week) depending on how busy I am, and I NEVER hit my protein mark.

I really need some diet advice, i cannot imagine its my training at this point, are my cheat meals screwing me for the entire week? Or am I taking too many calories, too few calories? I am not loosing muscle that i can tell, strength is slowly increasing or stable on almost all exercises.

Thanks for your time.

[faithbrah]

either you're tracking incorrectly or you like eating huge cheat meals. there's no way you're not losing weight on 1500 calories with that activity

[Tommy W.]

I am 5' 5", 168lbs, 46 years old, I have 23% body fat currently, probably a endo-mesomorph body type (more endo)
I have done many activities such as marathons, half marathons, Spartan race, tough mudder, half ironman, and i still weight train. Currently I am in the gym lifting weight 5-6 days per week for about 1 hour or longer, and i dont take very long rests between sets. I run 4-6 miles 2 days per week for cardio @ a 8:45 min/mile pace. alternating days slow cardio after weight training 3 days per week brisk uphill walk on treadmill for 15-20 min.

- Here is the issue:
I am trying to lose body fat and weight, i would like to be 150lbs. I used to take brown or slow glycemic index carbs and tried to stay calorie neutral in the past, but now am having trouble losing weight, I use UnderArmor my fitness pal and track macros, calories, ect.
Diet: this is where i am sure i am screwing up.. I used to take 1500 cal per day, didn't lose an ounce, then I cut it to 1300 cal per day, losing VERY slowly and seem to be on a plateau. macros: goal is 20% carbs, 35% fat, 45% protein. Honestly I usually don't go over carbs, except on cheat meals (2-3 per week) depending on how busy I am, and I NEVER hit my protein mark.

I really need some diet advice, i cannot imagine its my training at this point, are my cheat meals screwing me for the entire week? Or am I taking too many calories, too few calories? I am not loosing muscle that i can tell, strength is slowly increasing or stable on almost all exercises.

Thanks for your time.

How long have you been at these calorie amounts

[drkovacev]

- I am tracking everything very specifically, using bar codes, appropriate measurement, weigh of food, I suspect it may be cheat meals... but i am unsure if my calorie intake calculations are correct.

[drkovacev]

I just changed to 1300 cal from 1500 about 2 weeks ago, before that I was at 1500 for about a month

[Tommy W.]

You’re way off in your weekly amounts

[xsquid99]

2-3 cheat meals per week?????

How about ZERO cheat meals, try that for a month.

[2wilight]

- I am tracking everything very specifically, using bar codes, appropriate measurement, weigh of food, I suspect it may be cheat meals... but i am unsure if my calorie intake calculations are correct.

Diet is key in losing fat you need to make sure your accurately counting your calories, reading the amount per serving and how many calories exactly are there. You have to be consistent and cheat meals every week can really slow down or even halt your weight loss so try having one at least every 2-3 weeks

[Tommy W.]

Being at 1500 calories 5 days a week is not 1500 calories.add all 7 days worth of calories and divide by 7. That will be your daily amount and it’ll be a lot higher than 1500 when you figure in the cheat meals.

Get out of the cheat meal mindset and include foods you like in your diet while staying in your calorie target.
Cheat means something negative and you want to eliminate that

[EliKoehn]

OP, if you know that you have to be in a caloric deficit overall and are already going to the trouble to log all of this, wouldn't you know where and how your cheat meals are putting you over neutral?

As someone who still has weight to lose, I am not trying to sound condescending with this, but do you somehow think that because it's a "cheat" meal it mysteriously gets excluded? Also, 2-3 per week is quite frequent for a cheat. That's almost every other dinner, for instance, so even if there is some truth to a truly occasional cheat once in a blue moon sliding past you, this wouldn't apply here.

[StatisticianDR]

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[stoneymann]

You sound like you're starving yourself. That calorie count would be too low even if you didn't move all day. Forget about percentages - eat .8g of protein per pound, and .5g of fat per pound - and eat below maintenance. Anything else, and youre complicating the issue. With these numbers in mind, "cheat meals" become an obsolete concept - have a quarter pounder with cheese meal, if you want - just make sure you eat so that you remain within those numbers.

[xsquid99]

You sound like you're starving yourself. That calorie count would be too low even if you didn't move all day. Forget about percentages - eat .8g of protein per pound, and .5g of fat per pound - and eat below maintenance. Anything else, and youre complicating the issue. With these numbers in mind, "cheat meals" become an obsolete concept - have a quarter pounder with cheese meal, if you want - just make sure you eat so that you remain within those numbers.

He's obviously NOT starving himself if he hasn't lost any weight, which means he's basically eating at maintenance.

[stoneymann]

He's obviously NOT starving himself if he hasn't lost any weight, which means he's basically eating at maintenance.

Well firstly, he doesn't sound like he's meeting his protein macros so arguably he is.

And secondly, he may have slowed his metabolism to a crawl... because he is starving himself.

His caloric intake is ridiculously low (but probably not as low as he thinks), and who knows how his body is compensating for what he's doing

[drkovacev]

I think i agree with most all of the responses above, I think i am starving myself and i think my metabolism is slowed, ironically when i falloff diet for a several days in the past before i got serious, and dont count cals, i may loose a pound or 2. I would ask the following, based on my above metrics, if i log food accurately, and i promise i am as much as possible, (i dont eat breakfast except a cup of coffee, i often skip lunch due to work, or drink a protein shake) then have a large meal @ dinner. What should my calorie deficit be after workout per day? 500 cal? more/less? macros goal was 20% carbs, 35% fat, 45% protein, honestly i hit about 1/2 my daily protein intake, carbs are below, fat is at level or slightly above. Thank everyone for responses even if harsh, they are appreciated and were constructive.

I appreciate any other input

[TolerantLactose]

I think i agree with most all of the responses above, I think i am starving myself

One person said your were starving yourself and he's completely wrong. Everyone else said or implied that you're eating at maintenance.

[TolerantLactose]

Well firstly, he doesn't sound like he's meeting his protein macros so arguably he is.

And secondly, he may have slowed his metabolism to a crawl... because he is starving himself.

His caloric intake is ridiculously low (but probably not as low as he thinks), and who knows how his body is compensating for what he's doing

Stop giving advice until you get a clue.

[drkovacev]

agree thats likely due to cheat meals, will stop them, hopefully ill get results. appreciate advice

[CommitmentRulz]

One person said your were starving yourself and he's completely wrong. Everyone else said or implied that you're eating at maintenance.

And the one person who said he was starving himself has a red reputation, at that.

OP, you are not starving yourself. Have you seen a picture of POWs? THAT is what happens if you eat too little.

You are eating more than you acknowledge/realize. (Don't "count" exercise calories in your deficit.)

[drkovacev]

good advice, i was counting them based on my runs only, not lifting, (Garmin watch) but i always assume it overcalculated the number of cals burned. Stopping cheat meals, will try TDEE

i came up with the following numbers, do they seem accurate based on my input?

h t t p s: //tdeecalculator.net/result.php?s=imperial&age=46&g=male&lbs=164&in=65& act=1.55&bf=23&f=1

[Tommy W.]

If you’re looking to lose fat then you have to try a keto meal plan. Eight scientifically proven benefits offered by Keto diet are:
 Benefit #1: Keto diet can help you obtain (and maintain!) a healthy weight
 Benefit #2: Keto diet boosts brain function
 Benefit #3: Keto diet can help manage or even reverse diabetes
 Benefit #4: Keto diet reduces heart disease risk
 Benefit #5: Keto diet boosts mental well-being
 Benefit #6: Keto diet can be therapeutic for various neurological diseases
 Benefit #7: Keto diet may prevent and fight some types of cancer
 Benefit #8: Keto diet can improve gut health and bowel disorders
In case you are interested you may start from here bit.ly/3C4kK11

just no. Go away with your nonsense

[Tommy W.]

Well firstly, he doesn't sound like he's meeting his protein macros so arguably he is.

And secondly, he may have slowed his metabolism to a crawl... because he is starving himself.

His caloric intake is ridiculously low (but probably not as low as he thinks), and who knows how his body is compensating for what he's doing

moronic answer

[stoneymann]

Stop giving advice until you get a clue.

It isn't my fault that eating at a maintenance that has been reduced because of poor habits is so hard to understand. Who knew ...

[TolerantLactose]

It isn't my fault that eating at a maintenance that has been reduced because of poor habits is so hard to understand. Who knew ...

Yes, that's what happened, red....

[stoneymann]

Yes, that's what happened, red....

You do notice OP is red right - for asking a question... So it goes, here. Your reasoning skills are showing.

Nuance is hard - I get it and you're forgiven.

[TolerantLactose]

You do notice OP is red right - for asking a question... So it goes, here. Your reasoning skills are showing.

Nuance is hard - I get it and you're forgiven.

There's no nuance. You're flat out wrong.

You're just another noob going from asking dumb questions to giving dumb answers in the space of days.

[stoneymann]

There's no nuance. You're flat out wrong.

You're just another noob going from asking dumb questions to giving dumb answers in the space of days.

Ah...dumb questions... Way to double down on being an ***hole.

OP is red for his question too, and if that's your barometer, you're getting off left and right... Congrats. Way to throw him under the bus too.

[TolerantLactose]

Ah...dumb questions... Way to double down on being an ***hole.

OP is red for his question too, and if that's your barometer, you're getting off left and right... Congrats. Way to throw him under the bus too.

You're most likely red from your bro attempts at answers. It's hubris to give advice when you don't have practical experience or any training, as clearly evidenced from this questions (one has been deleted, I see).

As for me being an *******, you haven't seen me when I get going.

[MrCarrot]

Why does everyone seem to start at 1,500 calories? I recall I did the same until I was advised here that it was way too low.

You'd be better eating 2,000 - 2,500 and incorporating the "cheat" foods into your regular meals.

[EiFit91]

Why does everyone seem to start at 1,500 calories? I recall I did the same until I was advised here that it was way too low.

You'd be better eating 2,000 - 2,500 and incorporating the "cheat" foods into your regular meals.

I think more than 90% of the time people do that they aren’t actually eating that low. It’s just that so many people fail to count properly, hence the 100s of threads of people who «can’t lose weight at 1500 calories»...