Back to square 1? Frustration!

[lyndall_vile]

I feel like Im back at square 1! Im training my butt off and this bodyfat just doesnt seem to budge! I dont know what to do?

I follow a 6 day split. I train heavy! cardio usually at least 4 days a week - i mix up HIIT and long duration.
I follow a primal/paleo eating plan that consists of 5 small meals a day and a protein shake after training.
One cheat meal a week.

Ive only gained 4kg's of lean muscle in the last 6 months and my bodyfat just seems to yoyo back and forth a couple percent.

Kinda hoping I would have gained a lot more muscle in that time and have dropped some more bodyfat! Suggestions???

[Miranda]

how many calories do you eat and how much do you weigh?

[lyndall_vile]

As of this morning I weight 68.9kg. 54.4 of that is lean mass. Sorry I dont know how much that is in lbs!
I dont count calories. I used to, then got totally obssessed with it. Became really unhealthy!
Do you think I should start again?

[Miranda]

if you eat at or slightly above your maintenance, you're not going to lose fat. it doesn't matter whether you eat 'paleo' or have 'cheats' or the type of exercise you do, or anything else really.

there's a sticky in the nutrition section on how to calculate calories and macros. read it, and get yourself a food scale. track and WEIGH everything for a few weeks. if your weight has stayed the same for a while, you're probably eating at maintenance so it's a good starting point.

you don't have to count calories forever. once you get used to it, you can pretty much learn to 'eyeball' most things, but that can take a while.

i also doubt you gained 8lbs of muscle in six months, but it's irrelevant to your question.

[lyndall_vile]

if you eat at or slightly above your maintenance, you're not going to lose fat. it doesn't matter whether you eat 'paleo' or have 'cheats' or the type of exercise you do, or anything else really.

there's a sticky in the nutrition section on how to calculate calories and macros. read it, and get yourself a food scale. track and WEIGH everything for a few weeks. if your weight has stayed the same for a while, you're probably eating at maintenance so it's a good starting point.

you don't have to count calories forever. once you get used to it, you can pretty much learn to 'eyeball' most things, but that can take a while.

i also doubt you gained 8lbs of muscle in six months, but it's irrelevant to your question.

thankyou. i'll try counting again. Ive definately gained 4kgs! I get a biosignature done everyone month to track my gains and fat loss!

[Miranda]

Ive definately gained 4kgs! I get a biosignature done everyone month to track my gains and fat loss!

how do they measure you?

[gwnorth]

If that's Polinquin BioSignature it's calipers. My PT is supposedly an accredited BioSignature practitioner. He did it on me and it put me at 19% BF. The reality is I was probably closer to 25%. I wouldn't put too much stock in it. Wish I had somewhere nearby I could get a DEXA scan instead or even a BodPod.

[Miranda]

If that's Polinquin BioSignature it's calipers.

i thought poliquin's BS is, well, BS? they claim 'disproportionate' bodyfat patterning is due to localised hormone imbalances. it is then corrected (= spot reduction) with supplementation and an individualised diet and training program. he claims hyooge muscle gains + fat losses in his clients, too.

[freebirdmac]

I feel like Im back at square 1! Im training my butt off and this bodyfat just doesnt seem to budge! I dont know what to do?

I follow a 6 day split. I train heavy! cardio usually at least 4 days a week - i mix up HIIT and long duration.
I follow a primal/paleo eating plan that consists of 5 small meals a day and a protein shake after training.
One cheat meal a week.

Ive only gained 4kg's of lean muscle in the last 6 months and my bodyfat just seems to yoyo back and forth a couple percent.

Kinda hoping I would have gained a lot more muscle in that time and have dropped some more bodyfat! Suggestions???

BF measurements outside of dexascan are worthless and can easily bring you to the wrong conclusions. What have your measurements shown? How are your clothes fitting?

While you may not like counting calories, you at least need to do some sanity checks. Eating too much is my suspicion, especially with a once a week cheat meal. If you want to stop spinning your wheels you need to know how many calories you are consuming. If you eat a diet that's pretty repeatable, then you should only have to track a couple of weeks, make needed adjustments, then go back to not tracking.