Plateau

[JeremyM07201978]

Hi everyone,

New to forum. I have been working out almost 2 years starting with light cardio, moving to weights, onto gym membership... yada, yada... I have had results I'm proud of. I lost 25 lbs. I am stronger and have more energy. I seem to have stopped making progress, though, both in the amount I can lift and my weight is static at 163 - 165, which has me second-guessing everything from workout routine and diet to form and getting enough sleep...So many contradictory points of view out there. If I had to guess going by pictures I'm somewhere in the 16 - 20 % body fat range (that might be conservative but I have a shorter torso than comparison pictures).

I'm 39 now at 163 lbs. and 5'9". I don't know my one-rep max for anything, but I'm currently doing a 5-day split with frequent (6-7 days a week) cardio on elliptical machine. I can see my results, but I'm still covered over by stubborn fat hiding abs, definition in chest, back, and arms. I'm still not pushing more the 135 X 6 at bench or squat for reps. I can dead-lift reps 225 X 6 which I'm quite happy about (started it later in my journey). The compound movements are the focus of my routine now with isolation exercises that fit into the split. A lot of trial and error along the way.

My goal is to have my muscles visible. Just changed diet from 500 calorie deficit to 750 per day. I'm pretty sure I'm hitting a wall here. Any advice?

[EjnarKolinkar]

I lost 25 lbs. I am stronger and have more energy. I seem to have stopped making progress, though, both in the amount I can lift and my weight is static at 163 - 165,

Try not to lose sight of the progress. Maintaining that improvement is an accomplishment in itself. Lots of folks give up, get discouraged, or just Yolo all the weight back on.

How many weeks or months has your weight been static?

[grubman]

Well, I see a few things in your post worth mentioning.

You say you just changed your deficits. That could very well have been your issue. Lots of people make a diet plan at a certain number of calories below maintenance and start losing weight. What they don’t take into account is that after a while, maintenance needs to be recalculated once your weight goes down. What was once a deficit may now simply be maintenance.

The other thing is that your weight at your height sounds healthy...maybe even a little on the light side. If you’ve been working out for 2 years, I would think a descent amount of that is muscle? Pics would help, but maybe there is a chance that you should be eating to gain muscle instead of losing fat at this point? This direction might lead to the physique you want more quickly that trying to cut down to what might be a very skinny final product.

Finally, a 5 day split sounds like a questionable routine for a guy who is still in the beginner phase of his journey. Perhaps more detail on your routine will help others give you advice...but most likely you would benifit from a beginners routine to build some initial size and strength.

[tommydamic68]

As grub man said, a pic may help. I have been training one year longer then you and am a bit older, by 10 years. Same height but lighter at 154. I too sort of hit a plateau recently. I did make one change and added creatine and have moved my lifts up a few pounds which I am happy with and will make some obvious gains, perhaps small, but enough to move me in a forward direction. Here is a pic of me and from what i understand is, i'm at about a 20% BF which you say you are as well. Good luck on your next move! Remember, its an ongoing progress, slow at times but progress.

https://imgur.com/a/6O7f7dn

[JeremyM07201978]

Thank you for all the responses. I will try to get a picture up at some point in the near future. I suspect that I do need to build strength, so I will move to a more beginner routine for that. Weight has been static roughly 3 months. The scale isn't my primary motivator, just thought it was worth mentioning as things have ground to halt everywhere.

I am happy with my results, but just want to continue to progress. Very glad I am not sliding backwards. Thanks for the support!

[weiss1967]

Jeremy, you mentioned that you plateaued in both, amount you can lift and weight. I assume by weight you mean fat loss.

So, if I understood you right, you are trying to achieve both goals in the same time, right?

[JeremyM07201978]

Correct, I'm trying for fat loss. I hoped to do both at the same time, but as several pointed out, if I want to get stronger (I do), I need to focus on a routine for building strength. I'm still looking at possible routines for this with the hopes that as I build, while mainting a calorie deficit, that the muscles will start showing.

Before January (2017), I had never done any of this. I've researched alot, found out a lot of things I was doing wrong, adjusted accordingly. If I followed what I read, I'd be running in circles...so I joined this forum

I eat well. I think I might just be getting skinny/fat instead of muscular. I'm burning about 3k a day and taking in 2.5k (as tracked through Fitbit). Probably averaging 25% protein (could be higher). I workout with weights m-f about 40 minutes over lunch. I elliptical each night for 45 min.

[JeremyM07201978]

Picture posted.

[grubman]

Picture posted.

Yep...stop worrying g about fat. Eat and lift to gain muscle mass. MHO

[tblodg15]

I agree, eat in a slight calorie surplus and focus on the core compound lifts. With your strength and build it's also possible that maybe you are over training with a 5 day split depending on the volume so just keep that in mind as doing too much can slow progress.

[JeremyM07201978]

Great feedback. Thanks! I had read eat more, but that just seemed counterintuitive to me. I went from mostly fat with little muscle to where I am currently. I just have a fear of backtracking. I am definitely more disciplined in what type of food I eat now, so that should help.

I will take that advice and up my calories. I will reevaluate my current workout split and maybe move to 3 days. Much appreciated! I'm glad I asked.

[drudixon]

Correct, I'm trying for fat loss. I hoped to do both at the same time, but as several pointed out, if I want to get stronger (I do), I need to focus on a routine for building strength. I'm still looking at possible routines for this with the hopes that as I build, while mainting a calorie deficit, that the muscles will start showing.

Before January (2017), I had never done any of this. I've researched alot, found out a lot of things I was doing wrong, adjusted accordingly. If I followed what I read, I'd be running in circles...so I joined this forum

I eat well. I think I might just be getting skinny/fat instead of muscular. I'm burning about 3k a day and taking in 2.5k (as tracked through Fitbit). Probably averaging 25% protein (could be higher). I workout with weights m-f about 40 minutes over lunch. I elliptical each night for 45 min.

You're past the point of adding muscle while cutting. Adjust your expectations while cutting. For some of us we're lucky to gain 2-3 lbs of muscle a year even while bulking.

[JeremyM07201978]

Thanks again for the replies. I'm changing things up. I plan to begin bulking for the next 6-8 months then. I will probably shoot for 250 surplus calories a day with focus on post workout protein and carbs.

Workouts will be all compound movements 4 days a week. Cardio will be scaled back to 3 nights a week at 30 minutes instead of 45 - can't seem to eat enough with cardio without being physically uncomfortable. I'll monitor weight and progress and see how it goes.

Thanks everyone.

Thanks.

[Corbets]

Great feedback. Thanks! I had read eat more, but that just seemed counterintuitive to me. I went from mostly fat with little muscle to where I am currently. I just have a fear of backtracking. I am definitely more disciplined in what type of food I eat now, so that should help.

I will take that advice and up my calories. I will reevaluate my current workout split and maybe move to 3 days. Much appreciated! I'm glad I asked.

Thanks again for the replies. I'm changing things up. I plan to begin bulking for the next 6-8 months then. I will probably shoot for 250 surplus calories a day with focus on post workout protein and carbs.

Workouts will be all compound movements 4 days a week. Cardio will be scaled back to 3 nights a week at 30 minutes instead of 45 - can't seem to eat enough with cardio without being physically uncomfortable. I'll monitor weight and progress and see how it goes.

Thanks everyone.

Thanks.

I know those fears. I got lean myself for the first time ever this year (38) and it’s hard to make myself eat and cut back cardio while lifting heavy, because I worry about returning to the fat me.

Eventually, what got me moving was the realization that I could just set a weight to re-evaluate at (say, after I go up 5kg) and see if I’m overall happy with my progress. If not, I can always cut again, and 5kg will go fast. So... that’s what I’m doing. And this morning, my arms were hooooooooooooge! So I figure further observations like that will help keep me motivated and on the right track.

[JeremyM07201978]

So bulking, day 3: this is tougher than I thought to do eating clean. I bought oats but they are very filling. I eat a lot of chicken and brown rice. I have an MRM veggie elite protein shake I use. Lots of peanut butter. Fruits and vegetables.... I am literally stuffing myself to get to surplus lol

Any good pointers on healthy calories? One note: I can't really afford to go crazy on powders and shakes, etc. Also, I live in a small town with a mediocre grocery and a Walmart...so options are somewhat limited for anything other than staples and junk food... plus, can't do fish or my wife will have nothing to do with me.

[CommitmentRulz]

Wash all of your food - and don't focus on what you consider "clean" eating. Hit your protein and fat macros. eat a wide variety of foods, including vegetables, then loosen up your diet - nothing wrong with a good cheeseburger. Seriously.

[daudi81]

Yea, what he said ^

Trying to focus too much on "clean" eating will just frustrate and wear you out. Eat what you enjoy eating, hitting your macro/micro minimums, and progress in the gym. That's pretty much the goal here.

I was in a similar position you are....I cut too early and was disappointed a bit. Realized my disappointment wasn't really due to lack of fat loss, but lack of muscle mass. Once you're able to gain a good amount of muscle, when you cut again it will make a difference.