I've been trying to cut for about six weeks now; however, my weight has gone relatively unchanged. I'm 33, 5'10", 186 and 20% bf. Started at 185 and have only been down to 183.

I'm doing Body for Life, except for cardio, which I have changed up as follows:

First Week: HIIT on the treadmill for 20 minutes.
Next 3 weeks: 25 min low intensity on treadmill immediately followed by 25 HIIT on bike.
Last 2 weeks: 45 minutes on the treadmill:
10 min 3.5mph at 8.0 incline
10 min run at 6.5 mph
15 min 3.5mph at 8.0 incline
10 min run at 6.5 mph.

I like my current cardio and would like to stick tp it for a while.

I started taking a PWO drink about 3 weeks ago immediately after lifting, but I wait 1-1.5 hours before I have anything after cardio.

I didn't take an initial body fat %, but my stomach has gone down and my lifts have been increasing.

I've been eating clean (2200-2400 cal /day) except for a full cheat day each week where I eat a ton of junk but probably less than 3500 calories. I also have an occassional hadfull of goldfish of something the kids left sitting out.

I feel that I should have lost more weight, but I think I must be putting on some muscle.

Also, a few years ago my doctor told me I have a slow metabolism, so I think some could be genetic. Of course I wasn't exercising at the time.

Any advise on getting leaner and boosting my metabolism? I think I need to be a little more disciplined with my cheat days, but I don't think I can eat any less on non-cheat days because I'm typically pretty hungry.

Thanks!

The best thing you, and most newcomers to hard exercise, can do is not worry about the scale. You said your stomach has gone down. That is progress for sure, and it's great. When I first started lifting weights I put on twelve pounds of muscle in 8 weeks. I gained 1 1/2 pounds of body fat for a total of 13 and a half pound gain. Very bad according to the scale, but my body fat percentage actually dropped. I had it taken at the beginning and at the end of the 8 weeks. Measure your progress my fitness improvements (weights and cardio) and how you look. Get your body fat measured periodically. The scale is secondary at best.

I've been trying to cut for about six weeks now; however, my weight has gone relatively unchanged. I'm 33, 5'10", 186 and 20% bf. Started at 185 and have only been down to 183.

I'm doing Body for Life, except for cardio, which I have changed up as follows:

First Week: HIIT on the treadmill for 20 minutes.
Next 3 weeks: 25 min low intensity on treadmill immediately followed by 25 HIIT on bike.
Last 2 weeks: 45 minutes on the treadmill:
10 min 3.5mph at 8.0 incline
10 min run at 6.5 mph
15 min 3.5mph at 8.0 incline
10 min run at 6.5 mph.

I like my current cardio and would like to stick tp it for a while.

I started taking a PWO drink about 3 weeks ago immediately after lifting, but I wait 1-1.5 hours before I have anything after cardio.

I didn't take an initial body fat %, but my stomach has gone down and my lifts have been increasing.

I've been eating clean (2200-2400 cal /day) except for a full cheat day each week where I eat a ton of junk but probably less than 3500 calories. I also have an occassional hadfull of goldfish of something the kids left sitting out.

I feel that I should have lost more weight, but I think I must be putting on some muscle.

Also, a few years ago my doctor told me I have a slow metabolism, so I think some could be genetic. Of course I wasn't exercising at the time.

Any advise on getting leaner and boosting my metabolism? I think I need to be a little more disciplined with my cheat days, but I don't think I can eat any less on non-cheat days because I'm typically pretty hungry.

Thanks!

Check out my website -- I'm around the same body type as you, and the same thing has happened. Look at the graph at the bottom and you'll see lots of plateaus -- and im on one right now -- at 185...

But during the plateaus you can see a difference in the pictures, which is encouraging.

But that damn scale is still not freindly.

Last 2 weeks: 45 minutes on the treadmill:
10 min 3.5mph at 8.0 incline
10 min run at 6.5 mph
15 min 3.5mph at 8.0 incline
10 min run at 6.5 mph.


Hmm..I am hesitating to say this, but I will and I hope to get other responses as well.

Personally, I would perform HIIT or 70-75% MHR cardio, but notalternating long periods of low and high HR cardio. I actually don'tsee the fat loss benefit with this combo besides maybe burning a littlemore calories. What I do see is..

10 min 3.5mph at 8.0 incline
---> 70-75% MHR cardio - Bodystarts breaking down glycogenfor energy (aerobic,) and starts moving tobreaking down fat (aerobic.) The purpose of 70-75% MHR cardio is toeffectively use a greater % of fat per calories burned, bestdonewhilefasted.

10 min run at 6.5 mph
---> High HR cardio - Primarily used to build cardiovascular endurance (anaerobic.)

15 min 3.5mph at 8.0 incline
---> This is where I amhaving the issue, I would like an expert statement on this, but here iswhat I have learned. The body does not transition from anaerobic toaerobic all to easily, therefore you will continue to burn glycogen,andprotein in the anaerobic energy cycle. (fat requires aerobic cellularrespiration.)

10 min run at 6.5 mph.
---> High HR cardio - Primarily used to build cardiovascular endurance (anaerobic.)

Ok, I don't know why its happening, but some words are being smushed together after I submit a post. I tried editing it 3 times to fix it, but it doesn't seem to take.

If someone isn't seeing the fat loss results they're looking for, a vast majority of the time, their diet is to blame. One of several scenarios is possible for your situation, but here a three likely causes: 1) you're taking in more calories than you realize, 2) cheat days are kicking you out of the caloric deficit you've created during the week, 3) the number of calories you're currently consuming is too high for the rate of fat loss you're trying to achieve.

So be honest with yourself in assessing if you've really gained enough muscle to counter any decrease in fat which would justify the scale remaining at a constant. Most of us aren't lucky enough to gain a significant amount of muscle while trying to lose body fat. There are certainly exceptions, but it seems pretty rare.

Any advise on getting leaner and boosting my metabolism? I think I need to be a little more disciplined with my cheat days, but I don't think I can eat any less on non-cheat days because I'm typically pretty hungry.

Thanks!

Diet, diet, diet. Oh and one more thing - diet!

Eat more on non-cheat days, so you don't have to cheat so badly. If you have 200kcal of cheat/day on top of your regular eating you do less harm than slaming it all into one day. If your cheat days are really only 3500kcal, then thats an extra 200/day. However, if you are eating junk it will slow your metabolism and the calories could easily be double your 'estimates'. Especially if you are eating resaurant deserts or something. You could instead 'cheat' on all natural home made foods - you'd be able to count calories, but still eat pizza, pancakes etc..

#1 eat 6-7 times/day (not including PWO shake)
#2 Meat (well protein) +veggies (fiberous food) = high metabolism. You body uses a lot of energy to digest these.
#3 Eat protein with every meal.

I used to think I had a genetically low metabolism. Now I realise it was my diet - it was low even when I did a lot of exercise.

If someone isn't seeing the fat loss results they're looking for, a vast majority of the time, their diet is to blame. One of several scenarios is possible for your situation, but here a three likely causes: 1) you're taking in more calories than you realize, 2) cheat days are kicking you out of the caloric deficit you've created during the week, 3) the number of calories you're currently consuming is too high for the rate of fat loss you're trying to achieve.



Good points but don't forget: 4) You may not actuallt be eating enough so your body is trying very hard to hang onto what you have- though from what is said above- I doubt that's the probalem here.

I used to think I had a genetically low metabolism.

That's funny, that's what I currently think. :D

Thanks for the advice! I really do think it's my diet, especially my cheat days. I've been eating more fresh veggies this week (mostly lettuce, spinich and carrots) and they seem to satisfy my hunger as much as food with more calories and carbs. I'm going to make it a point to eat more of them. I also think I'm going to cut my cheat day down to maybe two cheat meals per week.

One of my biggest problems (excuses) is that my wife buys all kinds of snacks for our kids (3 and 5). I'm usually pretty good about leaving them alone, but just the fact that they're there makes it harder than if there were no snacks in the house.

One of my biggest problems (excuses) is that my wife buys all kinds of snacks for our kids (3 and 5). I'm usually pretty good about leaving them alone, but just the fact that they're there makes it harder than if there were no snacks in the house.
You know these snacks are bad for you. Imagine what they're doing for your kids.

I'm unstuck! Lost 4 pounds over the past 10 days. I didn't cheat at all last weekend, cut out my late meal and changed my cardio to 35 min low intensity (65-75% max) followed by a 10 minute run. I may be stopping the fat burning with the 10 minute run, but for now I'm satisfied with the change.

I have noticed a lack of energy during my morning workouts but I'm not sure if it's cutting the last meal or the lack of sleep I've had all week. Probably a little of both. I might just have a couple tblsps of PB a little earlier in the evening, but I'll wait until I'm back on a good sleep schedule before i do that. Anyway, thanks for all the great advise!

Good points but don't forget: 4) You may not actuallt be eating enough so your body is trying very hard to hang onto what you have- though from what is said above- I doubt that's the probalem here.

I think if you're eating below maintenance and exercising, even though your body might want to hold the fat, you should still be losing muscle, so the scale should keep going down (even faster than expected from fat loss, since muscle is more dense than fat).

The only reason the weight does not go down is Cal in > Cal out.

I used to think I had a genetically low metabolism. Now I realise it was my diet - it was low even when I did a lot of exercise.

I don't know who said it but I steal quotes constantly and this reminds me that: "The harder I work, the better my genetics get."