I'm 5' 10", currently 178 lbs. I started my cutting phase (first time going to a gym ever) on June 1, 2004 at 194 lbs (was 199 late night on my bday on May 19th).

For about 2 weeks now, I've only lost about a pound. I really haven't changed my diet or my exercise routine since I started. I want to start losing 2 pounds a week again until I drop another 10 to 15 lbs.

I eat around 1800 cals a day, composed of either 30/50/20 or 40/40/20 protein/carbs/fat. I eat meals at 8am, noon, 3pm, after the gym I drink a protein shake (7pm), dinner at 8pm.

I go to the gym 4 days a week (or 5 if I want purely a day of cardio in). I do a 5 to 10 minute warmup on the elliptical before my workout and 10 to 15 minutes at the end of my workout. My exercises vary, but I usally am using weights for 45 mins to an hour per session.

Day 1 - Bi / Tri / Forearms
Day 2 - Shoulders / Abs
Day 3 - Off or just 30 mins on the crosstrainer
Day 4 - Legs
Day 5 - Chest / Back / Abs
Weekends - Off or sometimes 1 day of 30 mins on the crosstrainer

Any ideas on what might be throwing off my weight loss for the past couple weeks?

I find it quite ironic that I, perhaps the most impatient person on the planet, find myself giving someone the advice to be patient. By my calculations, you've lost 16 lbs in about 10 weeks. Judged by any standard, that's success. It's normal for weight loss to slow down a little after several weeks of dieting. It's also normal for the weight loss to slow down as you get close to your goals. Since you're within 10 lbs, you are getting close. You're still losing a half pound per week and that's still a pretty quick pace to be losing the last 10 lbs or so. Anything faster than that and you'll be taking the chance of losing LBM along with the fat.

So what if it takes 20 weeks instead of 5 weeks to reach your ultimate goal? What are you going to do when you get there? For this to be a lasting change, it has to be a lifestyle change, not something you're going to do for just a few weeks. If you're truly doing this for a lifetime, what's an extra 15 weeks to make your goal?

Sorry if this seems like some kind of a rant as it's really not. I keep preaching this same message to myself on a daily basis!!

Having said all of that, you say that you haven't changed your routine lately. Changing the routine is one of the first things to consider when you're facing a plateau. Also, consider adding a little more cardio to your routine. I'm a firm believer that a well rounded program of cardio, weight training and diet is the key to sustained fat loss.

I hear ya.. I'm the same way now.. (Check my thread about HIIT i just put up)

I was losing an amazing 5 pounds a week on average cycling my ass off.

I plateau'd recently, and my weight tapered. I could tell I was still trimming up though.. physically I'm looking thinner though my weight is staying about the same. (Down to 98.5 kg)

I just started HIIT today mixing it in with endurance cycling that I've been doing. Hoping to see some new results now.

I'll let you know how it goes.

-The Rooster

I plan on this to be a lifestyle change, just wasn't sure if I should be doing something differently to start burning off the fat again.

After being 190+ lbs since I was about 20 years old, it feels great to already be in the 170s. I guess it is just me starting to get impatient as I get closer to my goals.

I appreciate the info guys!

In my honest opinion, it's your dietary attack that needs to change, not the cardio. Eating in a manner to support fat loss AND lean mass preservation/gain, makes a WORLD OF DIFFERENCE. Judging by the percentages of macros you listed, and the times/places in which you eat, I am more than certain your diet, if changed, would provide the results you are looking for w/out having to resort to HIIT.

Just some suggestions from experience.

~SC~

What suggestions do you have for a difference in macro consumption? Everything I've read up on says that a 40/40/20 diet is great for cutting. Should I lower the fat down to about 10%?

Also, what times would you suggest to eat throughout the day? I thought I was doing all this correctly...

Just a side note: I work from 9am to 6pm daily and go straight to the gym.

Yeah I think it's diet, and your body has adapted to what you're giving it now. I don't think that going 12 hours without food is a stellar idea, but to the point I would try taking a week "off" and upping your food intake, to try and bump your metabolism up. Go for 2600/day. Ignore whatever scale weight you may increase (it's fluids). You won't gain any fat or any meaningful amount of fat at least, with this. Then try resuming your more restricted calorie intake. Continue with weights and cardio, but give yourself a good bit more food, then resume this and see how it works. I did the same recently to great benefit I think. My 1800/day was not giving much in the way of results, so I slacked off for a while, and then when I resumed the 1800 it didn't take long at all to get past where I was before, and keep on going.

Hi Vestigo

Congrats on your progress so far.

My experience in weight loss is that it is not 'linear' over time. Weight loss will vary. If you chart it over time, you'll get quite a few spikes & dips every few days.

That you had been averaging 2lbs/week is good. A two week period where you only see a 1 lb drop is not alarming. It happened to me as I went from 184 to 161. Towards the end, I was averaging around .9 to 1 lb per week, though.

If I were in your shoes:
I would make no drastic changes;
I would eat clean; 5-7 small meals a day;
Exercise - cardio and weights;
Get a good night's sleep every night;
No alcohol.

In short:
Give your routine a bit more time (maybe another 2 weeks) before drawing a conclusion something is wrong.

Fitness/fatloss is very much a dietary thing. I (as many others) found I had a very inaccurate idea of how many calories I consumed. If you find your routine not giving you results, you might consider taking a closer look at your calorie intake - ie using a tool such as Fitday or Dietpower. These tools help calculating & logging the foods you consume.

This was just my (unprofessional) opinion. Hope it helps!

René

Yeah... I think I'm gonna keep up with what I've been doing. I feel great after going to the gym, and I'm never hungry anymore after eating small meals. I may kick up the cardio a bit on my off days starting next week.

This week I've been showing two of my friends how to use the machines and freeweights so I've gotten a hell of a workout (possibly overworked, but it's for the sake of friends' health, so I don't mind) :)

I appreciate all the comments / ideas. I can't wait to see this computer geek's body transformed one day.

I really hope this hurricane doesn't close the gym tomorrow night. I live just outside orlando so I may have to figure out something else to do after work.

I'm bumping my own thread to rant heh...

It's almost 2 weeks later and I haven't dropped a pound. Still 178, although it was 176 a couple days ago the morning after I slept through dinner until the morning. I'm guessing the extra couple pounds missing that day were because of the meals missed.

I've been to the gym 9 times since I started this thread. I've written down my daily calorie / macro consumption. The whole time I've been between 1600 and 1900 calories, usually getting in about 30% protein, 50% carbs, 20% fat.

I've started drinking a whey shake before bed and spaced my meals out a little more evenly throughout the day.

I bumped up my cardio again also...

The only other thing I've yet to try is over-eating. I may try to do a mini-bulk for a week to see what happens when I go back to my regular dieting.

If any other suggestions, I'm all ears. I appreciate all the help so far from yall.

On a good note, I had 2 people tell me I'm starting to look buff (on the same day), so I guess something is working for me.

In my honest opinion, it's your dietary attack that needs to change, not the cardio. Eating in a manner to support fat loss AND lean mass preservation/gain, makes a WORLD OF DIFFERENCE. Judging by the percentages of macros you listed, and the times/places in which you eat, I am more than certain your diet, if changed, would provide the results you are looking for w/out having to resort to HIIT.

Just some suggestions from experience.

~SC~

This guy knows what he's talking about. I'd listen to him...


Just wanted to mention that if you are gaining MUSCLE, even if you are losing fat your weight will not decrease; it may even go up. Just something to keep in mind. Often people who just began lifting will put on some pounds of muscle that "negate" the fat they lose. Remember, it's not always about the number of pounds you carry, it's about how you look, feel and your body fat %.

Very very true... The only thing that I wonder about though, is if I'm only taking in 1600 to 1900 calories, could I actually be gaining that much muscle to equal the amount of fat lost?

I wouldnt pay so much attention to the scales. Have you checked your bodycomp? Compare your measurments now to a month ago.

I have been stuck at 180 for the last 4 weeks. However I lost 1.5" off my waist, and 3 inches off my chest and added 1/2" to my arms.

Keeping going you are doing great!

Rr

I'm thinking I must have mis-measured on my first mybodycomp... My first measurement was a month ago, at 183 lbs, it said I was at 23.21 % BF, a few days ago, 178 lbs and 17.85 % BF. I don't know which to believe... I don't think in 1 month I've lost 6 % of my body fat...

I just ordered calipers yesterday so I should have this in another day or two. Let's see how badly I can mess up the measurement on that heh.

Just thought I would update y'all with how I (hopefully) broke my plateau. I didn't change my exercise routine at all, but instead I decided to bump up my caloric intake. Where I was taking in 1600 to 1900 calories before, this whole week, I've moved it up to around 2200 to 2300. I finally saw the scale hit 175.5 this morning, and I had a pretty decent sized dinner last night and a midnight shake.

Who would have thought that eating too little would make you hold weight?

I also feel so much more energetic at the gym with all the extra calories and I feel like my workouts have been much more productive.

I'll keep ya posted on if this is a fluke...

In my honest opinion, it's your dietary attack that needs to change, not the cardio. Eating in a manner to support fat loss AND lean mass preservation/gain, makes a WORLD OF DIFFERENCE. Judging by the percentages of macros you listed, and the times/places in which you eat, I am more than certain your diet, if changed, would provide the results you are looking for w/out having to resort to HIIT.

Just some suggestions from experience.

~SC~

I've noticed that you really push the diet.... Can you provide some more insight on a diet that promotes fatloss/muscle gain? Or is this something that you can do on a consultation basis? I'd be interested in hearing your ideas, since you've obviously succeeded in what you do.

Who would have thought that eating too little would make you hold weight?

I also feel so much more energetic at the gym with all the extra calories and I feel like my workouts have been much more productive.

The fact that you are more energetic... or less lethargic... is the key.
You were not taking in enough calories over and above your BMR, so your body was bordering on a starvation mode, cutting your metabolism and hoarding fat.

Bumping the intake allowed your body to "realize" that it is NOT starving... it cranked itself back up, so you have more energy, meaning that you are burning more energy, and cutting into some of those fat stores.

This reinforces the need for an occasional "cheat meal" or even "cheat day"... they keep us from going crazy with the often bland and routine diet, and they can "shock" the system into breaking (or preventing) a plateau.


Good work!