Thread: Advice please

Congrats on the amazing amount of weight you have lost this far. Considering the time and the amount of weight you have lost, you should be feeling very good about your self. I am sure it took time to put on the extra weight, so be patient, it is going to take time for it to come off. Hang in there and don't get discouraged.

well im no genius, but you my friend seem to have hit a plateau.. and in my scientific studies (syfy network), your going to want to shock your body.. may i suggest slowly(snail slow) increasin calories for a while, then choppin them back down cold turkey.. That has worked for women i know (my naggin ass wife).. also instead you could merely try incorporating some crazy off the wall workout scheme into your routine.. say your just runnin moderate paced slow miles.. well add in some hiit or some hard cardio workouts..

Actually I would look up the member Built and read the info in her sig. Shes the diet guru around here.

Originally Posted by amrac

I am stuck. I am a 36 year old female and I have lost from 225lbs to 180lbs since January of this year. I am working out an hour in the gym a day and then 2 hours at home at least 4 days a week. I am trying to keep calories at 1200 and just started a diet of 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat. I am seeing inches slowly come off, but want to see faster results. Any advice on how to shed the fat? I seem to have stalled out.

Welcome amrac
Wow !! Congrats on your weight loss ! I agree with Gena, b patient, you have gotten great results already, & your still seeing inches slowly come off. I kknow it could be frustrating to want results & not get them as fast as you want, but remember loosing weight & keeping it off is about a lifestyle change & commitment.
What's your height ? if you weigh right now 180 lbs and are only eating 1200 cals, it seems to me those cals are very low. If you're not eating enough you won't loose weight.

Working out 1 hour in the gym & then 2 hours at home seems also excessive, Why don't you post up your diet & training routine, so you can get better feedback.

Don't feel discouraged, feel proud for what you have accomplished thus far. You came to the right the place.

Best of luck to u

amrac, my hat is off to you for your weight loss - well done!

Kindly read homework 1 and see if this helps you restructure your diet and training. Post up your revised plan and we'll help guide you.

Amrac - Congrats girl! You have done great! Sounds like you are compensating for increasing fitness by intensifying your workouts for continued losses. I think diet may be your key. Read all the beginning stuff by Built. Seriously.

When I hit a major plateau (and I had/have LOTS to lose) I switched from cardio to lifting and saw a huge difference.(ie i stopped spending 3hrs a day working out!!!) I also fixed my diet - which means, I was eating what I thought of as very well before - but after figuring out percentages of protein/carb/fat - realized I ate healthy, but wrong. These percentages REALLY matter.

Congratulations again - and don't worry - if you are willing to do your reading, you've come to the right place to triumph over that plateau.

Originally Posted by amrac

I am stuck. I am a 36 year old female and I have lost from 225lbs to 180lbs since January of this year. (snip)

Fantastic! Congratulations on your progress, amrac. Wishing you continued success in reaching your goal weight.

I'm a big fan of keto/low carbs, but you're obviously in great hands here.

Welcome to IronMagazine!

I am doing a mix of cardio and strength training (Jillian Michaels workouts) I mix that in with some yoga and pilates to keep my body guessing. I also do cardio and weights at the gym and try to go 3-4 days a week for about an hour. My calorie intake is averaging between 1100 - 1400 a day and I try and keep that to 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat. I drink nothing but green tea and water and every so often a protein shake or smoothie if it fits into my calorie intake. I'm taking fish oil, multi vitamin, DHEA, and Glucosamine. Any words of wisdom to help? Thanks in advance!

My goal weight is 130 and I'm 5'6". I was there once before; however, that was around the age of 17.

You bet. First off, props again for getting this started. You had some advice that got you to a certain point, but there are some improvements to your current understanding that might help you tailor your approach.

First up - your diet. Please get away from percentages - they're truly meaningless to anyone on a cutting diet. Protein and fat are best thought of as "doses" that are dependent upon your lean mass - the part of you that isn't fat mass; in other words, the part you want to keep. Carbs are not necessary at any "dose", so you just tuck those in as you can afford the calories. Note that I did not say you should not eat any carbohydrate, ever - okay? Just that there's no set target for them.

Next up - your training. Muscles do not need to be confused or kept guessing. They do however respond to stimulus. From this point forward, it might be best for you to not consider the calories burned during exercise - I know that's a bit of a kicker, but exercise burns less and less the more you do it, so you are better off thinking of your diet as the source of your caloric deficit.

Could I trouble you to read homework 1 in my sig? You may find many of your answers in there.

Originally Posted by amrac

My goal weight is 130 and I'm 5'6". I was there once before; however, that was around the age of 17.

You are almost certainly more muscular now than you were at seventeen. How about we set a goal of 140 lbs for now; get some good pix taken then and we'll re-assess, okay?