Hit a plateau.. need a little help!

[vtasurfer1277]

I recently started hitting the gym again, it's been a few years. Male 6'2" 194lbs 19% body fat 34 years old. I'm going on 90 days now, the first 35 I just did pretty much cardio and ate like a bird and lost roughly 20 lbs (I was 220 roughly 24% body fat and out of shape when I started!) I carry most of my weight around the midsection.I've been working really really hard with diet and exersize. The last 60 days has consisted of 5 days a week weights+cardio(20 minutes on the stair climber). I've been eating really good and i'm taking my Gold Protein daily as well. I've been happy with the results up until about two weeks ago and everything just stopped, I really havent seen much of anything lately. Ive built up a pretty good muscle base and lost a good amount of weight around my midsection and love handles area. What I really want to lose is the extra 10 on my lower belly area, dam beer gutt just wont budge! I'm wondering if I should stop the weight training and hit the cardio again and try to lose the last 10lbs around my belly? I dont prefere to, because i feel good and am looking way better and toner. Maybe just add another 20 minutes into my cardio? I'm not trying to get big or bulk really just trying to tone and lose my lower belly fat. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the long post fellas.

 

[sassy69]

Maybe your body is done responding to your current protocol. Its hard to say anything w/o more detail.

Can you please list out what is your current typical day's meal plan, put it into a food counts program like FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal so you can post the total cals as well as macronutrient breakdown (%, grams of protein/ fat/ carb). And then list your training split so we know what you're doing. Usually small tweaks will get things moving again. Extreme changes like going to all cardio & starving again are just going to cause you to give up muscle.

 

[LAM]

I'm going on 90 days now, the first 35 I just did pretty much cardio and ate like a bird and lost roughly 20 lbs (I was 220 roughly 24% body fat and out of shape when I started!)

odds are your caloric intake is to low for your current level of activity to facilitate fat loss. the initial weight loss was mostly water as the result of glycogen (stored glucose) being metabolized as the primary energy source.

 

[Noghri73]

I'm wondering if I should stop the weight training and hit the cardio again and try to lose the last 10lbs around my belly? .

I wouldn't drop the lifting.
Lifting is providing your body with the demands to keep that muscle.

Otherwise your body says "Self, this muscle uses more daily calories than this fat - and we don't even use it. Might as well burn it."
Then you become skinny-fat, as Built would say.

 

[vtasurfer1277]

Thank you guys very much for getting back to me!

I’ve never really been the counting calories kinda guy, but recently I havebeen trying to keep track of an estimated daily calorie intake number. My dietpretty much consists of the same thing every day with minor adjustments…..

9AM Protein shake 2 scoops and a banana
11:45AM 1 to 2 cups Dannon Low fat yogurt
2PM Couple chicken or steak corn tacos from the mex place right next to my work
5:30 PM Pre workout protein shake 1 scoop
830 PM Post creatine drink 200 calories
9pm 2-3 cups Chicken or Beef w/ carrots, kidney beans, black beans, salsa,sweet potatoes from my crockpot ! Dam good!
11 pm 1 cup Low fat cottage cheese and pineapple slices
2M sometimes I have a chicken salad instead
I must admit some days I am in a hurry and I’ll microwave1-Lean pizza pocket for lunch or dinner or grab a burger for lunch no friesetc. maybe ones a week
I have a sweet tooth, so every now and then I’ll grab somenonfat chocolate little pudding packs and have one. Just being honest.. I know,I know
I always have a gallon of water with me, no soda or juiceever.
I asked a friend of mine if he thought I was gettingenough calories for my size and weight, he said to keep it around 2500-3000until I get to about 13-14% body fat. I’m guessing I’m around 2000 to 3000 aday, in that range. Is that enough? I have a pretty big frame wider shoulderslonger muscles.
I agree with not stopping the weights and I won’t withconfirmation from you guys.
Please, keep the advice coming! Appreciate it very much Fellas!!
Thank you

 

[ChickDiesel]

Thank you guys very much for getting back to me!

I’ve never really been the counting calories kinda guy, but recently I havebeen trying to keep track of an estimated daily calorie intake number. My dietpretty much consists of the same thing every day with minor adjustments…..

9AM Protein shake 2 scoops and a banana
11:45AM 1 to 2 cups Dannon Low fat yogurt
2PM Couple chicken or steak corn tacos from the mex place right next to my work
5:30 PM Pre workout protein shake 1 scoop
830 PM Post creatine drink 200 calories
9pm 2-3 cups Chicken or Beef w/ carrots, kidney beans, black beans, salsa,sweet potatoes from my crockpot ! Dam good!
11 pm 1 cup Low fat cottage cheese and pineapple slices
2M sometimes I have a chicken salad instead
I must admit some days I am in a hurry and I’ll microwave1-Lean pizza pocket for lunch or dinner or grab a burger for lunch no friesetc. maybe ones a week
I have a sweet tooth, so every now and then I’ll grab somenonfat chocolate little pudding packs and have one. Just being honest.. I know,I know
I always have a gallon of water with me, no soda or juiceever.
I asked a friend of mine if he thought I was gettingenough calories for my size and weight, he said to keep it around 2500-3000until I get to about 13-14% body fat. I’m guessing I’m around 2000 to 3000 aday, in that range. Is that enough? I have a pretty big frame wider shoulderslonger muscles.
I agree with not stopping the weights and I won’t withconfirmation from you guys.
Please, keep the advice coming! Appreciate it very much Fellas!!
Thank you

Okay, well your diet definitely needs to change! Not only do you need to take in more calories, your macronutrient breakdown needs to be revamped to a more clean approach! Nevermind counting calories, so long as you keep it clean and unrefined. Tacos, pizza pockets,burger???? Are you trying to lose body fat or gain it?

Continue weight training! But continue your cardio as well! Switch around the timeframe in which you do your cardio. Try to aim for an hour a day. Do about 30 minutes on an empty stomach of moderate walking or slow jog before breakfast. You may take in black coffee and aminos, but that's it. After you finish your cardio...take in a protein isolate that is lean and low in sugar,
your meals should look more like this:
Postworkout: Protein Isolate w/ water only
bfast:1/2c dry oats w/water only, 2 whole eggs, 3 whites
mid morning: 1c Greek yogurt(plain/nonfat), 1/4c blueberries, 1tbsp almonds
lunch:6oz lean protein(lean!!!! unprocessed!!!!), 4oz complex carb...brown rice or sweet potatoe no extras
midafternoon snack: 1scoop whey protein, w/ 2tbsp almond, flax or coconut milk (unsweetened only),
Dinner: 6oz lean protein...green veggies...asparagus/spinach/broccoli/green beans...
Before Bed: have your aminos/some cla/and if you are still hungry, some whey with water only!

You can adjust the portions however you see fit, and i don't count my good fats as calories towards my deficit...so if you take flaxseed oil or fish oils, they don't count. Your output needs to be higher than your input, but if you hit a plateau chances are you are thwarting your metabolism right now and need to eat more to lose more! Simply put!!!

P.S. Ditch the bananas and pineapple! They are like sugar sticks!!!

 

[BIGBEN2011]

really susprised about the ditching bannana and pineapple i would have touht they where ok what about bluberris and strawberries i eat tons of those.should i stop eating fruit really i eat the bannanas to help with the cramping i get during tranning.

 

[vtasurfer1277]

Ok, so starting tomorrow I will start my new diet. Thank youvery much for your input everyone and thanks for the new diet Diesal ! I willtry to add an extra 30 minutes to my cardio as well. One more questions for you guys and gals
I’m taking protein and creatine , is there any othersupplements you would recommend? Amino’s? Etc.

 

[Cork]

In a caloric deficit, aminos can help either pre or during workout. I always recommend a good set of fish oils. Basically on a cut, your diet should be strict and monotonous. You need to use supplementation to fill in the gaps. For example, eating enough veggies? No? Take a multivitamin. Eating all lean meats? Fish oil caps.

My favorite fish oil is Orbit Nutrition - Buy SciVation Essential-FA Cheap!. 6 caps a day total and not a single fish burp. As far as multivitamins go, pretty much anyone will be fine.

 

[jmorrison]

In my opinion, supplements in order of most important:

1. Multivitamin
2. Fish Oil
3. Protein
4. Everything else.

I think everyone should be taking the first 2, regardless of where you are in life fitness-wise. They are just too beneficial to overlook. Protein powders are great if you need some help getting in your macros, and everything else is very hit and miss depending on the person. For example, I avoid creatine. It works, it is a proven supplement, but it gives me cramps and bloats me. So while I would certainly say that it is worth a try for most people, it is not a "must have".

 

[Jack B.]

Have you heard of periodization? When I hit my first plateau a couple of years ago I started varying my workouts which helped greatly.

 

[bigbill69]

if your only hitting your muscles 1 time a week i would reccomend doing them 2 times a week and if you doing your muscles 2 times a week now i would reccomend doing them 1 time a week.I notice a difference between swithing them up.i usually do this every 3 months maybe 4 and i notice a difference in the first week