Suddenly Stuck

[dorlic]

the newbie info:
weightlifting 4X/week: m(upper bodyA),t(lower bodya),th(upper bodyB),f(lower body B) following intense-workout.com plan.

lean muscle mass: @200, height: 6'5" weight: 366lbs (once high of 423)

current calories/day - 2000-2500 (fluctuates with family dinner)
Macros (approx):
Protien - 185g
Fat - 75g
carbs - 180 g

Hey guys, this is my first post so I will try to include as much info as I am supposed to. I have been actively hitting the gym and watching calories for a little over six months now. Since then, I have been steadily losing @2-3 lbs of fat ( I am pretty sure of this, since during that same time I steadily increase my weight in my workouts).

I have been at a steady diet of @2000-2500 *closer to 2000 from the beginning and everything was fine until last week. Since last week, I only lost .5 lbs, additionally, weight training has become very difficult, no longer progressing in increasing weight and sometimes I can't do the reps I have done in the past.

So I examined my diet:

According to Fitday.com at 366 It requires 5056 calories to maintain that weight. I am looking to maintain a steady 3 lb/week loss until, at least, I hit below 300.
(* I understand that this needs to be re-calculated every couple of weeks
due to the drop in weight causing my daily caloric need to change. *)

So, in my mind, one week at 5000 cals per day that's 35000 cals/week.minus
3500 cals per lb X 3 = 10500. 35000 - 10500 = 24500 cal to eat/ week.

24500 / 7 = 3500 Calories/day. So as stated above I am eating @2000 per day.

Finally, the questions are:

Am in some form of starvation mode? I have seen others at 2000cals but it is unlikely that they are at my weight so i suppose it is possible?

Should I modify my caloric intake to 3500?

Lastly, any words of advise for someone trying to turn his life around? Thanks in advance for any advice.

Dan

 

[dorlic]

Oh, also is refeed something I should consider? if so, would that be consumption of 5000 calories or more? thanks again.

 

[Built]

Your rate of loss is slow, but you are losing, so you know at least you're in a deficit. Based on your current calories and the roughly two and a quarter pounds you dropped on average each week, your maintenance was about the 2250 per day you've been eating plus the more than thousand calorie a day deficit you've been running - in other words, about 3400 calories a day.

3400 calories a day is appropriate for a 250lb man, but not for someone your size - not at your activity level. I'll ask the obvious question: have you had your thyroid checked?

How are you measuring your intake, and could you please describe your training?

PS MAJOR props for the almost sixty pounds you've dropped!

 

[dorlic]

Thanks for the reply!

Responses below are in Red

Your rate of loss is slow, but you are losing, so you know at least you're in a deficit. Based on your current calories and the roughly two and a quarter pounds you dropped on average each week, your maintenance was about the 2250 per day you've been eating plus the more than thousand calorie a day deficit you've been running - in other words, about 3400 calories a day.

3400 calories a day is appropriate for a 250lb man, but not for someone your size - not at your activity level. I'll ask the obvious question: have you had your thyroid checked?

For the past 3 years or so I have been making it a priority to go to the doctor for six month blood tests and just recently I have asked to have my thyroid levels check, they fell within "normal" parameters but I do understand that it is sometimes difficult to detect. I am concerned because at a very young age my sister was diagnosed with hypothyroidism (her thyroid doesn't produce any hormones). Additionally, my mom age 71, just recently has been put on medicine for mild hypothyroidism. So I thinking it is only a matter of time that I may be diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism.

How are you measuring your intake,(I use FitDay.com to measure my food.) and could you please describe your training?
Below is last week's workout, my directions is if I hit the rep goals for a given set, the following week I increase the weight by 5 lbs and I stay at that weight until I can complete it --
Monday's:
ISO Bench Press 4X6-8 (2-3min. rest) 150 8 8 8
ISO lateral High Rows 4X6-8 (2-3min rest) 200 8 8 8 8
MTS ISO Incline Press 2X10-12 (1-2 min rest) 140 12 12
Lat Pull Down 2X10-12 (1-2min rest) 130 12 12
Shrugs 2X10-12 (1-2min rest) 80/side
Hard Tricep Press Down 2X10-12 (1-2min rest) 70 12 10
ISO Preacher Curls 2X10-12 (1-2min rest) 80 12 12

Tues:
Leg press (4X12) 360 12 12 12 12
Seated Calf Press (4X12) 360 12 12 12 12
Leg curl (3X10) 160 10 10 10 8
Leg extension (3X10) 170 10 8 8 7
Adduction (4X12) 170 12 12 12 12

Thurs:
lat pull-downs 4X6-8 2-3 minutes 160 8 8 8 8
Shoulder Press 4X6-8 2-3 minutes 80 8 8 8 8
Seated Cable Row 2X10-12 1-2 minutes 150 12 12
ISO Bench Press 3X8-10 2 minutes 155 9 6 2
ISO Preacher Curls 2X10-12 1-2 minutes 75 12 12
Tricep Press Down 2X10-12 1-2 minutes 75 12

Friday:
Dumbell Squats 4X6-8 2-3 minutes 50/per 8 8 3 (right knee hurt so stopped at 3)
Standing Leg Curls 3X10-12 2 minutes 175 12 12 12
Seated Calf Raises 3X10-12 1-2 minutes 135 12 12
Abs 10 minutes

PS MAJOR props for the almost sixty pounds you've dropped! Thanks, I know that that the initial weight loss is relatively easy as compared to the remaining I just want to know if I stuck at .5 lbs/week weight loss even though I an dieting for 3lbs/week. As a side note, I have added about 500 cals this weekend to my diet and immediately jumped up .5 lbs. Seems crazy to me that my weight loss levels are where other people's "starvation modes" are, but I will just chalk it up to being my size if so.

 

[Built]

What were your most recent thyroid bloodwork numbers - please include the reference ranges as well.

Your workouts are too focussed on machines. Get off them. I don't even see any deadlifts in there.

 

[dorlic]

I have been looking for my results and I can't seem to find them. I may reschedule another run since it has been a while.

I took your advice and added Romanian dead lifts to my Tuesday workout. I have been hesitant to add dead lifts and squats to my routine since I had a bad knee pain when I was over 400+, but that is now gone and I guess so is the excuse.

The deadlifts were hard, but nothing painful so they are here to stay.

Thanks for your tips, built.

 

[dorlic]

Built,
Took a while, eventually gave up and went and had a the testing done. Here are the results:

Thyroid panel with TSH, 3rd gen
Test, my results, expected results
T3 uptake, 27, 22-35
T4 (thyroxine), 8.2, 4.5-12.5
Free t4 index (t7), 2.2, 1.4-3.8
TSH, 2.38, 0.4-4.50

My doctor said that these were good results. But I am really confused about my caloric intake. When I wrote you I was 366, during the thanksgiving went down to 358, but when I went back to work I spiked to 360. According to Fitday, my daily maintenance of calories is 4984. On Monday I consumed 2860 calories and went up 1 lb in weight. Yesterday, I consumed 2239 calories and maintained that 361.0.

I am confused because if my "real" maintenance at 361 lbs is 2239, what will it be at 250 lb? 1200 cals? I don't think I can hack that! Am I just over thinking this? Part of me is like screw it, just keep training and if I go over maintenance it will get converted to muscle due to workouts...

As always, I appreciate your thoughts.

Dan

 

[gtbmed]

Fitday's daily maintenance calorie amount is more of a guideline than anything. Each individual is going to have different metabolic needs based on genetics, daily activity, etc.

I agree with built on the training - learn how to squat and deadlift properly and start performing them. Also, you are probably doing too much in the gym with your current deficit. You don't need so much training volume to accomplish your goals.

If you have been dieting and training for a long period of time, it's often good to take a short break from the training to allow for recovery and do a small refeed to help with hormone levels. That said, realize that your strength is not going to continue to increase linearly for the rest of your life - at some point your rate of progress will decline.

Congrats on your progress, you are already on the way to turning one aspect of your life around.

Here's my recommendation: pick up the book Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe or go to the Starting Strength website. Use that program for your training. As for your diet, continue to count calories and create a caloric deficit. If you find that you're not losing weight, lower your calories by 10% and track your weight for a few weeks.

 

[dorlic]

Yeah, as per built's recommendation I have added deadlifts and squats into my workouts. They are currently kicking my ass, but I feel a sense of accomplishment when I finish my sets!

I do know that fitday is a guidline, but my concern is how low that calorie count seems and what it will be when I hit my ideal goal weight and how hard it will be to maintain. But like you said, it's a turn around... I just need to stick with it. Thanks for your recommendation.

 

[dorlic]

Hey Greg,
I have been reading the sites you recommended and I gotta say it was good reading. I also found a great link on youtube for squat form (been working squats with lower weights to make sure that I don't hurt myself and that my form is correct).

YouTube - Mark Rippetoe: Intro to the Squat

But is that routine what you are recommending?

Monday
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press / Press (Alternating)
Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure or add weight if completing more than 15 reps

Wednesday
3x5 Squat
3x5 Press / Bench Press (Alternating)
1x5 Deadlift

Friday
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press / Press (Alternating)

seems like not a full workout (admittedly, this stage I am working toward dropping a lot of body fat and trying to continue to have a decent calorie deficit). Thanks again for the advice, really enjoying the site and will look into the book.

 

[Built]

T3 uptake, 27, 22-35
T4 (thyroxine), 8.2, 4.5-12.5
Free t4 index (t7), 2.2, 1.4-3.8
TSH, 2.38, 0.4-4.50

That's a pretty high TSH, and the other numbers are unfortunately not helpful in diagnosing thyroid. You need Free T4 and Free T3 tested.

Find a real doctor.

 

[Built]

Recommended Labwork | Stop The Thyroid Madness

Low Cost Blood Testing: The Health Check USA Blog » Low Cost Blood Testing options for Stop The Thyroid Madness members from HealthCheckUSA

 

[dorlic]

I'm on it!

 

[gtbmed]

Hey Greg,
I have been reading the sites you recommended and I gotta say it was good reading. I also found a great link on youtube for squat form (been working squats with lower weights to make sure that I don't hurt myself and that my form is correct).

YouTube - Mark Rippetoe: Intro to the Squat

But is that routine what you are recommending?

Monday
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press / Press (Alternating)
Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure or add weight if completing more than 15 reps

Wednesday
3x5 Squat
3x5 Press / Bench Press (Alternating)
1x5 Deadlift

Friday
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press / Press (Alternating)

seems like not a full workout (admittedly, this stage I am working toward dropping a lot of body fat and trying to continue to have a decent calorie deficit). Thanks again for the advice, really enjoying the site and will look into the book.

It is pretty much a full workout. It covers everything and it teaches you the most important exercises.

You can add 1-2 exercises per day if you want, but that's it. You really don't need to add anything. Some people like to do arms so they add 2-3 sets of curls and 2-3 sets of some type of tricep exercise.

Rippetoe has a lot of great information on exercise technique, I agree. I'm glad you found his site helpful.