Fat loss suggestions

[SDChungus]

Have you checked your blood sugar? Learning the relationship between glucose and insulin really helped me lose weight during a plateau.

Insulin is the hormone that controls how your cells use glucose and triggers fat storage. The more blood sugar you have, the more insulin gets produced. Also, if your body becomes resistant to insulin, you’ll feel hungrier because low insulin, or perceived low insulin, triggers hunger.

Your body will flood your blood with glucose at various times of the day. Try checking your blood sugar every hour when you’re awake and every two hours during sleep hours for a week. You’ll find times, even if you haven’t eaten, that your blood sugar will be higher.

Once you’ve mapped out your natural blood sugar cycle, avoid eating when your body tends to have higher fasting glucose numbers. For instance, I have a high between 0600 and 0800. I don’t eat during that time period to avoid adding fuel to an already high blood sugar.

I have never tried this. Ill look into that

 

[*zap*]

#1 fat loss measure is daily low intensity fasted cardio.....absolutely works. Depending on duration you can use 250-600 calories a low intensity workout. If you have no insulin in your blood because your fasted and keep it at low intensity so you release no insulin then your body will use fat to make your atp. @ 350 calories a day in one month you will drop 3 pounds of fat...and increase your overall fitness level.

 

[V2Pnutrition]

As my name implies iv always been a short chungus. Iv been putting hard time in on the treadmill, elliptical, and alternating upper/lower resistance training. I am a short stalky build dropped from 264 to 227 over the last 8 months. I am gaining a good amount of strength and endurance. However, I am just stuck the last 2 months at 227...just can't shake it. Im running on a 2000-2200 calorie diet which has a good amount of protein. The wife says im slowly still losing inches...but the scale sure hasent moved anymore. I don't know if i should drop another 500 calories to 1700-1800 and push more protein or what. Thoughts? Meat sources mainly chicken, beef and buffalo with the occasional porkchop. 3 eggs in the morning and whey isolate. Portions 6-8oz meat and whatever frozen vegetables. Minimal bread and pastas. Diet really is pretty clean.

I've spoken privately to the OP, but wanted to chime in more as I know other guys will search or come across this thread seeking help themselves.

With all due respect to everyone's thoughts to the OP- nutrition is WAY less complicated than much of the nuanced information in this thread.

If weight is plateaued for an extended period of time, it's likely because one of two reasons:
1- you're experiencing a body recomposition (i.e. retaining/building muscle while truly losing fat).
2- the calories coming in are higher than you think.

Are there "zerbras in a pack of horses" and bizarre metabolic anomalies? Absolutely. But like the quote insinuates- those are among the very, very select few. Not the masses.

The body is designed to survive and will adapt to a reduced calorie intake over time. Unfortunately, we can't begin a nutrition plan and trust that it will lead to weight loss in perpetuity. When the plateau comes (and it will), decide which camp you fall in from the above and adjust accordingly.

Nutrition CAN be a very complex topic, yes. But, at the end of the day, you have to start any program/plan with a solid foundation. Included in that is finding a strategy that works best for you and being incredibly consistent with that.

 

[sgailey]

I think the comment in regards to this being a marathon and not a sprint. I am also struggling with this very thing.


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[insanelupus]

If weight is plateaued for an extended period of time, it's likely because one of two reasons:
1- you're experiencing a body recomposition (i.e. retaining/building muscle while truly losing fat).
2- the calories coming in are higher than you think.

Kyle, any chance, either here or in a new thread, you could wring this out a little? Why we plateau, how we can address it, and what are reasonable expectations on the other side of that plateau?

Not only, IMO, would it be interesting and educational, but others might find it as helpful as I would.

 

[V2Pnutrition]

Kyle, any chance, either here or in a new thread, you could wring this out a little? Why we plateau, how we can address it, and what are reasonable expectations on the other side of that plateau?

Not only, IMO, would it be interesting and educational, but others might find it as helpful as I would.

That's such a good question and one that probably deserves a cup of coffee and conversation with the person who has plateaued- there's a host of different reasons and remedies that will vary from person to person.

However, it's important to remember that a genuine plateau is because of one reason- metabolic adaptation by the body.

I outlined it more in an article here (feel free to take down if not allowed moderators).

The piece you highlighted is more aimed at body composition and weight changes- not a true plateau.

In my experience, many people think they've plateaued when what's really happening is they're either (a) eating too much (relative to the amount of movement they're engaging in) (b) moving too little (relative to the amount they're eating), or (c) a combination of both.

 

[Vaultman]

I am by no means an expert, but I read a book once... "The Complete Guide to Fasting" (by Dr. Fung & Jimmy Moore) and then started an intermittent fasting schedule. I was right near 300 lbs in August. In 10 weeks I had dropped 50 lbs. Yes, 5 per week.
It is not for everyone, but it sure worked for me. I have not been so strict with it the last 6 weeks, but didn't gain anything back. I started up again Monday this week, and am seeing progress again, as I suspected.

 

[Maverick1]

He’s a big chungus. Good luck, man, really like the name!

 

[amassi]

Create a caloric deficit through increasing activity or decreasing intake.

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[SaltySailor]

I have been on a weight rollercoaster for the past 15 years. On the last journey my diet and exercise plan were on point, then I reached the dreaded plateau just like you have, couldn't shake the scale lower. I tried swimming and it worked. My body was used to the cardio/lift plan I had developed, and swimming jacked me up for the first month as my body was not used to it and new muscle groups were getting involved. I started dropping on the scale again. Bonus was swimming broke up the monotony of my work out routine, just had to get over the embarrassment of my ugly swimming strokes.

 

[*zap*]

What you eat may be very important so not just calories in/out....if you want fat loss and not just weight loss. Non processed foods/no refined sugars is where it is at. Obviously you do not want a big caloric consumption surplus but the quality of your food is very important....also limit carb consumption gradually so you are just fueling or replacing around exercise sessions or hard work. If your diet sucks it may take quite a while of gradual change to make a sustainable switch to eating healthier but if you can do something sustainable then a year or so to accomplish that is well worth it.

 

[insanelupus]

OP, Kyle (V2Pnutrition) is good at what he does and does a great job of keeping it simple. If he is in touch with you, you'll benefit from his input, undoubtedly.

Thanks for the article Kyle, much appreciated.

 

[V2Pnutrition]

OP, Kyle (V2Pnutrition) is good at what he does and does a great job of keeping it simple. If he is in touch with you, you'll benefit from his input, undoubtedly.

Thanks for the article Kyle, much appreciated.

That’s very kind of you to say, @insanelupus. I appreciate that.

 

[Plowboy85]

Some solid information and suggestions thus far but I’d add to a couple points. Daily calories goals are very approximate and must be proofed by each individual. If you are at 2200-2300 calories a day pre cardio and exercise than that’s not bad assuming you are burning 500ish in those events and you are being very honest with you tracking. I believe your calorie goal should be set to the weight you intended to be not where you are, if your goal is 180lb (a guess) then your intake limits should be set at that assuming its not too much at once and doesn’t deserve a staggered approach. Another suggestion I have is most people over-emphasize protein needs and typically recommend it on a 1g per lb of body weight, protein goals should only be set on your lean body mass…just think for a minute, does 50lbs of fat really need protein. Yes protein does/can burn fat but eating addition protein based calories isn’t ideal. One last opinion I have is most people with fat to loose will not burn muscle if they are providing adequate protein and exercising sufficiently. If you create a calorie deficit then yes your body will burn fat and muscle at no standard ratio but typically muscle is conserved and built with exercise and the proper nutrition. I have been working with a friend who has lost 30lbs in 16wks with cleaning up the diet and we strength train 5 days with random 2 mile runs at lunch. He has added good muscle throughout and lost 4” on his waist.

 

[Seeknelk]

Also...if you keep cutting cals and simply upping "cardio" you will dig yourself into a metabolic hole where you must cut more and more cals and do more and more cardio or you start gaining again at the slightest increase.
Build a solid metabolism. A solid 3 days/week of moderate to heavy resistance training ( full body or upper lower splits are fine)
with enough aerobic training for the performance you need. For your size and activity level it seems you should be able to easily take in 2500 cals and not gain weight. Maybe try a slight bump up in cals. But your doing great!

 

[danaholley16]

I'm sure it been me mentioned I haven't read the thread. KETO baby... I lost like 25 pounds in 3-4 months and I felt really great.

Now I'm off keto and started boozing again and put it right back on haha.

 

[Holocene]

Lift weights. Intensely, but with rest and recovery.

Cut too much cardio. It’s not 1989.

Calories in = calories gained is a myth. Horrible myth.

Avoid refined sugars and carbs.

Do some intermittent fasting.

“Eat real food, not too much” — Michael Pollan

Read up on Gary Taubes and his work on diet, exercise, and weight. He’s a data driven journalist and not a diet guru salesman.

Crush it man.

 

[Seeknelk]

I'm sure it been me mentioned I haven't read the thread. KETO baby... I lost like 25 pounds in 3-4 months and I felt really great.

Now I'm off keto and started boozing again and put it right back on haha.

That's the problem with highly restrictive diet, cutting out a whole macro group is tough to sustain and doesn't tend to build good habits or relationships with food. It does tend to help ,make it easier for people to cut weight but usually , not always, in the long run, it ends up back on, and then some.

 

[*zap*]

I think it is best if all fitness and weight goals are tempered with realism as far as sustainability. The long game is what matters. I see new guys my age go hard @ the gym for a little while and then they are gone...we all hear about the fast weight losses and then a year later its all back..a good plan done incrementally and consistently wins every time.

 

[Plowboy85]

That's the problem with highly restrictive diet, cutting out a whole macro group is tough to sustain and doesn't tend to build good habits or relationships with food. It does tend to help ,make it easier for people to cut weight but usually , not always, in the long run, it ends up back on, and then some.

The wife talked me into the keto deal a few years ago when I let the blue moon and fried food get the best of me. I have never been so hungry in my life. Keeping calories in check and carbs below the threshold was terrible for me, I could never seem to feel full and I’m a bit$& when I’m hungry lol.