Weight loss plateau

[Benjboi]

When I started losing weight I weighed just under 20st and at first weightloss was steady and measured but I hit 18st 3lb 6 weeks ago and the scales haven't budged since. Here's what I'm doing:

Weights 3 times a week usually split between upper and lower on alternate days, running 3 miles twice a week, swimming once a week and usually doing a bit of cardio after my weights 10 mins on rower as an example.

Diet, I'm eating 5-6 times a day focusing on 40-50% of calories from Protein, 25% cals from carbs and the rest from healthy fats. I've cut out crisps, chocolate and my only 'treat' is greek yoghurt with honey. I'm taking protein powder after training and creatine as well as a multi vitamin once a day. Sleeping between 6 and 8 hours a night. Total calorie intake is between 1500 and 2500 per day usually just over the 2000 and rarely as low as 1500. Although I do allow myself a cheat day where I can go and have a drink with my mates and perhaps a meal out.

The one area I'm probably not as disciplined in is water intake in that I know I should be drinking more fluids but would this really make that much of a difference? My clothes are looser and I'm feeling great in myself and ordinarily I wouldn't worry about a plateau but I'm training for a half marathon towards the end of the year in aid of a friends little girl who's pretty ill and I need to shift weight pretty quickly so I can start focusing on increasing my distances running wise to give me half a chance to finish the race. Any ideas?

[peterr]

Hi,

Congratulations on the weight loss so far!

Because you are weight training and taking protein shakes with creatine you are likely hitting a weight plateau because you are building muscle, offseting what you may be loosing espeically with the frequency of lifting on alternate days.

I would do more cardio after your weight training, that way your muscles are all ready spent of energy and will need to take it from your fat stores.

I also think you need to decide on an acheivable goal, weight training whilst targeting a half marathon are never going to mix well.  Also on your cardio don't go just for distances but do interval training instead you will build better strength and burn more but you will need to do more cardio for a half marathon.

[Gershon]

I hit a plateu that has lasted a month. It's a normal part of weight loss attempts. In my case, I stopped counting calories, and I should probably go back to that.

The equation is simple. If we eat fewer calories than we burn, we lose weight. I don't recommend extreme starvation diets. Although the equation is simple, I think the body sometimes has other changes as it adjusts to a new diet. Keep doing the right things, and eventually the weight will come off.

[Benjboi]

Thanks Peter

The weight training is a specific choice on my part because I've been on diets for a few times in the past 5 years. 1st one was on the body for life diet and exercise and I went from nearly 20st down to just over 15st in 6 months (4.5 stone lost in total) which I was really pleased with. However that was 5 years ago and over the next 3 years I put all the weight back on (new kids, redundancy, setting up my own company all made me lose focus and quit) so I tried dieting and exercise 2 years ago and in nearly 3 months I only lost 8lb (diet and cardio with very little weight work) and it was the same story last year. Only very small amounts of weight loss and got disheartened and fell off the wagon so to speak.

I came to the conclusion that my body must respond well to weight work and so started this year and in 2 months I've lost 1st 6lb which is awsome and what's more my body shape is changing but like I say it's plateaued some what recently and I've obviously got a time issue. Want to be below 15st by the time I start training proper for the half which will be 15 weeks before the race (running and swimming now but nothing with any real distance) and if the weight doesn't start shifting soon I'm in danger of missing that date and starting to train carrying too much weight. I appreciate that I'm gaining muscle and I can feel this in my back and arms especially but I would have expected perhaps losses of around 1-1.5lb per week if I was gaining muscle not a flat nothing because I'm either putting on 2lb's of muscle a week or I'm not losing enough fat. I doubt that I'm putting on 2lb muscle a week because some guys struggle to put that on in a year so it must be that I'm not losing fat so I want to try some tweaks to see if I can shock my system into losing fat.

Hope that all makes sense

[Benjboi]

Thanks Gershon

I know the weight will come off and I'm not disheartened at all but really conscious that I can't really afford a plateau at the moment. Just want to tweak things to see if I can get those scales to start budging down a bit.

[Gershon]

Benjboi, 

It appears you are getting too much protein in your diet to me. The adage is you need protein to build muscle. although you need protein to build muscle, protein doesn't build muscle, stressing muscle builds muscle. The body doen't need 50% of the calories from protein. The original number that was calculated was 5%. This was doubled twice. Once by the USDA and again by the World Health Organization. In other words, even 20% may be high.

The legs burn from 2 to 3 times more calories in a given period of exercise than the arms do. Therefore, you may not be burning as many calories during weight training as you think. I'm not against weight training like some, but it isn't as important for a recreational runner as some believe. I also believe that if a person likes weight training, they should do it.

As I read through your posts, I see your underlying goal is to run a half-marathon. I'd suggest picking a finishing time for the half-marathon and running every mile between now and then at that pace. The best way I've found is through what I call "easy intervals." If all you can run now at your target pace is 220 yards, then run 220 yards, and take a break until  you can do it again. During the break, you can walk around, lay in agony on your back, or do whatever you like. Just don't break more than about 5 minutes or your muscles will start to tighten. 

Gradually increase the distance and the reps as you are comfortable. I used to do this on a track before the days of GPS and other aids. Now, you can measure off a course and do it wherever you like.

I don't want to get in the middle of a big vegan discussion, but Scott Jurek's "Eat and Run" has excellent information about a vegan diet. 

The nice thing about recreational running vs. running in the Olympics, is the runner can pick what is fun for them, and things will work out good enough. The important thing is to have fun.

[Benjboi]

Thanks Gershon

The half marathon is not actually the main thrust of this for me. There are only 2 reasons why I'm booked in to do it and those are that I have a terminally ill friend who's daughter also has cancer and he's trying to raise money for her charity so that she can get the treatment she deserves when he dies and is no longer able to provide for her. Secondly it is about having something that keeps me motivated and a deadline that is concrete. Last time I lost all of my weight I had another run to do and it kept me focused. As soon as that run finished I slipped and started to put weight back on. This time I intend to book in for something else straight afterwards.

The protein thing is mainly due to supressing my apetite since when I eat a lower proportion of protein and higher carbs I tend to notice hunger creeping in fairly regulary plus cards on the table I do love meat and it doesn't feel like I'm depriving myself too much if I can indulge in a nice chicken breast for lunch.

As it happens though this might all be a bit of a moot point. Weighed myself this morning and the scales have dropped nearly 3lb this week so no loss for 3 weeks and then a big drop. Will keep an eye on it and see if this is just a one off and adjust accordingly but once again thanks for the advice. I might take your advice about varying the diet a bit and the interval training is definitely something I will be doing, just don't really want to be sprinting too much at present since I'm concerned about putting undue pressure on my knees. Maybe I'll start adding some intervals to the rowing machine in the mornings.

[Gershon]

I think you hit on another solution for weight plateaus. Make a post on a forum, and in a few days the weight will drop. The same thing happened to me.

[gerrymcd]

As someone else said, it sounds like you are overdoing the protein/creatinine.  Try switching to just drinking water after a workout and eating a bit more fat/carbs.  

[Heybales]

Since the Fitbit is going to seriously under-estimate calorie burn on lifting and none on swimming, are you manually logging those, so you have a better estimate of daily burn?

Ditto's to not making the deficit too big, especially when you have less to lose. The amount attempted to be lost should be less.

If you don't do it purposely, your body will usually force slowness on you anyway. Then you aren't going to get as much from the workouts.

Perhaps that has happened already. While some of these effects are obviously woman only, some do happen to men too.

http://skepchick.org/2014/02/the-female-athlete-triad-not-as-fun-as-it-sounds/

And no, you are not gaining muscle while on a diet to offset fat loss, which should still be showing up in measurements if it's happening.

Only a noobie with little muscle, plenty of fat, and good progressive overload program could gain some muscle for a little bit, like 1 lb every 6 weeks at best.

Now if new running program, your body may back on an extra pound of glycogen stored with water for your more endurance training, but that stops there.

You weighing all your foods you eat, or using inaccurate and underestimated measuring?

Because with no weight loss, you are eating at maintenance right now.

The question is, suppressed maintenance or potential maintenance?

If potential, where is the inaccuracy that has wiped out your deficit?

If suppressed, how do you get out of it to start losing again, or are you prepared to leave it suppressed and just cut more calories, realizing your exercise will have less positive effect on the body?