Final 5 weeks... please help!

[Hawkman44]

I've been following the cutting sticky for 7 weeks and have dropped A LOT of bf. But over the past two weeks my progress has slowed A LOT... and because of that so has my motivation.

Here's what I plan to follow over the next 5 weeks to zero in on my goal and get the last bits of Fat off my body. I'm 225 lbs. My goal is 8% bf.... Started at 19%... currently 12 percent (BF mesurements done with calipers).

8 am - 1 Hour of Cardio

9:30 - protein shake (50 grams) / Flax Seed oil

12:00pm - 1/2 cup of Oatmeal

12:30pm - Workout

2:00pm - PWO (50g of Protein /75g of Detrose)
*THIS HAS WORKED BETTER THAN 2:1 RATIO FOR ME PERSONALLY*

3:30pm - Large chicken breast and brown rice

7:00pm - Chicken Breast or Salmon and lots of veggies.

*If I get hungry later I will drink a NO Carb, No Fat, Protien shake(50g) with water and Flax.

It's not a lot of food but it should get the engine burning the fat again. I take an ECA Stack twice a day and also use R-ala because I'm sensitive to carbs.

Please let me know your thoughts.

[bigsd67]

your 12 pm meal should at least have protein in it...having only oats is not going to help your body rid itself of fat. you can do another pro/fat meal there or add in a chicken breast.

[Hawkman44]

I use to eat 6 egg whites and 1 yok in my 12:00 meal... but I dropped the eggs and kept the oats to give me energy during my workout. You think I should add the eggs back?

I like this being a pro/carb meal since it comes a 1/2 an hour before I hit the gym.

[SwoleCat]

Where's the food?

Your metabolism has probably slowed down. This lack of food is only going to make
it worse.

About the dextrose, well, never mind.

~SC~

[Hawkman44]

For 7 weeks I ate more food than this.... and did well for 5 weeks. But for the last 2 weeks the scale and the bf has not moved. That's why I thought lowering the calories would shock the system and get it burning again. Adding more food (calories) didn't make much since but that's why i'm here to learn the best way to get the ball rolling again.

Why would my metabolism slow down after 5 weeks of cutting? I was doing everything the cutting sticky said to do. How do I get it going again with out lowering my cals?

[Panzerfaust]

For 7 weeks I ate more food than this.... and did well for 5 weeks. But for the last 2 weeks the scale and the bf has not moved. That's why I thought lowering the calories would shock the system and get it burning again. Adding more food (calories) didn't make much since but that's why i'm here to learn the best way to get the ball rolling again.

Why would my metabolism slow down after 5 weeks of cutting? I was doing everything the cutting sticky said to do. How do I get it going again with out lowering my cals?

Just as the stickie states "the body runs on homestasis". Basically your body has now adjusted to your new "lifestyle" and it is up to you to "trick" it once again.

I would start by leaving that 12:00 meal out especially the carbs.

I am not a firm believer in eating close to a work out let alone 30 minutes, at the least have an apple.

Do you stop eating at 7pm? Where are the rest of your meals? This might be the problem you think? Assuming you do not eat after 7pm as your post suggests, how can you expect your metabolism to keep running strong if you stop eating?

[RONINASAUNA]

I had the same problem, and was following basically the same diet as you.

However, I found that when I dropped calories, fat loss stopped. What worked for me is adding another 14g of fat per day, keeping protein high, but adding another day of cardio as I was only doing 45min 5 days a week. It has gotten to the point where I actually have to back off the cardio sometimes as I dont want to lose more than 2 lbs a week.

I also found that adding a cheat "day" (sundays from 10am-2pm, keeping all other meals clean) I was able to keep progress going after I had stalled

Don't know if that is the best way to go, but it is working for me.

[Hawkman44]

I use to eat a chicken breast and 15 almonds at 10:30pm.... and then drink a no carb, no fat protein shake before bed....but i dropped those meals to cut calories.

after reading your post and really thinking about it.... that was probably a bad decision.

[Hawkman44]

I had the same problem, and was following basically the same diet as you.

However, I found that when I dropped calories, fat loss stopped. What worked for me is adding another 14g of fat per day, keeping protein high, but adding another day of cardio as I was only doing 45min 5 days a week. It has gotten to the point where I actually have to back off the cardio sometimes as I dont want to lose more than 2 lbs a week.

I also found that adding a cheat "day" (sundays from 10am-2pm, keeping all other meals clean) I was able to keep progress going after I had stalled

Don't know if that is the best way to go, but it is working for me.

Did you add the fat with flax, almonds or what?

[RONINASAUNA]

Did you add the fat with flax, almonds or what?

I added 1/4 cup almonds (14g fat) in between the 2nd to last meal and the protein shake/flax before bed.

I also forgot to mention that I adjusted the protein as best as possible to stay constant @ 1.5g/lb as weight dropped. Started at 200lbs with 300grams protein and kept that ratio as the lbs came off.

So far, slow and steady -it's been working.

Did you try adding an ECA 3x a day yet? I know I will try this if/when progress stops again to give me a little push.

[Hawkman44]

I added 1/4 cup almonds (14g fat) in between the 2nd to last meal and the protein shake/flax before bed.

I also forgot to mention that I adjusted the protein as best as possible to stay constant @ 1.5g/lb as weight dropped. Started at 200lbs with 300grams protein and kept that ratio as the lbs came off.

So far, slow and steady -it's been working.

Did you try adding an ECA 3x a day yet? I know I will try this if/when progress stops again to give me a little push.

I'm taking an ECA twice day. I've been use an ECA since the begining. I don't think it's working as good anymore.

Thanks to everyone for all the help. I'm re-working the diet and will post it tonight.