Can't do it anymore...

[bass]

okay guys, i feel like i hit a brick wall for the last two months or so, i am not gaining muscle and not losing fat, so i decided to just concentrate on losing fat for now and once i get where i want with my BF% then i'll start bulking up, i will not lift heavy, in fact i won't do any lifting, i'll just do light exercises, stretches and abs for three months. i may lose the muscle I’ve gained, but i think i should have done this from the get go and not waist anymore time. I appreciate any advice…

[baseline_9]

okay guys, i feel like i hit a brick wall for the last two months or so, i am not gaining muscle and not losing fat, so i decided to just concentrate on losing fat for now and once i get where i want with my BF% then i'll start bulking up, i will not lift heavy, in fact i won't do any lifting, i'll just do light exercises, stretches and abs for three months. i may lose the muscle I’ve gained, but i think i should have done this from the get go and not waist anymore time. I appreciate any advice…

Keep lifting!

It will help you retain muscle mass and gives a massive EPOC, helping to to burn callories at an elevated rate for much longer (up to 72 hrs) than cardio.

post ur stats, diet with macros and training routine

Sounds like you may need a fix to get you out of this Plateua (diet / training / both)

[energizer bunny]

yeah man........keep doing the weights, weights cardio combined is def best for loseing fat.......go over your diet again and im sure youl be back on track in no time!

[bass]

thanks for the reply guys, but i did post my diet and workout and basically we've concluded that i am overtraining, i have the will and motivation but with a 50 year old body! i did good up to the point where i just stopped progressing. the fat I have left is just not budging...here is my diet,

[D7M]

Yah, definitely keep lifting.

I know you got 20 years on me. But I remember when I was younger I'd cycle and eat HUGE and not do any cardio and barely gain much fat.

Now, even at 31, if I don't do cardio daily (even with AAS), that fat starts creeping up on me.

[bass]

well, i did my chest today and had an amazing workout, lets see how the soreness goes, if it persists then i have to do something. in 10 days i'll be doing a blood test to see where my test is, if its still low, then i'll talk to my doctor about TRT.

[FireGuy]

How are you getting 56 grams of carbs from 2 eggs and whey protein?

[bass]

hmmm, most likely i had syrup there for PWO, but even with that it can't be 56 grams! i will correct that. thanks.

[Damienm05]

2 tbspn. maple syrup is 56g carbs actually.

[FireGuy]

Even with those 56 grams of carbs you are undereating. Kick in another 200-300 calories and I think you will start to see progress again.

[bass]

Even with those 56 grams of carbs you are undereating. Kick in another 200-300 calories and I think you will start to see progress again.

progress where, in fat loss too? i don't have a problem gaining muscle if i eat more, but when i do i gain fat as well, this is why its been frustrating, I can’t find a balance.

[scotimus]

i am in now way trying to be a dick, and i dont know your stats but isnt a 2000 cal diet kinda low?

maybe your gaining fat because your cals arent high enough,then when you raise them, your body is storing that as fat for energy reserves?

milos speaks of this

[FireGuy]

Yes, in fat loss too. Too low calories for too long grinds your metabolism to a halt. Change out that syrup for a cup of oats and add in some more carbs and fats to the tune of about 200 calories and I think you will be back on track.

[FireGuy]

You might want to cross check the numbers on that spread sheet as well. Every meal appears to be way off with macros not adding up to the calories listed.

[RoadToRecovery]

okay guys, i feel like i hit a brick wall for the last two months or so, i am not gaining muscle and not losing fat, so i decided to just concentrate on losing fat for now and once i get where i want with my BF% then i'll start bulking up, i will not lift heavy, in fact i won't do any lifting, i'll just do light exercises, stretches and abs for three months. i may lose the muscle I’ve gained, but i think i should have done this from the get go and not waist anymore time. I appreciate any advice…

Well how to you come about developing your diet that you have currently?
Every lbs you lose completely changes your basal metabolic rate. If you have kept the same diet for 3 months, you have already figured out your problem. You need to re-adjust your caloric intake every month in order to avoid any type of plateau.

A few questions for you -

1. How old are you?
2. What does your training regimen look like?
3. What is your body fat %?
4. EDIT: I did not see the spreadsheet post - I am reading it now and will reply shortly.

[RoadToRecovery]

bass - what is your current goal?

[bass]

bass - what is your current goal?

My stats are in my profile, but here they are,

50 years old
5’ 9”
196 lbs
BF% under 20%

My goal is to see my abs, now nothing so far. Also to look muscular, good size chest, arms and legs.

My workout is posted, I’ll fond a link and post it. Basically its Chest and Triceps, Biceps and back, Legs and shoulders, Calves and abs, two day rest.


FireGuys, i will raise the cals. thanks bro.

[RoadToRecovery]

Well you have to remember - your diet needs to reflect your workout, which in turn will reflect your goals. You need to get specific when it comes to your goals in order to develop a proper plan of attack.

While diet is important, creating a proper workout plan is important also. If your main goal is hypertrophy (muscle growth), you should do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps @ 65%-75% of your 1RM per exercise.

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/4873785/...m-Weight-Chart

May I suggest creating a diet and workout plan to support muscle growth for the next 10-12 weeks? By doing this, you will not only establish a larger foundation - but you will also require more calories to sustain size - which will lead to an easier path of fat burning.

This way, by week 13 you can begin your cutting diet and workout routine and avoid any plateau.

[bass]

cool, i'll use the chart to see what my max is and go from there. but i will increase my cals and see where it will take me. i did lose 40 pounds with this diet BTW, you can see my progress photos in my profile, i am happy that i got this far, i need to lose 16 pounds of fat. thanks for all the replies...

[RoadToRecovery]

cool, i'll use the chart to see what my max is and go from there. but i will increase my cals and see where it will take me. i did lose 40 pounds with this diet BTW, you can see my progress photos in my profile, i am happy that i got this far, i need to lose 16 pounds of fat. thanks for all the replies...

That is awesome - but like I said, you have to readjust your caloric intake regularly to avoid any sort of plateau. Also - did you figure out where those 40 lbs came from? Did you do a body comp analysis before you began? Its important to know your body composition in order to keep track of your progress.

[bass]

no i didn't, but i can guarantee you it was all fat, because i had no muscles before I started working out. now i have more muscle than ever before, so yes i am sure it was all fat.

[RoadToRecovery]

no i didn't, but i can guarantee you it was all fat, because i had no muscles before I started working out. now i have more muscle than ever before, so yes i am sure it was all fat.

Well I cant argue that fact because I dont have your previous stats in front of me. And we both dont know what your starting bf% is or what it is now. Either way this is besides the point.

Your issue is with your plateau - A plateau is a great indication that you need to change everything. If you havent already, use a diet calculator to get a better picture of what you are trying to accomplish -

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/issa64.htm - Calculator is towards the bottom.

The most important thing about creating a diet is knowing your LBM (lean body mass). There are a few methods - Calipers, Bio-electrical Impedance, Hydrostatic Weighing. Some are more accurate then others - I use BIA on my clients because its the fastest and easiest for them and it is pretty accurate.

Once you have configured a new diet and a new workout - you will start seeing results immediately.

[bass]

Thanks RTR, wow is this right?! this is what i got,

Your bodyweight is 89 kilograms.
Step 1 - BMR Based On Weight
For Men: 1 x 89 Kg x 24 = 2134
Step 2 - BMR With Bodyfat Percentage Calculation
Taking your bodyfat percentage into account, your adjusted BMR is 2027 calories per day. This is equal to 84 calories per hour.
Step 3 - Total Daily Calories Burned
Adding in your activity level, we times your BMR by 1.80. This means that your approximate total calories burned each day is 3649.
Step 4 - Macronutrient Breakdown In YOUR Diet
Now that we know how many total calories need to be consumed each day, where do the calories come from? Based on your BMR, Activity Level and Athletic Category you need:
Protein Grams: 176 Grams Per Day.
Protein Calories: 704 Protein Calories Per Day.
Fat Grams: 61 Grams Per Day.
Fat Calories: 547 Protein Calories Per Day.
Carbohydrate Grams: 600 Grams Per Day.
Carbohydrate Calories: 2398 Carb Calories Per Day.

now it didn't ask for age, not sure if age is a factor! but according to these numbers i am definitely under eating by allot... and look at the carbs recommended! wow 600g!

[BJJ]

Thanks RTR, wow is this right?! this is what i got,

Your bodyweight is 89 kilograms.
Step 1 - BMR Based On Weight
For Men: 1 x 89 Kg x 24 = 2134
Step 2 - BMR With Bodyfat Percentage Calculation
Taking your bodyfat percentage into account, your adjusted BMR is 2027 calories per day. This is equal to 84 calories per hour.
Step 3 - Total Daily Calories Burned
Adding in your activity level, we times your BMR by 1.80. This means that your approximate total calories burned each day is 3649.
Step 4 - Macronutrient Breakdown In YOUR Diet
Now that we know how many total calories need to be consumed each day, where do the calories come from? Based on your BMR, Activity Level and Athletic Category you need:
Protein Grams: 176 Grams Per Day.
Protein Calories: 704 Protein Calories Per Day.
Fat Grams: 61 Grams Per Day.
Fat Calories: 547 Protein Calories Per Day.
Carbohydrate Grams: 600 Grams Per Day.
Carbohydrate Calories: 2398 Carb Calories Per Day.

now it didn't ask for age, not sure if age is a factor! but according to these numbers i am definitely under eating by allot... and look at the carbs recommended! wow 600g!

Too many carbs, IMO.

[RoadToRecovery]

No matter what you hear - No matter what anyone tells you -
Carbs are your best friend. You need carbs to burn fat.

Age isnt really a huge factor.

This diet is a great place to start and you should use this to continue on your path to a better body.

[bass]

thanks bro, i will give it a shot...

[FireGuy]

Bass, if you go from where you are now to nearly 3700 calories a day and 600 grams of carbs a day you WILL get fat.

[RoadToRecovery]

Bass, if you go from where you are now to nearly 3700 calories a day and 600 grams of carbs a day you WILL get fat.

I completely disagree. My diet I had in 2008 had about 560g of carbs a day and I lost 20lbs of fat and put on 8 lbs of muscle in 3 months. Now Im not saying 560g of carbs is a competition diet, but You can lose weight by consuming that many carbs.

[RoadToRecovery]

Before: http://forums.steroid.com/attachment...6&d=1213152358

After: http://forums.steroid.com/attachment...8&d=1221875422

[RoadToRecovery]

Keep in mind - Everyone is different. What works for me may not work for you, so like i said its all about trial and error. If you think that is not good for you, you can also try the more popular 40/40/20 diet. 40% protein 40% Carbs 20% Fat.

[FireGuy]

I would never increase anyones diet more than 200 calories at a time. Taking someone from 2100 calories to 3700 calories all at once it not a good idea I dont care what the macro ratio is.

[RoadToRecovery]

I would never increase anyones diet more than 200 calories at a time. Taking someone from 2100 calories to 3700 calories all at once it not a good idea I dont care what the macro ratio is.

I agree, I never clarified on how he should increase his caloric intake. Fireguy, is totally right. You need to gradually increase your calories. Start at 200 calories and work your way up every 2 days by 100 calories.

[mg1228]

there aint too many people on earth that need 600gr carbs,imo

[RoadToRecovery]

there aint too many people on earth that need 600gr carbs,imo

No disrespect - but I dont base my information on personal opinions. During my studies for one of my certifications all indications pointed to more carbs in ones diet in order to effectively lose weight (fat). Individuals that lost weight while eating more carbs kept weight off, as opposed to individuals that partook in ketogenic diets. Now keep in mind, this is also for the novice athlete which is not in an elite status. If you are nearing the single digits, then obviously a high carb diet is not what you are looking for.

[mg1228]

No disrespect - but I dont base my information on personal opinions. During my studies for one of my certifications all indications pointed to more carbs in ones diet in order to effectively lose weight (fat). Individuals that lost weight while eating more carbs kept weight off, as opposed to individuals that partook in ketogenic diets. Now keep in mind, this is also for the novice athlete which is not in an elite status. If you are nearing the single digits, then obviously a high carb diet is not what you are looking for.

i like carbs--there is just no way this guy or prob any other guy on this forum that needs 600 gr of carbs--- idont care if a guys 25% or 10%

if u ate 500gr of carbs on ur diet then u were eating alot more than that before u started---fom the looks of ur before picture u prob dont know how many u were eating before

[RoadToRecovery]

i like carbs--there is just no way this guy or prob any other guy on this forum that needs 600 gr of carbs--- idont care if a guys 25% or 10%

if u ate 500gr of carbs on ur diet then u were eating alot more than that before u started---fom the looks of ur before picture u prob dont know how many u were eating before

That is bit of a bold and inaccurate assumption. But this is neither here nor there...

Like I have established before - trial and error. This calculator isnt pin point accurate, but merely a reference point.

Bass - find a few calculators online and see which one suits you best. Im not saying that 600g is where he should be at, but it should be higher than what many people recommend. At least 450g.

If I had his exact bf%, height, weight, daily activity list etc etc etc I would be able to build a diet based on his stats specifically. But all we can do is guesstimate.

[bass]

trust me i wasn't planning to jump that high all at once, but i will take FireGuy's advice and go 200 cals and work my way up from there. i will start with increasing my carbs intake. Thanks for all the input guys.

[mg1228]

i havent looked at the spreadsheet but if fireguy said the macros were off---theyre off

i would start there

[FireGuy]

There is a ton of room between keto and 600 grams of carbs per day. I know guys who compete as superheavy weights (250lbs and 5%BF) that dont eat that many carbs.

[RoadToRecovery]

There is a ton of room between keto and 600 grams of carbs per day. I know guys who compete as superheavy weights (250lbs and 5%BF) that dont eat that many carbs.

I did say that in so many words. This man is not competing. His goal is merely losing fat while building muscle. We are talking about the average gym going man who is looking to get into shape. Not a body building professional.