Plateuing

[LozTaylor]

Hey guys,

I've just signed up as I wanted to ask for some advice. In July of this year I realised that I really had to do something about my weight and could no longer just keep putting it off. When I started I was at around 259lbs. I'm 5' 11" and 21 years old. Since then, I've managed to get down to 222lbs, aswell as put on some muscle. I joined a gym with a friend and have been steadily going 4 days a week doing an hour and a bit. This would usually be 30-40 minutes of cardio and 30-40 minutes of weights. I've also recently started going for an hour swim once a week.

My biggest concern is that my weight loss has slowed down over the past week or two, and I think it may be down to undereating. I usually get around 1200-1600 calories per day. Would protein shakes be a good option for upping my calorie intake?

Thanks in advance guys.

[LozTaylor]

The times I eat can vary quite dramatically during the week as my University timetable changes things up every day. But this is what I'm generally eating.

I'll usually have either a bowl of cereal (Cheerios) with a tiny amount of milk or two pieces of toast lightly buttered for breakfast at about 8am. I sometimes also have a small glass of orange juice. For lunch I would then go for a piece of fruit and a sandwich with either ham, chicken or a light cheese, this will usually be about 11am-12. I then tend to go for another piece of fruit between lunch and dinner at about 3 or so. Then for dinner at about 6, I'll generally have something like spaghetti bolognese, or just pasta and chicken. I'd also like to point out that I'm really not a vegetable guy. Asides from the occassional small glass of orange juice, I only drink water.

[LozTaylor]

Thanks for the reply. I've already taken on some of your advice and I definitely feel more awake than I did the last few previous weeks. My weight loss really slowed down over the past few weeks, however, I weighed myself today (my weekly weigh in) and have managed to drop 3lbs (down to 219lbs now) since last week, but the gym scales might have just been lying to me heh, will weigh again tomorrow for some sort of verification. I guess I just needed the extra calories to knock off that weight. I also didn't realise how tasty string cheese wrapped in ham would be

[LozTaylor]

Yer, I started 4 months ago and definitely know what you mean about the early weight loss. Since the first month or so, it's been a steady 1/2lbs a week, but it slowed right down recently, but I think it's going to be sorted now. I can't understand why people moan so much about losing weight. This is the first time in my life I've actually made any effort in losing weight (I've always been fat), and it's going pretty well. It really isn't as hard as most people or the media make it out to be. Too many people want to go for quick fixes or supplements that don't actually work unless used alongside exercise and healthy eating. In my mind it's very simple: Eat better, do more.

[LozTaylor]

Brent?

[LozTaylor]

Well, if you sort your diet out, start exercising frequently and add in some resistance training, you're bound to lose weight. It seems that the gym scales yesterday were wrong (they occassionally go funny), so I only lost 1lb since last monday. A loss is a loss though, so can't be too annoyed heh. Today down the gym I also finally managed to move away from pushing 14/16kgs on free weights chest press. I occassionally went to 16kg if I had someone to spot me (better safe than sorry), but I felt like I had been stuck at the same place for a while. Today, I pushed 3 sets of 10 on 16kgs and was brave enough to go up to 18kgs. Managed a set of 8 reps, and then the next 2 sets I only managed 7. A possitive failure is a good thing though, so I'm pretty happy. Considering when I started, I could only chest press half of what I did today shows how far I've come in just 4 months.

I think weight loss is all in the attitude. Many people claim they don't have time to get to the gym or do some sort of regular exercise, but if they really wanted to lose weight, they'd find the time, I know I have.

[LozTaylor]

Just an update. I'm now down to 216lbs, which means I've now lost over 3 stone since I started in July. I've also gained muscle, so the fat loss is more than that. A fair bit more to go, but I'm definitely pleased with how far I've come. I always thought being slim was something unobtainable for me since I've always been large. Just a few more months to go and I'll be a good size

[LozTaylor]

Another week, and another 2 lbs down. I'm now at 214lbs and really starting to see huge changes since I started. I have just over 5 weeks to go until the new year, and at this rate I should be down to 204lbs, that is if I don't enjoy myself too much over christmas heh.

[Boss Man]

Good job man .

[LozTaylor]

Cheers Boss Man

This week I only lost half a pound, but I know why. I didn't do as much cardio as I could/should have, and also ate a little decadently. I'm back on the cardio hard already this week, with a good jog at 10km/h at the start of my workout (more like a warmup to my workout now), with a good bit of interval training on the treadmill at the end of my workout. Last week I skipped over some of my ending cardio and it shows in my progress. I'm going to be fairly strict on myself this week food wise aswell so I don't lose any progress that way either. Here's to a good week

[Boss Man]

Ate decadently eh? You little devil you

Mind you, Britain is the land of Fish and Chips, Toad In The Hole, Pie and Mash and Scouse, so eating decadently can be second nature to some people, depending on what the individuals idea of decadently is.

[LozTaylor]

Well, I had a 3-4 pints of Strongbow on friday, and on Sunday I had 2 bowls of chips down the pub, aswell as a proper dinner lol. I had some coke zero the day before (don't do it, I realised the hard way about what it does to your bowels) so I felt hungry all day. It's been a very long time since I've had proper Fish and Chips... mmmm.

Anyway, I have a question. Yesterday and today, my right knee has started to hurt. It's hard to pinpoint the exact location, but if I kneel on it, the front of my quad and the top of my calf hurt. The funny thing is though, is that it doesn't hurt to run on. It only hurts to walk on if I've been seated for a while. It's not that painful, I'm just concerned whether that although it doesn't hurt when I run, is running on it going to make it worse? It will probably go away in a few days, but I thought I might aswell ask first.

[Boss Man]

Keep light running and see what happens, it may as you say go away in time. If you feel you need to, trying icing it for 10-15 minutes 3-4 times a day and resting it in an elevaed position when just watch TV or doing nothing much.

Sometimes the mobility aspect of a mild issue can help it to heal, as long as you're not pushing it too much or too hard, as loosening up things like joints for example, can remove bits of stiffness and potentially promote Synovial Fluid lubrication of a joint.

If it gets worse stop running altogether, as then you might be inflaming the area and may need NSAIDS as some kind of counteractive measure.

Possibly the area is also being affected slightly by the cold weather, so running warms up the area, alieviating the issue in question.

That may be another consideration .

[LozTaylor]

The pain has gone away completely now, so no idea really what the issue was.

I'll let you all know my weight loss for this week tomorrow as I want to do a second weigh in at the gym as sometimes the scales are off.

[LozTaylor]

Lost 1 lb last week, down to 213 now. A loss is a loss so I'm happy, especially considering I slipped on my diet last week. Going for 2 this week though.