Active person - cannot lose weight

[adam0x54]

Whats up guys.

I am 24, 5.11" 177lbs. I took a 5 month off from muay thai because of a hand injury and I started again 2 months ago. I train 3-4 times a week. I started at 180lbs and I am stuck at 177 for 6 weeks. Its not that I am gaining muscle.. I was lifting weights on and off for the past 3 years. I haven't measured my body fat but my abs remain covered under stubborn belly fat. My goal is 154 but I started getting desperate. I am very strict with my diet and when I don't train I go to the local track to run and do free weights + squats at home. I started looking at supplements and I was thinking to get Green tea extract to help me lose weight. I don't want to do any ECA or ECY. I just found about HIIT and tried it today at the track.

Do you have any suggestions to drop 23 lbs in a reasonable time frame with or without help from supplements?

Thanks,

Adam

[Steveoph]

Just work out lots, and incorporate steady state cardio and also HIIT. Weight loss isn't instant by any means; just be patient and dedicated and you will make it. Some supplements will help, but aren't absolutely required. You might want to look into Alpha-burn, Slim-Xtrene or other fat burner, and perhaps a cortisol control product like Lean Xtreme etc.

[youngandfree]

What is your very strict diet?

[JDK5386]

Just work out lots, and incorporate steady state cardio and also HIIT. Weight loss isn't instant by any means; just be patient and dedicated and you will make it. Some supplements will help, but aren't absolutely required. You might want to look into Alpha-burn, Slim-Xtrene or other fat burner, and perhaps a cortisol control product like Lean Xtreme etc.

How do you suggest integrating LISS with HIIT? I thought that you needed 48 hours of rest follwing a HIIT session? Just do very low intensity SS cardio on off days?

[Steveoph]

How do you suggest integrating LISS with HIIT? I thought that you needed 48 hours of rest follwing a HIIT session? Just do very low intensity SS cardio on off days?

I'm not sure where you got 48 hours, but there's no golden rule in my books about how often to do it. People find they get burned out if they do HIIT more than 2-3x/week; however I have done fasted cardio 4-5x/week upon waking, and still do HIIT ~3 times in the evenings after some weights when cutting. It depends on your cardiovascular fitness level. Start out on the low end, but you can progress your way up. Just make sure you recover enough and sleep well.

[EasyEJL]

yeah, and i've lately been pondering whether 2 separate 10 minute HIIT sessions 8-10 hours apart is more beneficial than 1 20 minute one

[adam0x54]

My diet day when I go to the gym: I eat 3 egg whites 1 reg egg with a little bit of cheese and coffee around 8:30 am. Turkey burger, lettuce/tomato on whole wheat bread around 12:30 or grilled chicken on let/tomato(no bread), a 6"(sometimes footlongs depends of my appetite) subway grilled chicken+swiss lettuce tomato on whole wheat and then go to the gym(muay thai) for 2 hours. When I come home at night I make 2 pieces of grilled chicken or turkey and vegetables.. When I don't train muay thai I go to the track to run. I just started HIIT (did it twice already).
No sodas, no candy, no alcohol no junk food.

ps: I just came home from Muay Thai and I dropped 1lb since last week. I guess its water weight because I didn't have anything to drink for 5 hours. Last night I requested a sample from Slim Extreme so I will give it a shot.

-Adam

[EasyEJL]

somehow I can't call a diet that "depends on my appetite" a strict diet

if you aren't measuring and weighing out every meal, its not strict

[adam0x54]

I call it my "main meal" of the day because I am going to demolish my self for two hours so If I feel I need the extra boost I get the footlong. Sometimes if I dont eat well I feel dizzy during the workout so I learned my lesson to eat well for my main meal. I measure everything and I am trying to keep my calorie intake ~1500. I burn 800-900 every MT session.

[merph]

somehow I can't call a diet that "depends on my appetite" a strict diet

if you aren't measuring and weighing out every meal, its not strict

I agree with Easy but 1800 calories for that amount of exercise might be a little low. Weird to hear that when your trying to loose weight but try eating more calories. Try throwing a shake of just whey and nothing else in there during to help curb the appetite and keep protein into your muscles and your metabolism running. I actually noticed that timing helps a lot. Eating the same amount but in more sittings works too.

Do you cycle carbs? That could be helpful as well. Find out your BF% and it will help you get a better idea on what your caloric intake should be and where your at.


Edit----> How much water and other fluids to you drink a day?

[CrazyChemist]

just curious - why are you against an ECA or ECY stack? The ephedrine?

[youngandfree]

I'm curious why you want to get down to 154 at 5'11. Are you wanting to drop a weight class for muay thai, or that's what your desired BF% goal is? That's little for your height. I would definitely bump your calories a bit. Currently you are only eating 4 times. If you eat 1500 cals, and burn 800-900 during MT leaves you a net of 600-700 cals to function on. If you can function on your current amount of carbs, then add in some more protein and some fat. I would throw down a shake at 1030, 1 scoop of whey and 2 TBSP of Peanut butter. That's about 300 cals, 16g of fat, 12 carbs, and 30 protein. Also, what time is your lunch (subway) and what time do you do MT? If lunch is around 1:00-1:30, then MT 2-2:30, then your meal afterward should be around 4:30-500. I would toss back another shake right after MT training, then have evening meal 2-3 hours later. Like said before, it doesn't make sense to add calories when tryinbg to cut up, but you are in so much of a deficit that your body will start to hold on to the last bit of fat. Carb cycling works, along with calorie cycling throughout the week. You could try on days you fo MT, try to get 2000-2200, then on non MT days or off days go for about 1800. The constant fluctuations in cals keeps your body burning somewhat and helps fight of stagnation when it comes to burning fat. If you have been at current calorie level and weight hasn't changed in 6 weeks, you need to shake it up a bit. Alot of competitive bodybuilders will hit a wall somewhere along contest diet after 6-7 weeks usually. The ones I have talked to said they have a big cheat meal, nothing off the deep end, but something to really shake up what has been the norm. My buddy says a large cheese pizza on fri or sat night around 6 weeks usually does the trick for him, then the next day, back on schedule. It doesn't seem logical, but it works. The body is always trying to adapt and maintain a homeostasis. So after a while of the same things, it will adapt and then make that the norm. You have to constantly stay 1 step ahead to keep making progress.

[CrazyChemist]

agree ^^^ - i got a buddy who hit a wall losing weight and we swore that eating 2 oreos before bed for like 3 days in a row every 3-4 weeks helped him drop that extra bf. Weird how smart the body is to stop burning cals when you starve it.

[youngandfree]

agree ^^^ - i got a buddy who hit a wall losing weight and we swore that eating 2 oreos before bed for like 3 days in a row every 3-4 weeks helped him drop that extra bf. Weird how smart the body is to stop burning cals when you starve it.

I would have a really, really really hard time just stopping at 2 oreos!! But the principle still works. Funny!

[merph]

just curious - why are you against an ECA or ECY stack? The ephedrine?

I am not against it at all. For a matter of fact I have used it and loved it. I just think that if there is small changes that you can make to your diet or routine first do it then when you start to plateau the e/c/a or e/c/y will help you bust through.

I'm curious why you want to get down to 154 at 5'11. Are you wanting to drop a weight class for muay thai, or that's what your desired BF% goal is? That's little for your height. I would definitely bump your calories a bit. Currently you are only eating 4 times. If you eat 1500 cals, and burn 800-900 during MT leaves you a net of 600-700 cals to function on. If you can function on your current amount of carbs, then add in some more protein and some fat. I would throw down a shake at 1030, 1 scoop of whey and 2 TBSP of Peanut butter. That's about 300 cals, 16g of fat, 12 carbs, and 30 protein. Also, what time is your lunch (subway) and what time do you do MT? If lunch is around 1:00-1:30, then MT 2-2:30, then your meal afterward should be around 4:30-500. I would toss back another shake right after MT training, then have evening meal 2-3 hours later. Like said before, it doesn't make sense to add calories when tryinbg to cut up, but you are in so much of a deficit that your body will start to hold on to the last bit of fat. Carb cycling works, along with calorie cycling throughout the week. You could try on days you fo MT, try to get 2000-2200, then on non MT days or off days go for about 1800. The constant fluctuations in cals keeps your body burning somewhat and helps fight of stagnation when it comes to burning fat. If you have been at current calorie level and weight hasn't changed in 6 weeks, you need to shake it up a bit. Alot of competitive bodybuilders will hit a wall somewhere along contest diet after 6-7 weeks usually. The ones I have talked to said they have a big cheat meal, nothing off the deep end, but something to really shake up what has been the norm. My buddy says a large cheese pizza on fri or sat night around 6 weeks usually does the trick for him, then the next day, back on schedule. It doesn't seem logical, but it works. The body is always trying to adapt and maintain a homeostasis. So after a while of the same things, it will adapt and then make that the norm. You have to constantly stay 1 step ahead to keep making progress.

+1 The body needs to stay somewhat confused or homeostasis sets in and your body will want to maintain it. Its mother nature.

I would have a really, really really hard time just stopping at 2 oreos!! But the principle still works. Funny!

I think I could stop after about 2 bags and a gallon of milk lol

[Steveoph]

I think I could stop after about 2 bags and a gallon of milk lol

Would a whole tub of neapolitan icecream count?

[manishfusion]

tell me more about your diet ..

[adam0x54]

Down to 174lbs! I got some advice from here. You wont believe it but this week I had a cheesecake and a mocha coffee, another day steak and fried meatballs. I just came home from another HIIT session. This is my first week of HIIT + free weights and it seems that it works. -3lbs. Next week my coach will measure my BF% so I can keep track of my BF. No more cheesecakes though!
Keep the advices flowing people

-Adam

[merph]

Down to 174lbs! I got some advice from here. You wont believe it but this week I had a cheesecake and a mocha coffee, another day steak and fried meatballs. I just came home from another HIIT session. This is my first week of HIIT + free weights and it seems that it works. -3lbs. Next week my coach will measure my BF% so I can keep track of my BF. No more cheesecakes though!
Keep the advices flowing people

-Adam

Congrats man. That's awesome