Need some help, I hit a plateau......

[lardo5150]

I did not know if this should go to the diet forum, weightlifting forum or what.
If this is wrong, Mods please feel free to move it, sorry in advance also

Anyway, I have been on the Berkley Internation diet. Slat got me on it. (thanks slat)
I went from 258 to about 233 today. I have been stuck between this 230 and 235 area for about 3 weeks. I am not supplmenting any fat burners.

Here is my diet:
Here is my diet:

Meal #1
2 whole egg + 4 egg whites

5 oz. very lean meat

1/2 cup oatmeal - before cooking

Meal #2

Protein Drink: 2 Scoops Ultra Size or Ultimate Muscle Protein, 4 TBS heavy whipping cream, add enough water to make shake or pudding the consistency you desire

Meal #3

10 oz. lean meat

6 oz. sweet potato or 2/3 cup cooked brown rice

2 cups vegetables (broccoli, etc.) or salad with 2 TBS. Vinegar and Oil Dressing

Meal #4

(same as meal #2)

Meal #5

10 oz. very lean meat

2 cups vegetables

Salad with 2 TBS. Vinegar and Oil Dressing

Meal #6
Protein Shake or Pudding: 2 Scoops Ultra Size or Ultimate Muscle Protein, 2 TBS heavy whipping cream, add enough water to make shake or pudding the consistency you desire

Okay, I am following the workout routing from the ebook burn the fat, feed the muscle. I recommend it.

I cycle the workout like this:

Monday: Shoulders/tricepts
Tuesday: Back/Calves
Weds: Off
Thursday: Chest/Bi's
Friday: Thighs/Hams
Saturday: Off
Sunday: (start this cycle over again)
I am currently (causing I am trying to lose some fat) doing 30 minutes of elicptical everyday.

Should I do something with the diet? I emailed Berkley, have not heard anything yet.
Should I up the cardio to maybe 40-45 minutes? Maybe go to treadmill or bike instead of eliptical?

Any ideas?

 

[stilleto]

I'll move this to the weightlifting forum so you get some more serious replies.

make sure you lift first before cardio
and honestly, you've made some good gains (losses) so you probably shouldn't worry about a three week plateau- thats not unusual at all.
plus, after a while, its harder and harder to lose fat AND gain muscle but if thats what you're doing, you'll see it in the mirror, not the scale, and thats harder to see.

 

[lardo5150]

Still, thanks.

Ya, at first the crap was falling off, I was like WOW!!!

Then it was a pound a week, now it seems to just stopped.

I am sure I will start a whirlwind with this one, but I always thought that cardio came BEFORE weights, that is what I have been doing. I read Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. Correct me if I am wrong, but did he not say do cardio first in that ebook?

 

[stilleto]

Still, thanks.

Ya, at first the crap was falling off, I was like WOW!!!

Then it was a pound a week, now it seems to just stopped.

I am sure I will start a whirlwind with this one, but I always thought that cardio came BEFORE weights, that is what I have been doing. I read Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. Correct me if I am wrong, but did he not say do cardio first in that ebook?

i'm not sure, but you should do what is most important to you first, because thats what will get better results. eventually, it becomes extremely difficult to lose fat and gain at the same time. it can be done, but it goes very slowly- that may be where you're at right now.
my opinion is that since you've lost some fat now, its time to put on more muscle and get your strength up- that will help you get the fat down a bit more. so lift weights first and do the cardio on your non lifting days or later in the day if possible.

 

[lardo5150]

i'm not sure, but you should do what is most important to you first, because thats what will get better results. eventually, it becomes extremely difficult to lose fat and gain at the same time. it can be done, but it goes very slowly- that may be where you're at right now.
my opinion is that since you've lost some fat now, its time to put on more muscle and get your strength up- that will help you get the fat down a bit more. so lift weights first and do the cardio on your non lifting days or later in the day if possible.

I wasnt actually trying to gain and lose at the same time. I was trying to retain muscle and lose fat. I am actually still wanting to do that. Been so long since I could see my abs, I want to see them again. I dont mind coming to a stand still with the muscle, its the fat that I want to kick out the door like a one night stand

 

[Cynical Simian]

Here's a link to a post I made in Guinness's journal that you might find relevant:

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5635716&postcount=95

Another thing to consider, obviously, is that along with a lot of fat, you've lost some muscle, reducing your body's caloric needs. But consider the above first before making the mistake that so many people do when they hit (and stay in) weight-loss plateaus by trying to radically drop calories or increase cardio.

 

[lardo5150]

Here's a link to a post I made in Guinness's journal that you might find relevant:

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5635716&postcount=95

Another thing to consider, obviously, is that along with a lot of fat, you've lost some muscle, reducing your body's caloric needs. But consider the above first before making the mistake that so many people do when they hit (and stay in) weight-loss plateaus by trying to radically drop calories or increase cardio.

Very nice, K for you. Do you mean like a "cheat" day. Maybe 1 or 2 days a week where I eat higher calories for that day?

 

[thelion2005]

Based on my experience ....
(1) Make meal 1 an omlette, add some veggies to it, and drop the oats. I consider any grain a fast sugar, which IMO holds water and fat.

(2) Check meal 2/4/6 for hidden fast sugars on the label. Try to get them out.

(3) Meal 3 ... Darn good ... no rice.

I think just pulling out some fast sugars will tip the scales.

(4) Leave the cardio as is and do it first. It should not tire you...it should heat up the body and get you ready to weight train.

(5) I like 2 full body wo's every 9 days including rest days, even if it means less weight used. Chest/Shoulders/Tris .... Hams/Calves/Quads/Abs .... Back/Bi's/Forearms ... Rest Day... repeat with 2 rest days.

It won't take much to get you going again. However ... you will reach a point where your body will reach a set point and it will take some "help" . I know little about "cutters". But HGH has been very good about helping me tighten up.

Based on Slat's pics ... even the one is is using now ... he knows his dieting.

 

[lardo5150]

thanks lion, I will go over that tonight, hopefully when Slat gets on he can put some input in on this.

 

[lardo5150]

bumping for more input

 

[slat1]

Stick to the diet. Your body is slowly adapting to quality food. Not only will you lose fat when that happens but you build more muscle.
Wait to see what they say at Beverly. If you are not following the diet exactly let them know. They know their stuff and their products are the best out there.

Note: I was watching one of the Mitz Okuri video's on Ronnie Coleman to get some motivation for my first day back in the gym. As usual in Big Ron's video's you could see all the Beverly stuff in the background. Since he pays for their stuff and is not sponsored by them he turn the jugs around. You can't miss them though.
If its good enough for Ronnie its good enough for me and you!
Stick with it. Your body is still changing. Take progress pictures in the mirror every once in a while. Sometimes its the only way to tell there is a change. Getting a 7 point bf test done will do the same thing. I usually get both done on the same day to track my progress.

 

[benapollo]

Hi there, I too bought burn the fat feed the muscle just to learn anything extra more than anything, but i am sure you should do cardio after weight lifting. But i suppose it is what you prefere, that doesn't mean not to do some warm up cardio first though.

Also it clearly states in that book that it is very hard (if not imposible) to loose fat and burn muscle at the same time and that only the geneticaly gifted or those on steroids can do that.

Concentrate on one goal at a time mate.

change the exercises you are doing or rep ranges to try and get past the plateau.

and like thelion2005 says look for the hidden simple carbs.

I have been carb cycling as well pincottas cutting calculator really helps for this which is baste on the BFFM plan. it means eating low carbs for 2-3 days and then 1 high carb day so your body doesn't go into starvation mode. If you can't find them PM me with you email and i will email them over to you

 

[lardo5150]

Stick to the diet. Your body is slowly adapting to quality food. Not only will you lose fat when that happens but you build more muscle.
Wait to see what they say at Beverly. If you are not following the diet exactly let them know. They know their stuff and their products are the best out there.

Note: I was watching one of the Mitz Okuri video's on Ronnie Coleman to get some motivation for my first day back in the gym. As usual in Big Ron's video's you could see all the Beverly stuff in the background. Since he pays for their stuff and is not sponsored by them he turn the jugs around. You can't miss them though.
If its good enough for Ronnie its good enough for me and you!
Stick with it. Your body is still changing. Take progress pictures in the mirror every once in a while. Sometimes its the only way to tell there is a change. Getting a 7 point bf test done will do the same thing. I usually get both done on the same day to track my progress.

Thanks Slat, I will just keep trucking along.