Stuck on 178

Nickvipperman

I’m stuck on 178 pounds. I’d like to be 172 for marathon training. Plus I can’t seem to shake this bottom belly fat. Any advice? I’ve been stuck for about 3 months. I stay between 177-181.

I eat pretty clean, watch my macros and run 40 miles a week for marathon training.

sgt1372

Eat less and/or exercise more.

Drop your cal intake by 250 cals/day if you can. If you can't because your daily cal goal is already too low, do additional exercise to burn at least 500 more cals/day and then eat only 1/2 of that.

Might also help to change up your exercise routine, whatever it is, to require your body to respond differently. Since all you seem to do is run, try rowing and/or biking instead of or in addition to running.

Good luck.

Davidsdottir

Is there a specific reason you need to be at 172? You're asking a lot from your body while training and need to fuel it appropriately. You look awesome, so I guess I don't understand why you think you have 6 lbs to lose.

SummerSkier

I feel your pain. Every oz seems to add time to my running pace. 6 pounds is a lot to drop but the only way to do it is to cut your calories some. I have a friend who is world class 5K and before a race he always drops about 3 pounds so he can get his fastest times. Looking pretty good but I understand your desire to have less weight for the distance running.

LiftHeavyThings27105

Hey, man! Better to be stuck at 178 (like you) than stuck on stupid (like me)!

The lower abdominal fat....yes, the dreaded situation. I would suggest that the only way to get rid of that would be more diet! Meaning, more of a cut to loose more belly fat. I betcha that is just where you have stubborn fat...it is likely the first place that you gain fat and the last place you loose fat. Just genetics, man! Can't do much about that....

I used to run 13 miles five or six times a week. I was always on the Greenway in Roanoke, VA. Loved it. I get the desire for a better time. If I might....just be careful about the 98% rule and trying to get that last 2%. When I was running I was eating a lot...needed to.

sijomial

Eat a bit less.
On a day or days when you aren't training rather than every day perhaps?

Nickvipperman

Good advice all. Thanks.

I am trying to cut my calories a bit. I know most of the work I need to do for this is in the kitchen.

Appreciate it.

CarvedTones

What's your height? You do look pretty fit in the upper body and with 40 miles a week, I assume below also.

Nickvipperman

6’1

briscogun

Is it truly fat or maybe some excess skin that hasn't retreated since losing weight? You look pretty trim/slim...

steveko89

Like others said, the best thing to try is simply eating less, unfortunately. We're about the same size and I was in the same boat in July/August last year; I was spinning my wheels, thinking I was doing everything right, floating around 180. The scale didn't budge until I started eating less after I realized my heart rate monitor was giving me a few too many calories and my logging wasn't as buttoned-down as I thought or needed it to be. Once I fixed those two things I dropped from 182 to 176 mid-August to mid-October, and hit 170 in January. Probably could've lost a little faster as I only averaged ~150 calorie deficit.

CarvedTones

Nickvipperman wrote: »

6’1

I suspect you know this, but that's a 23.5 BMI; quite healthy. I am at around 24, the lowest I have had it in a long time, so I am not sure I am the best for advice but I feel like I could go back to my last deficit and it would keep moving down. It could be your running has gotten more efficient and you burn a little less.

elisa123gal

I understand your goal for perfection. But just as an objective person, you look extremely fit already..I'd never look at you and think.. "he needs to lose that belly fat." You look perfectly fit (great job, that had to take a lot of work) ..your stomach doesn't look fat one bit.

KTshilombo

I would say intermittent fasting and hiit are best because you maintain lean muscle to target belly fat