In desperate need of help

sjwhite7

I have been stuck at 176lbs for a couple of weeks now. This morning I stepped on the scale at see that I have gained 4 of it back. I changed exercises and can really feel it in my muscles so I was thinking that it may be muscle increase. But I have stayed right at or under my calories. I am eating about 75% of my exercise calories back. I drink 9 or more glasses of water per day. It is getting so frustrating. I was dropping lbs so well and now its like I have hit a plateau and I need to know how to fix it. I do 3 or more HIIT sessions a week with 2-3 WT sessions a week. I know that I am over my exercise calorie goal for the week already and I am going to workout today as well. Someone please help me!!!!

therealangd

My first suggestion is to stop looking at the scale and keep doing what you are doing. Base your success on your fitness level and how your clothes fit, not the number on the scale. If you truly need to watch a number, then calculate your body fat% every week and go by that.

My second suggestion is to adjust your food calories and or your macros. 90% of the time a plateau is food related. Adjust your calories (up.) or your macros.

It sounds like your exercise is fine. 5/6 workouts a week. With a mix of cardio and weights.

You're doing fine. Don't panic. It will happen.

fitnfun1

Usually if you are working out well the problem might be with your food intake. I took a look at your diary. It looks like you are really calorie heavy for dinner and lighter for breakfast/lunch on most days. You may want to even out the calories throughout the day. Eating 4-6 smaller meals should do the trick. Plus, this will help you body not go into starvation mode. I see on some days you barely eat breakfast or dinner, and there are not enough snacks to compensate so your body just might go into starvation mode during the day. When you eat is important or your blood sugar goes crazy.

Your food ratio of carbs/proteins/fats seems to be fairly okay. You may want to keep an eye on the fat content if it keeps going over by a lot.

I will say that the fast food might be killing the workouts. The what you eat is as important as the calories. 100 calories of good quality food is better than 100 calories of fast food choices. Plus, without seeing what is in those choices at the fast food places, I wouldn't trust the ingredients to be that wholesome. Subway is the best bet if you need to eat on the run. Most of the other places will still have high fructose corn syrup and other not very good ingredients that make us fat, even if the calories are lower.

Some of your choices, I can't tell what the contents are for a better assessment. I see you love pizza as much as me. The calories could contain a great deal of fat calories that are not listed on your diary.

I would say with some of these tweaks and really working on tracking all the carbs/proteins/fat as well will put you back in the fat burning zone.

Here's a really great tip: eat the majority of your high carbs within 3 hours after your main workout. The other meals, eat protein/slow carbs (veggies/fruits, legumes and some whole grains). Eating more fruits and veggies throughout the day (organic is best) will help too.

I hope this helps. I was in a big plateau too, and I found out that these tips really worked like a charm!