Training hard but stalling out :( HELP! *w/ pic*

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Replies

  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    I have changed things around quite a bit, but for triathlon training I really have to focus on running, biking and swimming mostly, and cant cut them out until the season is over.

    Read this...oddly enough, it pretty much covers your exact issues:

    http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/the_final_nail_in_the_cardio_coffin

    Granted she doesn't talk about her actual deficit...but there's still some good information in there.

    (Edited for a better link)

    This was absolutely the most helpful thing Ive seen so far. MUCH THANKS for sharing this with me!!! I have a few friends who would be blessed to see it to!

    I second the THANK YOU :) Great information in that article. <3

    You're welcome ladies :).

    I've been known to give out helpful advice/comments on occasion...but shhh!...if people start figuring it out...they'll expect it of me all the time!!

    :flowerforyou:
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Overtraining is a *****.
    Take a week off then resume with an abbreviated routine for 2 weeks.
    If you start losing fat again then stay at the new abbreviated routine.

    This was a lesson I had to learn myself.
  • Cheri_Moves
    Cheri_Moves Posts: 625 Member
    [/quote]

    You're welcome ladies :).

    I've been known to give out helpful advice/comments on occasion...but shhh!...if people start figuring it out...they'll expect it of me all the time!!

    :flowerforyou:
    [/quote]

    It'll be our little secret! lol :wink:

    And really, this was like a little diamond in the pile of crap... I do intervals and crossfit workouts but not enough. After my triathlon I will be focusing ONLY on intervals/crossfit type workouts!
  • Cheri_Moves
    Cheri_Moves Posts: 625 Member
    Overtraining is a *****.
    Take a week off then resume with an abbreviated routine for 2 weeks.
    If you start losing fat again then stay at the new abbreviated routine.

    This was a lesson I had to learn myself.

    good advice, thanks :wink:
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    Overtraining is a *****.
    Take a week off then resume with an abbreviated routine for 2 weeks.
    If you start losing fat again then stay at the new abbreviated routine.

    This was a lesson I had to learn myself.

    Good stuff here as well.
  • hedgiie
    hedgiie Posts: 1,226 Member
    your looking good, i mean your in the situation when your targeting a physique from the magazine. but otherwise your physique is fantastic already. anyway, i hope you can find ways to progress further
  • Cheri_Moves
    Cheri_Moves Posts: 625 Member
    your looking good, i mean your in the situation when your targeting a physique from the magazine. but otherwise your physique is fantastic already. anyway, i hope you can find ways to progress further

    Thank you :flowerforyou:

    I want for the FIRST TIME in my life to actually feel good in my skin... I want to be able to wear anything in the store with confidence.
    We all have different goals. I want to be the very best me I can be! (so cheesy, I know!)
  • RaeN81
    RaeN81 Posts: 534 Member
    As many have mentioned, a taper week might be helpful. I would hope that your trainer has been working in a taper week every 5-6 weeks to improve your performance and allow for recovery. I am also training for triathlons and decided to put the scale away until the end of the season--hopefully I will see a shift downwards but I am not too worried if I don't. I want to focus on better times, longer distances and improved mechanics for a strong finish. Use your coach to the fullest and fuel your body for those workouts. Right now might not be the time to see the numbers go down but the performance improve instead.

    Edited to add: I am netting 1700 cals (sometimes a little more) but I typically consume anywhere from 2200-2800 on training days. I use an HRM as well and a training schedule from Triathlete magazine because I cannot afford a trainer right now so we have similar stats. Aiming to move from 147ish (again, have not weighed in a while) down to 130ish.
  • Megabot
    Megabot Posts: 173 Member
    Actually - having lost that much weight, maybe your body needs time to readjust how your skin works for you? It just might not be as tight as other peoples. You're probably just on the exact right track, but might need time. Looking at your photos, looks like your tummy is a bit droopy maybe? I mean, I'm just *looking* at your photos. No nutrition advice here.

    Also, I think you're effing fantastic. Don't lose heart. You'll get there. :)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,996 Member
    It's taken me a lot of nerve to post this, but I would really like some honest, knowledgeable feedback and help if possible.

    14 months ago, I started my new, healthy lifestyle. For the first 8-9 months, it was just about shedding the pounds, which I successfully did, about 50 pounds. but then in February, I started training for a triathlon and running races. I was only eating 1200 cals a day, so I started slowly increasing which has brought me to the past 2 months. I now eat roughly 2K a day.

    I've been seeing a nutritionist once a week for the past month, and the only things she has told me to change is add tuna, flax and eat plenty of fruit. She agreed with my daily intake, but said to eat more (and more carbs) on long training days

    ~Im 5'7", 155, 24.5% BF
    ~I eat about 80-90% "clean"
    ~I train 6 days a week; HIIT for running (hills and speed) 1x/ wk, HIT for strength (crossfit style) 2x wk, endurance runs 1-2x/ wk, swimming 1-2x/ wk, cycling 1-2x/ wk. These are aproximate as I get board and have to switch things up frequently. I have been doing these things (besides NROLFW which I did march-June) since February.
    ~I like muscle and want to have plenty of LBM. I train hard and try to get at least 130 grams of protein each day. Some days I don't, but on lifting days I really push it.

    My issue is this:
    I can not seem to loose any more weight. I have had a body composition done, it said @ 154 I was 24% body fat. I want to be 145-150 which seems unattainable. I also desperately want to shed fat from my mid section. It is where I am storing the FAT!

    If you can offer KNOWLEDGEABLE advice, please do so... I really want to figure out why I cant loose.

    This is the most recent pic of me... that i am brave enough to post :blushing:

    129.jpg
    Thank you!
    Reduce your cardio training to no more than 3 days a week. I have a feeling that your body isn't recovering from it enough. Do more strength training instead. Many clients I've had that were avid endurance people, changed body composition when I asked them to reduce their cardio and change their lifting.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Cheri_Moves
    Cheri_Moves Posts: 625 Member
    It's taken me a lot of nerve to post this, but I would really like some honest, knowledgeable feedback and help if possible.

    14 months ago, I started my new, healthy lifestyle. For the first 8-9 months, it was just about shedding the pounds, which I successfully did, about 50 pounds. but then in February, I started training for a triathlon and running races. I was only eating 1200 cals a day, so I started slowly increasing which has brought me to the past 2 months. I now eat roughly 2K a day.

    I've been seeing a nutritionist once a week for the past month, and the only things she has told me to change is add tuna, flax and eat plenty of fruit. She agreed with my daily intake, but said to eat more (and more carbs) on long training days

    ~Im 5'7", 155, 24.5% BF
    ~I eat about 80-90% "clean"
    ~I train 6 days a week; HIIT for running (hills and speed) 1x/ wk, HIT for strength (crossfit style) 2x wk, endurance runs 1-2x/ wk, swimming 1-2x/ wk, cycling 1-2x/ wk. These are aproximate as I get board and have to switch things up frequently. I have been doing these things (besides NROLFW which I did march-June) since February.
    ~I like muscle and want to have plenty of LBM. I train hard and try to get at least 130 grams of protein each day. Some days I don't, but on lifting days I really push it.

    My issue is this:
    I can not seem to loose any more weight. I have had a body composition done, it said @ 154 I was 24% body fat. I want to be 145-150 which seems unattainable. I also desperately want to shed fat from my mid section. It is where I am storing the FAT!

    If you can offer KNOWLEDGEABLE advice, please do so... I really want to figure out why I cant loose.

    This is the most recent pic of me... that i am brave enough to post :blushing:

    129.jpg
    Thank you!
    Reduce your cardio training to no more than 3 days a week. I have a feeling that your body isn't recovering from it enough. Do more strength training instead. Many clients I've had that were avid endurance people, changed body composition when I asked them to reduce their cardio and change their lifting.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    \

    Another bit of good advice, thank you!!!
  • Cheri_Moves
    Cheri_Moves Posts: 625 Member
    As many have mentioned, a taper week might be helpful. I would hope that your trainer has been working in a taper week every 5-6 weeks to improve your performance and allow for recovery. I am also training for triathlons and decided to put the scale away until the end of the season--hopefully I will see a shift downwards but I am not too worried if I don't. I want to focus on better times, longer distances and improved mechanics for a strong finish. Use your coach to the fullest and fuel your body for those workouts. Right now might not be the time to see the numbers go down but the performance improve instead.

    Edited to add: I am netting 1700 cals (sometimes a little more) but I typically consume anywhere from 2200-2800 on training days. I use an HRM as well and a training schedule from Triathlete magazine because I cannot afford a trainer right now so we have similar stats. Aiming to move from 147ish (again, have not weighed in a while) down to 130ish.

    It sounds like this is a more common issue for endurance athletes then I realized!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    Based on your exercise, I would have you eat around 1850 calories a day for fat loss. Also, I would concentrate more on heavy weight training as opposed to cardio. This will help increase fat loss. You should aim for 6-8 reps when lifting. You could also try for 30 days reducing your carbs to 30% of your calories and do 30% fats and 40% carbs. If you do that and something like NROLFW, then it should give you fat loss. When you start adding a lot of cardio, it's harder.

    Im at a 40/30/30 macros ratio right now and have been for some time. I did new rules for 3 months, my trainer suggested to me to stop it for a while to 1) change up my routine because of my stall 2) to focus on tri training This is why I am doing HIT strength right now.

    I could lower my cals again, but my net would be low... My HRM often reads a 500-700 cal per day burn, and higher on endurance run days.

    Are you active during the day? It is quite possible that you are under eating still. Hell, I was under eating at 1800 calories and not until I bumped it to 2600 calories did I start losing weight. What you could do is try to eat 2200-2400 calories for a month and see if that provides progress. It's not uncommon that when people hit plateaus that I suggest eating more. I know you are training, but taking a week off and eating at maintenance can help repair your body and allow your body to drop weight.

    So maybe take your nutritionist advice and add another 200/300 calories to yoru diet. Worst case scenario is you gain 2 lbs.

    I have 4 children during the day, 10 mo, 17mo and 2-3 yo's... 2 are mine, two are my nephews for full time day care. With That said, Im VERY busy during the day and train hard. Im thinking might be a good step... Im always hungry @ 1950 cals.
    That just reinforces that you need to eat more. Using the numbers you should be at 2200 calories at least. Why dont you try 2300 for a few weeks. But i still think a week off and eating 1800 calories would be very beneficial
  • HappyStack
    HappyStack Posts: 802 Member
    You have great arms, haha.

    I agree that you should probably be eating more.

    Also, I've read in several reputable books and on a number of popular websites that changing up your routine is absolutely unnecessary when you hit a plateau. The basic principle is "muscle confusion," but the body is supposed to adapt and get better at what you're specifically training it for in order to function most efficiently and increase performance. Whilst it may alter your body's composition -- and thus lead to weight loss/increase in LBM -- it may affect your performance if you're doing something competitively.
  • cowgirlslikeus86
    cowgirlslikeus86 Posts: 597 Member
    I have changed things around quite a bit, but for triathlon training I really have to focus on running, biking and swimming mostly, and cant cut them out until the season is over.

    Read this...oddly enough, it pretty much covers your exact issues:

    http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/the_final_nail_in_the_cardio_coffin

    Granted she doesn't talk about her actual deficit...but there's still some good information in there.

    (Edited for a better link)

    This was absolutely the most helpful thing Ive seen so far. MUCH THANKS for sharing this with me!!! I have a few friends who would be blessed to see it to!

    I second the THANK YOU :) Great information in that article. <3

    This was an awesome article. Thank you for sharing it. I have a hard time interval training or doing any other form of cardio besides running. I feel so unaccomplished with an hour or two of excercising unless I ran a good distance. The article inspired me to just give it a try and to also eat a little cleaner :blushing:
  • Cheri_Moves
    Cheri_Moves Posts: 625 Member
    You have great arms, haha.

    Thanks!!!
  • 120weeks
    120weeks Posts: 242 Member
    Great article! Thanks for the read. I went to the author's website and it looks like she is part of the NROL family as well (married to one of the authors).
  • Cheri_Moves
    Cheri_Moves Posts: 625 Member
    Great article! Thanks for the read. I went to the author's website and it looks like she is part of the NROL family as well (married to one of the authors).

    Thats crazy! I checked it out and you are absolutely right! She is Alwyn Cosgrove's wife; Alwyn is the author of the workout plans! Woah! Cool!

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