Could these pics be the reason I'm not losing??

nz_deevaa

So either cut back on your exercise (my choice)

Or,

Exercise the same amount and eat less of the calories back.

ndj1979

I am not familiar with HIRT ...what kind of work out program is that?

Had to do the googles too - high intensity resistance training. Basically from what I understand going for one resistance exercise to the next without rest. I could be wrong though.

Correct. There is a rest but they wait until you do the circuit first. To me it's like a boot camp with lifting included. The program was given to me because I need to lose so much weight first (at least another 30 pounds) so instead of doing a higher weight lifting program like NROLFW or Starting Strength, this program would allow me to burn fat at the same time.

I personally prefer straight lifting..but when I first starting working out - a while back - I did do circuit training and it really helped melt off the initial fat.

My thoughts. Do the TDEE method minus 25% ...do the HIRT for about 4=6 weeks once you see gains from that then I would transform to more of a standard weight lifting program. Maybe three day a week total body and two day cardio and two day rest..

good luck to you ...

feel free to add me as a friend...

jstout365

At this point I think your calorie level will be determined by trial and error. That takes time because you will want to give it at least a few weeks to see what is happening. Every time I increased the intensity of my workouts (either length, frequency, or total exertion) I had to up my calories. I lost my first 10 lbs just returning to an exercise program with no change to diet. I lost the last 17 or so lbs focusing on diet and exercise. I lost the majority of the 17 lbs eating at 1500-1700 calories and exercising 4-6 times/week for 30-60 minutes. In January I started a more strength training centric plan and upped the calories to 1800-1900. This week I decided I was close enough to goal BF% and weight that I would eat 2000-2200 (depending on activity level) and focus on my fitness. I got to those numbers by watching what my body was doing, what I was seeing on the scale, and how I felt by the end of the week. I tried 1200 at one point and within 4 days felt like crap. It took me a while to listen to my body and recognize the signs of being too low on my calories and to realize I had to focus on either a lower calorie diet or my workouts. I like to eat and enjoy working out so I picked the workouts and ate to fuel them. My loss wasn't linear by any means and it was over just about 9 months.

If you have been eating at 1700-1800, try 2000 for two to three weeks without changing your current exercise plan/frequency. If you do nothing but gain you know you need to back down a little. If you want this for the long term, don't make this about the contest. Feeling the pressure to succeed on someone else's time schedule is difficult. Use it as a way to provide motivation to keep moving toward your goal.

onyxgirl17

The sucky thing about those scales is that hydration level affects "body fat" readings. There isn't much you can do except stay hydrated on top of what you are doing.