Plateau and Carb Cycling

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vhamui
vhamui Posts: 30 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I am in that point already... I am stuck!

I do not seem to loose weight or gain it. I might gain a kilo of water retention and loose it the next few days. But the changes will not increase or decrease from being 63-65 kg.

I do everything the way is supposed to. I weigh train 6 days a week 3 different routines thatvare alternated in order to give a rest to one group of muscles and work the others. I am a Zumba Instructor and I assist to other instructors classes. I eat as healthy as possible and register my food in this app. I try to eat as much protein, veggies and healthy fats as possible...

My goal is to get muscle definition and to loose a few more kilos to get to my medical ideas weight which is 56kg

But my body does not seem to move! I read about carb cycling in order to break the routine. But I have some issues with the idea... Basically high carb days are the ones where you muscle train amd low carb days when you do cardio or another activity. My problem? I do weight training 6 days a week!!! and having 6 high carb days obviously is not the point.

any tips or advice on how to proceed or what can be done to break this Plateau state to reach my goal?

Replies

  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
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    Do you use a food scale to ensure a calorie deficit?
  • vhamui
    vhamui Posts: 30 Member
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    what do you mean? I track my food intakes in this app and my workouts. Is that what you're refering to?
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    She's asking if you weigh your food. If not, you're most likely eating more than you think.

    How long have you been stuck and how tall are you?
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    no,she means do you weigh your food on a food scale before you log it on the app? that could be why you arent losing or gaining. you could be eating more than you think. packaging is not 100% accurate and neither are serving sizes no matter what it is. 2 apples the same size can weight differently and have different calorie amounts. also why are you weight training 6 days a week? you need rest days to help your muscles to heal.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    This is my very generic plateau advice. Maybe something will help you:

    1. If it's been less than 3 weeks or so, don't sweat it! Normal fluctuations happen and unfortunately sometimes we stall for a week or two even when we're doing everything right. Give your body some time to catch up with the changes you're making.

    2. If you aren't already, be sure that you're logging everything. Sometimes people forget about things like veggies, drinks, cooking oils, and condiments. For some people these can add up to enough to halt your weight loss progress.

    3. Consider buying a food scale if you don't already have one. They're about $10-$20 dollars in the US and easily found at places like Amazon, Target, and Walmart. Measuring cups and spoons are great, but they do come with some degree of inaccuracy. A food scale will be more accurate, and for some people it makes a big difference.

    4. Logging accurately also means choosing accurate entries in the database. There are a lot of user-entered entries that are off. Double-check that you're using good entries and/or using the recipe builder instead of someone else's homemade entries.

    5. Recalculate your goals if you haven't lately. As you lose weight your body requires fewer calories to run. Be sure you update your goals every ten pounds or so.

    6. If you're eating back your exercise calories and you're relying on gym machine readouts or MFP's estimates, it might be best to eat back just 50-75% of those. Certain activities tend to be overestimated. If you're using an HRM or activity tracker, it might be a good idea to look into their accuracy and be sure that yours is calibrated properly.

    7. If you're taking any cheat days that go over your calorie limits, it might be best to cut them out for a few weeks and see what happens. Some people go way over their calorie needs without realizing it when they don't track.

    8. If you weigh yourself frequently, consider using a program like trendweight to even out the fluctuations. You could be losing weight but just don't see it because of the daily ups and downs.

    9. Some people just burn fewer calories than the calculators predict. If you continue to have problems after 4-6 weeks, then it might be worth a trip to the doctor or a registered dietitian who can give you more specific advice.
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
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    vhamui wrote: »
    So I am in that point already... I am stuck!

    I do not seem to loose weight or gain it. I might gain a kilo of water retention and loose it the next few days. But the changes will not increase or decrease from being 63-65 kg.

    any tips or advice on how to proceed or what can be done to break this Plateau state to reach my goal?

    Not losing - read this. Sounds like you are eating too much to lose weight.

  • vhamui
    vhamui Posts: 30 Member
    edited January 2016
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    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    no,she means do you weigh your food on a food scale before you log it on the app? that could be why you arent losing or gaining. you could be eating more than you think. packaging is not 100% accurate and neither are serving sizes no matter what it is. 2 apples the same size can weight differently and have different calorie amounts. also why are you weight training 6 days a week? you need rest days to help your muscles to heal.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
    edited January 2016
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    Deleted since OP reposted
  • wtskinner
    wtskinner Posts: 178 Member
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    You may actually be lifting too much. Take a look into the 5 x 5 program if you haven't tried it before: http://stronglifts.com/madcow-5x5-training-programs/ It's primary goal is for gaining strength, and it is very efficient on time, with the compound lifts that this program recommends, would only be spending 45 minutes, 3 times a week lifting. This would leave time for other activities that might help you burn some energy.
  • vhamui
    vhamui Posts: 30 Member
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    A few things to clarify:

    1. Regarding eating too much: It is teachnically almost impossible about 6 years ago I was really overweight and did a bariatric lap band surgery. I lost by the time about 40kg // about 80 something pounds. Even if it was a while ago I continue to visit my doctor when needed to monitor de band itself and I'm still pretty tight. Therefore even if I tried to eat a lot I would involuntarily throw up because my stomache wouodnt be able to handle it.
    2. Regarding my Workout routine: I have 3 different routines where 2 groups of muscles are assigned to the 3 days.Therefore by following a pattern and and alternation, I give a certain group of muscles 2 days to rest before I repeat the routine and an entire 7th day for the entire body to rest.
    3. Regarding the food weightscale: Although a good thing to have at home, unpractical for a university student that also works and that is constantly moving. I do my best to pick the healthies choices and track them on MyFitness Pal but I can't bring a food scale everywhere with me to measure every single meal. Besides,I live in the Middle East not USA. Therefore its a bit more expensive to buy one.

    I have been stuck for a few months already. Although my plan used to work and I saw great progress, it stop to work.

    I need any tips or tricks for a temporary meal plan or workout routine to trick my body and break the monotony! :)

  • vhamui
    vhamui Posts: 30 Member
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    wtskinner wrote: »
    You may actually be lifting too much. Take a look into the 5 x 5 program if you haven't tried it before: http://stronglifts.com/madcow-5x5-training-programs/ It's primary goal is for gaining strength, and it is very efficient on time, with the compound lifts that this program recommends, would only be spending 45 minutes, 3 times a week lifting. This would leave time for other activities that might help you burn some energy.

    Thank you! I will check it out :)

  • Cave_Goose
    Cave_Goose Posts: 156 Member
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    Just a thought...maybe you are at your ideal bodyweight? Forget the stupid textbook answers. If you are eating healthy and exercising regularly, than maybe you are right where you need to be.

    As far as muscle definition, I finally accepted that I'm genetically not going to get there. I run 100-miles per month, lift, swim. I'm not flabby, but I don't look athletic. By contrast, my adopted son has a whole different set of genes...he NEVER works out, but he has 6-pack abs and looks like an athlete.

    Eat healthy, exercise regularly, and appreciate the body God gave you. Those magazine covers are all airbrushed.
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
    edited January 2016
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    vhamui wrote: »
    1. Regarding eating too much: It is teachnically almost impossible about 6 years ago I was really overweight and did a bariatric lap band surgery. I lost by the time about 40kg // about 80 something pounds. Even if it was a while ago I continue to visit my doctor when needed to monitor de band itself and I'm still pretty tight. Therefore even if I tried to eat a lot I would involuntarily throw up because my stomache wouodnt be able to handle it.

    LOL!

    That's the first time I've heard the Bariatric Lap Band Surgery leaves one's stomach in a condition that it can actually count calories.

    Again, if you have hit a plateau and are not losing weight you are taking in more calories than you need to be to lose weight. Nothing to do with the volume that BLBS may be able to detect, but everything to do with the number of calories.

    The 11 reasons you are not losing are right here:

    http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/

    Tough love, but learn to count the calories correctly and your plateau will be broken.
  • TasnimEz
    TasnimEz Posts: 280 Member
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    Calculate how many calories you need, weigh the food when you can, at least use measuring cups. If you're not gaining or losing weight then you're eating at maintenance.

    I have a friend who lost a lot of weight after surgery but is now gaining, so unfortunately that's not a guarantee for weight loss.
  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
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    I do not really have advice on one end but I do know about carb/ calorie cycling. I used the method by Chris Powell in choose more lose more his book. So they say not to do high intensity exercise on the low carb days well one reason is your glycogen stores are depleted and if you do too much exercise to deplete them more you wil feel like you are exercising in quick sand and initially until the body adapts yes it does feel that way but your body will adapt in time or you can have a quick digesting liquid carb before workout like a chocolate milk or maple water smoothie. Technically you are not to do that but I'd do it or eat a banana.

    But Google his plan and you could do the sport cycle for athletes or turbo cycle is for a faster fat loss.
  • vhamui
    vhamui Posts: 30 Member
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    Cave_Goose wrote: »
    Just a thought...maybe you are at your ideal bodyweight? Forget the stupid textbook answers. If you are eating healthy and exercising regularly, than maybe you are right where you need to be. ...
    Eat healthy, exercise regularly, and appreciate the body God gave you. Those magazine covers are all airbrushed.

    Thank you beautiful person! :blush:

    I am not unhappy with my body. I am certainly happy and aware that my progress and lifestyle choices over the years have improved in a HUGE way! I am fully aware that I am in a healthy weight although according to some indicators I should be about 56.3kg (a few kilos to loose... not that many). And as I am SO CLOSE to the final goal it seems to get harder! but I deeply appreciate ur good vibes!

  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
    edited January 2016
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    Just keep tracking your calories, weigh yourself daily and average it weekly. There could be a period of weeks where the fat cells empty the fat and refill with water (making you weigh the same), then suddenly overnight you'll lose the water weight and be on track. It's happened to me so many times. The body is a slow computer, it takes a bit of time to 'get' what you're asking it to do.

    If not, then it seems you are on maintenance. (but I doubt it). Keeping a record will help you find out exactly what yours is.

    You just got to hope you're not cutting too much and going into muscle loss.
  • vhamui
    vhamui Posts: 30 Member
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    Springfield1970 wrote: »
    Just keep tracking your calories, weigh yourself daily and average it weekly. There could be a period of weeks where the fat cells empty the fat and refill with water (making you weigh the same), then suddenly overnight you'll lose the water weight and be on track. It's happened to me so many times. The body is a slow computer, it takes a bit of time to 'get' what you're asking it to do.

    If not, then it seems you are on maintenance. (but I doubt it). Keeping a record will help you find out exactly what yours is.

    You just got to hope you're not cutting too much and going into muscle loss.

    Thanks! I will try that

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