Stuck Again - What Am I Doing Wrong?

[Liquid]

Healthy weight for my height is about 140 lbs.

I'm doing 14,000 meters per day of which 10K is at near PB speeds. Also some lifting and walking.

Calorie Intake: 2000-2800 per day
Calories Burning: 800-900 per day

I was losing 2 lbs. a week with this regimen then it suddenly stopped cold, why? Been at 180 for almost two months now.

[PaulS]

Healthy weight for my height is about 140 lbs.

I'm doing 14,000 meters per day of which 10K is at near PB speeds. Also some lifting and walking.

Calorie Intake: 2000-2800 per day
Calories Burning: 800-900 per day

I was losing 2 lbs. a week with this regimen then it suddenly stopped cold, why? Been at 180 for almost two months now.

How are clothes fitting? You can be exchanging lean mass for fat mass, which is a good thing, all while weight remains fairly constant.

How many weeks did you maintain the 2lbs/week loss rate? Was the caloric balance the same during those weeks?

[Liquid]

Pants are loose, dropped 2 inches from waist.
Maintained 2 lbs. per week for 11 weeks.
Caloric balance is the same.
Exercising 20-30% more currently.

Arms/Legs/Shoulder - Toned, muscular
Chest - Still has some fat
Stomach - A lot of fat here, protruding belly (yech) and caliper pinch is 2 inches!

On average I'm consuming 2,400 calories per day and burning off around 850, that should equal constant weight loss...

[PaulS]

Pants are loose, dropped 2 inches from waist.
Maintained 2 lbs. per week for 11 weeks.
Caloric balance is the same.
Exercising 20-30% more currently.

Arms/Legs/Shoulder - Toned, muscular
Chest - Still has some fat
Stomach - A lot of fat here, protruding belly (yech) and caliper pinch is 2 inches!

On average I'm consuming 2,400 calories per day and burning off around 850, that should equal constant weight loss...

Would your schedule allow you to break this into two sessions?

Suggestion for 60 minutes total:
25 minute higher intensity.
35 minutes lower intensity.
Either can be first for the day but try to keep the order consistent.
Intensity difference of ~5 seconds in avg pace, the 25 minute being the faster.
Never stay thirsty, but use only water to quench thirst.

If you must get it all in a single session.
15 minutes low intensity
3 x 5:00 x 2:00 rest, higher intensity (increase pace 1 second on each rep to find what is just barely managable, then settle there until ready to adjust it)
15 minutes at pace 1 second faster than first 15 minutes

[Liquid]

I can try that although I don't see how burning the same amount of calories in one session or two would make a difference...

[Steelhead]

I can try that although I don't see how burning the same amount of calories in one session or two would make a difference...

If you want to lose fat and gain muscle, then what I have found is that I have to cut my caloric intake to around 1600 calories a day and maintain my workout schedule. I'm 61, and have been getting cut for over 40 years and then bulking up again -- and I have tried restricted diet only (doesn't work for me) and lots of exercise without a restricted diet (doesn't work for me) -- it takes both exercise and a restricted diet (of healthy food - plant based with meat sparingly).

A few years ago, I thought I would just erg like crazy and the pounds would fall off -- wrong. I lost some weight, but even erging 30,000 meters a day, six days a week, didn't help. Cut the daily caloric intake to 2000 calories or less (depending on your height, age, and BMR for your desired weight) and keep up the exercise and you should start losing 10 pounds a month. And then when you make weight -- lean, mean, and buff -- you have to keep up the exercise and then adjust your caloric intake for maintenance.

There are days when I burn more than 1600 calories from exercise -- I am always surprised at how little food we really need -- especially when we are getting our calories from complex carbohydrates (which have plenty of protein too) that gives us plenty of glycogen for energy and help in burning off the fat. 2400 calories to 2800 calories is too much especially as your body adjusts to equilibrium as you lose some weight and gain muscle -- our bodies are magnificent machines at conserving energy and we have to work hard at adjusting our metabolic set point -- so kick it up a notch and get the amount of calories down -- leave out the fat since you can't use fat for glycogen or building muscle. Blah, blah, blah.

Anyway, this is what I have found during my life time, and I'm still exercising, but now I erg, cycle, lift weights, and hike.

[icomefrombirmingham]

Hi Liquid,
The article referred to in the "Break up your training?" thread just started by peteyddotcom might be of interest.
Regards,
Brent

[Storm Petrel]

I can try that although I don't see how burning the same amount of calories in one session or two would make a difference...

For some benefit reasoning...
http://www.c2forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=6034
If you've been doing the same workout for a while, mixing things up a bit could help you out of the rut.

For a non-erg inexpensive workout that can be done at home with minimal equipment, I love Anna Benson's The Firm, and her newer Fit Prime aerobics with weights. The absolute best! (The original Firm workouts by Anna Benson, not any of the newer ones by the new owners). Beginners start with no weights. Experienced exercisers can vary the weights to ability or level of difficulty desired.

[Liquid]

Read an article recently about breaking up workouts, seems to actually work.

I analyzed a few weeks of weight loss and pinpointed the problem. Invariably during the week there was weight gain and on weekends, weight loss. Sedentary job, felt tired coming home and seemed to eat more during work days.

Cut back during the week and I'm back on track! Also varying my workouts more. Thanks everyone!