Extremely low caloric intake... stuck on plateau!

[baja_stx]

How can you do slightly over 1 hour (65-75 minutes) of high intensity cardio for seven consecutive days... each day burning nearly 1000 calories (according to the machines) and still not loose weight when consuming only ~1000 calories per day (~50% protein, ~30% carbs, and 20% fat.)?

Sorry for that long run on rant question.

[killxswitch]

Undereating often inhibits weight loss. 1000 calories a day is really low.

[baja_stx]

Thanks killxswitch. I'm well aware that extreme caloric deficits slow the metabolism and will turn to protein stores (muscle) for glucose, but I thought I could overcome that and still loose weight by adding more cardio for overall weight loss (much of which I know will be muscle.)

I should have mentioned that I'm 32, 6'1", and 205 lbs. (trying to get to 190lbs.). Practice a typical push-pull-legs routine three days a week each started w/ 30 minutes of cardio and also do 30 minutes of cardio on the four off days.

During the past seven days, I reduced my caloric intake from ~2500 per day to ~1000 (same macro %) and bumped my cardio to a little over 2x the duration. Too early to tell, but I haven't noticed any reduction in strength, but also no reduction in weight either.

I just figured that after 7 days I'd have lost a few pounds.

Thinking of increasing the fat/protein and reducing the carbs to try and induce ketosis. Opinions?

[TKisner]

Stop what your doing, buy lyle McDonald's rapid fat loss handbook, crash diet the smart way.

[baja_stx]

Where's a cheap place to pick it up?

[Behemoth]

His website or amazon.

Just don't do what you did for a prolonged period. I'm not condoning doing that again but still unless you were already deep into dieting, and assuming that you don't richochet out of it what you did was fine for that brief spurt. But try to keep those intake and activity levels up and its going to blow up in your face.

[Ben90]

It's possible that the low calorie diet, combined with all the calorie needs from the workout has put your body into starvation mode, it's keeping all the calories you're giving it and making it so you aren't losing weight. Everybody's body is different, and some go into a starvation mode easier than others. Maybe increase the calories in your diet a bit and see if that gets you out of the plateau you're in. And yes, lowering carbs while increasing protein might not be a bad idea.

[Behemoth]

"Starvation mode" is pretty over exaggerated. If you're eating in a drastic deficit, contrary to popular belief, you don't "go into starvation mode" and hold onto all of your fat.

If you're eating in a big deficit you're going to see big weight loss. It may be somewhat short lived and things may slow down, but it will continue. You will likely also drastically catabolize. People rant, rave, and misinform about "starvation mode" but it doesn't mean you stop losing weight and/or fat. A brief spurt of drastically low calories can be completely acceptable at times. You simply can't expect the results that it may produce to continue long term (or be very easy to keep up with).