Lost 40 lbs but have plateaued, opinions please

[BuckeyeROC]

Hey guys. I've been on a 2600 cal a day diet since Feb. and log absolutely everything I put in my body with fatsecret.com's phone app and use a food scale to measure out when needed. I lost most the weight at a fairly steady ~2 lbs a week. The last few months though, I've absolutely plateaued.

For exercise, some days my job involves all day at a desk, other days I am walking and up and down stairs for 6-8 hours a day. I also do a weightlifting program similar to HCT-12 3 days a week and usually run sprints or do the elliptical 2 days a week if I have too many days at the desk.

I'm a 35 year old male, 6'3" barefoot, started at 303 lbs. My weight now varies between 261-265 the past few of months and will NOT get lower. I've tried some cheat days here and there and have even taken a couple entire weekends to cheat. Trying to raise my metabolism. I'm a life long drug free guy, no prohormones, steroids or anything else like that, ever. Supplements include a multi, fish oil, Nitrean+, and Results.

I was thinking of going to a 2900-3000 cal a day diet for a month to see if that helps any, then maybe drop it back down to 2600 cals to try to lose more weight? Just want your thoughts on how to lose the last 10-15 lbs and reach the 250-255 range. Any suggestions would be great. Thanks.

If you are able to see these pages, here are my weight loss chart and food diary. Days with unlisted cals were cheat days and days with very low cals, I had a cheat meal for dinner. I never drink ANY calories:
http://www.fatsecret.com/Default.asp...emh&id=3410752
http://www.fatsecret.com/Diary.aspx?pa=mdcs

[RhodeHouse]

I don't do well with math and all the calculations and all the fitday charts etc...

Look at a few things:

1. I hope you got your body fat checked when you started. You probably gained a good amount of muscle, which is great!

2. I would look into a 5/3/1 program - Boring But Big or the 100 rep challenge. When you start lifting any program will work, especially if you're out of shape. As you get in better shape, the easy workouts will just stop working. Start lifting some heavy ass weights and doing some reall conditioning. Not cardio - conditioning.

3. Pants/shirt sizes. Are they going down? if so, don't worry about your weight. You're changing your body. The scale isn't a great indication of progress all the time. If you look like you're 240, but you're 260, that's fucking awesome!

Try to get out of the mindset that you need to lose weight. Think about recomposition and pant/shirt sizes, think about getting really fucking strong! Progress can be measured in many ways and the scale is the worst of them all.

Keep after, bro!

[BuckeyeROC]

I don't do well with math and all the calculations and all the fitday charts etc...

Look at a few things:

1. I hope you got your body fat checked when you started. You probably gained a good amount of muscle, which is great!

2. I would look into a 5/3/1 program - Boring But Big or the 100 rep challenge. When you start lifting any program will work, especially if you're out of shape. As you get in better shape, the easy workouts will just stop working. Start lifting some heavy ass weights and doing some reall conditioning. Not cardio - conditioning.

3. Pants/shirt sizes. Are they going down? if so, don't worry about your weight. You're changing your body. The scale isn't a great indication of progress all the time. If you look like you're 240, but you're 260, that's fucking awesome!

Try to get out of the mindset that you need to lose weight. Think about recomposition and pant/shirt sizes, think about getting really fucking strong! Progress can be measured in many ways and the scale is the worst of them all.

Keep after, bro!

Thanks man, but I hope it didn't sound like I just started lifting, I just started finally watching my diet. I've been lifting for over 20 years. In fact, I've lost quite a bit of strength so far. My bench has gone from a 470 1 rep max to about 405. All my lifts are pretty down.

[Holto]

All my lifts are pretty down.

Spend 8 weeks at maintenance cals and try to regain your previous strength levels. Given your current bodyfat levels and the fact that you'd be regaining lean tissue there is an opportunity to do some major recomposing.

This time spent at maintenance cals will restore your production of thyroid hormones and this combined with the lean tissue regained will dramatically increase your resting metabolic rate.

Then when you go back to cutting you will be burning a ton more calories.

[BuckeyeROC]

Spend 8 weeks at maintenance cals and try to regain your previous strength levels. Given your current bodyfat levels and the fact that you'd be regaining lean tissue there is an opportunity to do some major recomposing.

This time spent at maintenance cals will restore your production of thyroid hormones and this combined with the lean tissue regained will dramatically increase your resting metabolic rate.

Then when you go back to cutting you will be burning a ton more calories.

Wow, 8 weeks? Thanks man, I will give it a try. You recommend 2900-3000 cals a day? Should I gradually work my way up from 2600 or just go ahead and jump up all at once?

[Holto]

Definitely ratchet up the calories gradually.

ps: Congrats on the weight loss so far...that and owning a 400+ bench. Both are tremendous accomplishments.

[Whoopipally]

I don't do well with math and all the calculations and all the fitday charts etc...

Look at a few things:

1. I hope you got your body fat checked when you started. You probably gained a good amount of muscle, which is great!

2. I would look into a 5/3/1 program - Boring But Big or the 100 rep challenge. When you start lifting any program will work, especially if you're out of shape. As you get in better shape, the easy workouts will just stop working. Start lifting some heavy ass weights and doing some reall conditioning. Not cardio - conditioning.

3. Pants/shirt sizes. Are they going down? if so, don't worry about your weight. You're changing your body. The scale isn't a great indication of progress all the time. If you look like you're 240, but you're 260, that's fucking awesome!

Try to get out of the mindset that you need to lose weight. Think about recomposition and pant/shirt sizes, think about getting really fucking strong! Progress can be measured in many ways and the scale is the worst of them all.

Keep after, bro!

This. And what Holto said about the maintenance cals for a handful of weeks. I think you'll get some strength back with a better thing than hct-12, which, probably only works significantly if your eating a surplus of calories. (With my experience way back before I got on the right program for me)