Plateau Fun! Grrr

[Tenken]

Background info...~2 years ago i was at 300ish pounds, lost it down to 155 the wrong way, lost all the muscle with the fat. Stayed around 180 for a few months, and then got informed. I've been eating right and training for about a year now, and gone from 38% BF at 180 to 14% BF at 188, which is where i am right now. I'm 23, 6'0.

UPDATE-- Apparently i'm at 11% bodyfat according to more accurate testing, and the loose skin is what makes it appear worse.

After a month off last X-mas (and gaining ~5 lbs), i resolved to cut and see if i can get to single digit BF. The problem is that i've hit a plateau this early on, and not had a change for ~2.5 weeks now.

I use a split routine for lifting 3 days a week and fasted cardio the other 4 days. I'm also using HOT-ROX extreme. My diet looks like...

Breakfast: 1/2 cup oats, cup eggbeaters
M1: chicken + veggies
Lift
PWO shake of dextrose/whey 2:1 ratio
M3: Chicken + veggies + Brown rice
M4: natural PB, some lean meat
Bed: Fat free cottage cheese, flax oil
230g protein, 130g carb, 60g fat, ~2k calories

Cardio days are the same w/o the PWO shake, and with another lean protein/veggies meal to even it out.

The totals on Cardio days come to 290g pro, 70g carb, 60g fat.

Anyway...anyone who has been in a similar situation and also fears that his metabolism is just f'ked ^_^, feel free to please advise me

Thanks!

 

[theleip]

-How long have you been in a caloric deficit?
-What is your lifting routine in detail?
-What is your daily caloric intake and how long has it been that number?
-How long have you been taking the HOT-ROX?

 

[Tenken]

almost finished with the 3rd week in deficit, coming from 5 weeks of above maintenance.

Bodybuilding.com - Matt Danielsson - Intermediate's Bodybuilding Program! Is my routine, 3 day lift version, some modifications for more compound exercises. Its not a routine problem, make strength gains consistently. This is in addition to the cardio i specified in the first post.

Calories are all in my first post, and its been that way for approx 3 weeks now, as mentioned. Hot rox For about 2 weeks.

 

[theleip]

First off sorry for the delayed response to your thread.

You routine isn't really the best for fat loss. You are training with to many isolations, it is a bodybuilders routine. You want a fat loss routine. You want a routine that basically is going to shake your system very hard and give you greater EPOC. I would look into a 3 day full body HEAVY compound work routine. What should be included-
BB Squats
Romanian Deadlifts
Military Presses
Pull Ups
Dips

Basically the elite of the elite in multi joint training.
You should hit lower reps and higher sets. A 4x6 I find can be very optimal breaking in as it has a little more hypertrophy availability (as much as possible in a deficit of course) but still working in the range that gives better shot fire to the EOPC.

Fasted cardio though can work great for some is NOT for everyone. Also if done wrong can eat into a lot of muscle. I would switch your cardio session to 2-3 times a week of HIIT. Again looking for that EPOC factor and overall caloric expenditure. Working about burning into fat or carbs is pointless really, we rant energy usage that is where the fat loss comes. Work though with the right energy usage, there can be problems and halts that come in from the wrong training and overeating.

Your calories may be a bit low. You may be working against yourself with your hormone production. I would considered upping them at a slow pace week by week and see how your results are coming till you hit that sweet spot.

 

[Tenken]

Very detailed theleip, thanks so much in advance =)

I actually have re-arranged the lifting to almost like that, but still in split form...i'll switch to fullbody and see if it helps ^_^ Likewise for the cardio, this very week i switched into HIIT voluntarily, so it's pretty a pretty sweet deal to have you suggest it also.

The calories are what scares me to be honest...at that many calories, i SHOULD be burning 2-3 pounds a week, so the fact that i'm going closer to 1/2-1 lb a week tells me a lot about my metabolism. I think that even though its going to kill my confidence to not cut right now, raising my metabolism back to a healthy level first is best.

As it stands, i intend to increase it by 250 calories/day every week until i get to where i'm gaining a little muscle, then see how it matches up to BMR calcs, and cut from there. Does that sound applicable? Any advice on specifics? My heart goes out to you for the time to reply, thanks!