FITNESS PLATEAU but not quite. HELP!

[vanitypounds]

I am experiencing something similar to a "plateau", but instead of a rut, it is more like a physical decline.

I always work out 5 to 6 times a week, strenuously. Every time my exercise routine stops working, I drop it and try something new. At first it was running -- one hour a day, eight miles. Now it's jumping rope, for an hour and a half.

But it's always this cycle:
First I lose massive amounts of body fat and tone up, very rapidly. Really, it's like magic, and for a while I am impossibly fit. Then after about 2 - 3 months, I peak and start gaining back the weight, at first gradually.... and then faster and faster, at which point I also start losing the muscle tone. (Naturally, I increase the duration and resistance but my body seems to be adapting too fast to respond to all the extra time/rigor.) So then I switch to something else.

But I've run out of things that work, and besides, I don't think this is even normal. My body seems to have a mind of its own. What do you think it is? Am I over-exercising, and this is just a consequence of it? Or do you think maybe estrogen levels are responsible for my body stubbornly resisting weight loss?

 

[sparrow]

WOW thats crazy and I have no wise words. I only know at the beginning of anything new, bodies are shocked and results follow rapidly..until it adapts. The more fit you are the faster you'll adapt to a new routine. I would completely switch things up within your activity. Instead of running for a few months the same kind of thing (8 miles, 1 hour) do different running goals on different days (intervals, tempo runs, fartlek sets etc) then the next week do it out of order or run some days and hit something else hard on another day. Keep your body guessing since it is very quick to adapt.

Sounds like you may be overexercising too. I have found that after going at an activity hard and strong for a few months when I back off...thats when results come. I back off a few weeks only, and then hit something new. In those weeks I feel more lean,fit and toned than when I was a gym rat. Your body will adapt to kicking back too, so it can't be forever! Backing off just means doing MODERATE activity or concentrate on weights or something. something more relaxing but still a new challenge (yoga?! haha)

I dunno, your case is very interesting. I'll be interested to hear what others have to say.

 

[theleip]

I have a feeling but not sure just yet.

List the following in good detail.
Age
sex
weight
height
normal daily diet a week
general amount of working out you do (cardio and strength traing and how long)
Goal
How long you have been doing this

The answer will lie in your answers I am sure, but we need more details.

 

[vanitypounds]

thanks for the support, guys. it's pretty puzzling, yes. (at one point, when I was really gaining a lot of weight, I actually got tested for hypothyroidism and was told there was nothing wrong with my thyroid. hmmphh.) The doctor did suggest that maybe I was over exercising though, so that might very possibly be it.
anyway.

Age: 21
sex: F
weight: 127
height: 5'5
normal daily diet: uhhmm... I can't really say I pay attention to what I eat. But it's mostly protein, and in moderation. I don't deprive myself.
general amount of working out: 90min. of cardio, 30 min. of weight training, five to six days a week
Goal: basically to keep my body fat low. I'm obsessed with body composition, I'm physically uncomfortable and lethargic when I'm not in good shape.
How long you have been doing this: I'd been running for a few years. Maybe four? I took up jumping rope (instead) a little over a year ago.

 

[theleip]

Okay well from the looks of it the big problem here is yes you are overtraining in cardio. You should never do more than 60 mins of cardio at a time. With strength training and a good diet, you really don't need much more than 40 to be honest. Also paying attention to that diet is very important. With all that cardio and working out I would wager you aren't getting enough calories for the activity you are throwing out. So yes you may not be starving yourself in your eyes, but could be in your bodies. I will lay it out like this...

Lets say that you take in 1600 calories a day.
Your resting metabolic rate (if laid in bed all day long) is 1420.
Anything that you do in a day that is not bed ridden is a burning extra calories. So thats how we get a needed maintain calorie rate. Yours with light activity is roughly that of about 1800 calories. So already we are at a 200 calorie deficit. If trying to lose weight then you are on point.
Now lets throw in the hardcore activity/working out you do. This ups your activity level to high. Therefore making your average calories burned in a day anywhere from 2300 to 2500 calories, could even be more depending on highly intense your working out is. So if you don't have your calories in check you could be easily putting yourself into starvation mode.

What happens in starvation mode?
Your body basically hangs on to any fat for dear life fearing its not going to be taken care of. Any extra food you give it, even not in a calorie surplus, it will store. So this is what makes it possible to gain weight even in a deficit. So us as people thinking damn I guess i have to work harder, pump it up a notch. What happens? You lose weight because of the intial shock to the system and then stop losing weight again or put it write back on. It is the very yo-yo system you are describing to a tee.

Also with all that cardio, your weight training is pretty much useless. You are burning into the muscle faster than you can put it on. So in essance you get that "fat skinny" look, instead of firmness and tone.

My advice is to try this, and think of it this way, you have been doing this so long, what is a couple of months to test. I think you will find its worth it.

-Take a 1 week break. No working out. Nothing. Bodybuilders do it, runners do it, a break is so important to your body.

Then...

-cut cardio down to 3 times a week for 30 mins at higher intensity

-strength train full body 3 days a week on non-cardio days (if you want a routine let me know. It never hurts to get a whole fresh one) This should take about 45 mins no more. High compound movements (squats, deadlifts, rows) Few isolated movements (bicep curls, tricep extentions). You wont bulk up trust me its not possible in a calories deficit. So you need to test you 1MR (maxium weight you can lift once) for each exercise you do and then work at about 45-55% of that doing 8-12 reps an exercise for 3 sets.

-Take a look at your calories and food choices. People always come here and say "I think my diet is good" but 9/10 times its not. Abs are made in the kitchen. Pick a ratio that works for you. it could be 40/30/30 (40% protein, 30% good fats, 30% good carbs) Make sure you are eating for activity that you are doing. For example doing this kind of routine you might not need to change your diet to much because you aren't needing as much energy from food due to not overtraining. But still post exactly what you eat in a day and trust me we will let you know

-Make sure that one rest day a week, you really rest.

-Give this 6 weeks and I think you will see some changes in your body.

I honestly think this will help, or at least get you started in the right direction. As always though consult with your doctor before making any changes in diet as i am not aware of any limitations you may have.