Looking for Advice on Further Weight-Loss

[MonoxideChild86]

I am wondering if anyone can provide any insight into other things I can do to continue losing weight.

First I'll provide a little background. I started in Feb 2010 at 365lbs and since then I have gotten down to my current weight at 307. Most of the weight-loss happening between Feb. and Oct. before I broke my ankle and couldn't get back to exercising intensely until just a few months ago. I did it mostly through the Power90 and P90X workout programs and adjusting my diet to cut out alot of the junk I was consuming at the time (Pop, candy, lowering portions, etc..).

Fast forward to now, I'm sitting at 307 (the lowest I got to was around 295 about a month ago) and stuck.

I typically work out for an hour 3 to 4 days a week (pretty much just P90X workouts in rotation). Since the weather is getting nice out I'm getting ready to ride my bike for a cardio workout. I can't run/jog because my weight literally hurts my knees so bad from impact that I can't walk straight for a week. I am noticing a lot of muscle growth with the P90X workout, but not a whole lot of body-fat loss.

My meals typically consist of a protein-shake with skim milk for breakfast, a 250-300 calorie Healthy Choice or Smart One meal for lunch, and a small portioned dinner. I will occasionally take another protein-shake after a weight-lifting workout as this was recommended by a friend of mine.

For supplements I currently take a Men's Health generic multivitamin, Tonalin CLA with every meal, and a Mega T Green Tea Burner.

I started the protein-shakes, tonalin, and mega t about a month ago when I started to noticed I wasn't making any progress (still not really seeing too much more progress). I'm not sure if any of these may be holding me back from dropping body fat. My buddy who recommended the protein shakes after workouts said that I shouldn't take them in the mornings as a meal replacement, but I'm not sure what effect that really has. If I stop the protein shakes in the morning, is it better to replace it with a proper portion of oatmeal or granola cereal with skim milk?

I am planning stopping the Fat Burner supplement and the Tonalin once I run out as I'm not really seeing any results from either (and I lost nearly 60lbs without using them anyway). I just thought they'd give me an extra boost to loose weight faster.

I guess that just about sums everything up. Any suggestions anyone can provide will be taken into consideration.

I am ultimately wanting to get down to 225lbs... maybe lower.

 

[Clinton]

hi monoxide,

firstly i have to say well done on a lot of what you have been doing, and i hear good things about p90x. It seems to me that your ankle injury is responsible for your lack of progression(I feel for you as I had a fractured ankle a year and half ago and it frustrated my training routines quite a bit).

2 things come to mind. The first one is, how do you feel about your intensity level when you workout? What can happen when doing a routined workout, you can plateau as a result of familiarity and the muscles getting used to the exercise, then we forget to up the ante. Could you up the ante? though I know p90x addresses that with the muscle confusion premise.
The second thing is, I notice that you put a lot of emphasis on protein shakes and supplements. Let me ask you, how much water rich foods are you getting? Protein is great for muscle growth but water rich foods(fruit and veg) are integral for flushing toxins that may be keeping you from losing weight. In the morning, I think you should replace the protein shake with natural proteins, its essential to start with adequate energy and accompany that protein with fruit or veg as these help digest proteins. Brans and cereal are good too but in my opinion not as a stand alone breakfast.

I hope this feedback is helpful. Keep it up.