T Nation

Very Confused, Can't Lose Weight

Supplements and Nutrition
#1

So I started in April at 415 lbs, started tracking all of my calories in myfitnesspal with a calorie goal of 2500 not really focusing on macros. I did Wendler’s 5/3/1 program with HIIT or LISS cardio, walking at least 3 miles a day. Then once I hit 350 I started focusing on macros and making sure that I was meeting my protein needs and trying to keep the carbs lower and only around my workouts.

My biggest downfall is even though I’m within my calorie goal, I snack at night. Normally I’ll have casein before I go to bed.

I wear a WHOOP fitness band and this tells me I burn on average 4500 calories a day.I eat between 2500-3000 calories a day. I’ve been doing Wendler’s 5/3/1 with BBB accessory with sprints, rows or jump rope as cardio.

This brings us to today, where for 3 months now I’ve been stuck at 335. I know for a fact i’m not eating over 4500 calories a day and somehow I’m not losing weight.

I need help guys, bad. My ultimate goal is 250 lbs.

Thanks.

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#2

Only thing i see is you my want to try to drop calories more. If your burning 4500 and eating 4500 your not going to lose much.

#3

He said he’s eating 2500-3000 calories. The problem is, he’s not burning 4500 calories a day. His fitness band is just telling him he is. You can either up cardio, drop calories further, or both, but the fact is, you’re at maintenance. Whatever you’re eating that isn’t raising or dropping your weight, that’s your maintenance calories. If you were gaining weight, you’d be in a surplus. If you were losing it, you’d be in a deficit. And your body can adjust to different intakes too. So whatever you do, don’t just keep doing the same thing.

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#4

I get the CICO methodology and I completely agree with it. But I’m working out hard for an hour 5 days a week, I stand all day instead of sitting down, and still even without working out, in what world does 2500 calories sustain 335 lbs? I should also add that I’m 6’ 5’’.

#5

When I first went down this road I wasn’t losing weight at the rate I wanted. My best friend and the one who inspired me to start training said, “if you want drastic changes in your body, then you have to make drastic changes in your diet”.

I had stopped the obvious things like the weekly Peanut Buster Parfait at DQ but I was still eating poorly. Instead of tracking your diet, PLAN your diet ahead of time. Calculate your daily calories, then plan what you can eat and when you can eat those things and stick to it. You would be so surprised how you look forward to your next meal.

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#6

Your metabolic damage has caught up and kicked in from too few calories and too much work, so your body is in preservation mode. This talks more about it: https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/truth-about-metabolic-damage

2500 calories when you were 415 was an insane way to start things off. Starvation works, but only for so long.

How does the Boring But Big template make sense when your goal is significant fat loss?

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#7

Working out hard is subjective. I call a lot of guys pussies at the gym, but in their minds they are working out hard. So, are you really working out hard or being a pussy? I can’t believe you were sprinting at 330ish, let alone 400+.

Weights don’t burn a lot of calories. Going on a 3+ hour bike ride outside pushing the pace at a HR average of 130 will. Or running 6+ miles at a 7:30 pace will. Other than that, you lose weight through diet. You can exercise all you want and undermine all of it through diet. I’ve done that exact thing for years. Snacking will set you totally back, but it all goes back to diet. Get an apple watch and track yourself that way. It connects to MyFitnessPal.

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#8

What does this mean? -candy/Junk or just leftovers, nuts etc?

Yeah if 6’5’ prob best up cals to like 3000 or 3500 even.

This guys stuff is the nuclear bomb for fatloss. His logs here such as ‘Alpha III’ with complexes also worth checking out…

#9

I figured metabolic damage had a part in what I am experiencing. Should’ve started smaller so I had room to go lower once I did reach a plateau.

I’m doing the BBB so that I can keep muscle mass, i feel like I’ve lost so much of it before focusing more on cardio, so now I’ll do a big lift, then a muscle building cardio like rowing.

But obviously i need to do something difference because its not working, lol.

#10

When i was losing weight, I would do sprint intervals as hard as I could on the elliptical because of the reduced impact for 30 seconds on, 60 seconds slower for 20 minutes. Then i went to 2 minutes at 5mph, walk 2 minutes, 2 minutes 5.5 mph walk 2 minutes, and 2 minutes 6 mph then walk 2 minutes. Some days I would run 3 miles in 30 minutes, other days I would walk 5 miles. one day I walked 10 miles with 1/2 mile change in elevation. All while doing 5/3/1 with the soul sucking BBB accessory.

#11

The other bit of advice I can give you is that “you didn’t get fat in a matter of weeks, its not reasonable to expect to lose all that weight in a matter of weeks”

Some guys have done it but they are the exception, not the rule.

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#12

To lose 85lbs properly will take you a year. Plus you are lifting, so that will skew the scale. If you only do cardio, then the scale is accurate, mix in heavy weights and the scale loses accuracy.

Diet must be in check. No BS foods. No desserts, no ice cream, limited nuts, just vegetables, lean protein, dry baked potatoes everyday. Take photos of yourself daily. You can be stuck at a weight but be improving body comp.

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#13

I feel we are doing over a lot of detail about training programs, right amount of calories, fitness trackers, metabolic damage but @RampantBadger’s question is probably where you will find your answer.

BTW, I think if you have a large amount of weight to lose the 6-12 week periods of steady fat loss followed by 1-4 weeks of maintaining (or very slightly increasing) weight then repeat, is a really good strategy for long term success.

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#14

You have two options IMO, eat less or move more. But there’s catch22 as always and sometimes upping the calories helps to burn through plateau, but lets leave it right there, as I think thats not the case. Would be interesting to see your diet first. Second those watches are wildly inaccurate so don’t rely on them. Rely on things that have highest accuracy and can be measured. If it can be measured- it can be improved. For example your diet. BTW also congratulations on the weight lost so far, keep going, get smarter eventually and it all will fall into place. Takes time, patience, dedication and drive, as you already know it:)

My 2 cents.

Regards,
Bel.

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#15

A good point was brought up, why would I do BBB when I’m trying to lose body weight. Well my thought was preserving muscle mass by heavy lifting which would in turn lead to more fat loss.

So my question is, if I want to lose fat but keep muscle, what is the workout program that has worked the best for you and could I get the program?

Thanks

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#16

Yes and no. You want to preserve muscle mass when losing fat so you end up looking leaner and muscular, not just smaller and jiggly.

A plan like BBB is specifically designed to make people bigger, as the name says, which means the workouts are designed expecting the body to be fueled with abundant calories for recovery and growth. Training like that while restricting calories is square peg-round hole.

Complexes. Start 1-2 of the sessions with one big exercise for a few heavy-ish sets of 4-6, then get to the hard work. Walking on off days is the only other extra stuff to possibly add. Get your diet sorted out and you’d be on track.

Speaking of diet, to get to the particulars, what exactly did you eat yesterday?

If you’re weighing 335, I wouldn’t keep things any lower than around 3300 calories. So making that adjustment should be the top priority.

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#17

I fast from 9pm to 12pm, then break my fast with protein right before I workout at noon.

Lunch: 710 calories
Premier Protein Shake
Casein
Whey
6" steak with no cheese sub

Dinner: 873 calories
Egg Bake

Snacks: 776 Calories
Oreos
Brownie
Cheese
Pretzels

Total Macros:
Calories - 2360
Protein - 218 g
Carbs - 160 g
Fat - 99 g

most of the carbs and snacks were around my workout at noon

#18

Basically have tried upping calories from 2500 to 3000, 3 weeks ago and went from 322 to 335, and now 335 is the same weight I was 8 weeks ago.

#19

I’ve recommended it to multiple people for weight loss and conditioning, few have followed it. Do the 10,000 kettlebell swing challenge.

I lost 19 lbs in 30 days - and I was carrying a bit of fluff but wasn’t obese, so if you ARE overweight you could theoretically lose much more.

Here’s my write up:

A metcon program is a great way to bust through a weight loss plateau. Eat clean and cut out the late night snacking.

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#20

…yup, shooting yourself in the foot right there.
If you’ve been 415 then pretty much guaranteed you have/had long-term chronically elevated insulin levels. This will spike your insulin back up and make it much easier for calories to enter fat cells.

Snack on pretty much anything else nuts, chips even but zero sugary crap till you’re under say 280. Good news is totally cut these out and will also allow you to eat waay more clean food and still see results.

Also no Veg/greens?? If not already consuming then hit those hard.

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