trying to reduce body fat - stuck in a rut

[Airric75]

You also might try varying the exercises you are doing. Your body will catch on to what you are doing really quick, and you will plateau. The interval training will help out, but you have to mix up the exercises, the time and the resistance. Doing longer amounts of cardio will help with the weight loss (total amount on the scale) but that may not be what you are trying to accomplish. Are you looking at just getting rid of the subcutaneous fat at your waist line, or are you trying to lose an certain # of lbs on the scale. Since spot reducing fat is not possible, and you sound like you've done some homework, my guess is you have a set of goals. If you have a copy of your avg workout on the computer, feel free to email me, I can provide some ideas.
It sounds like you are doing some of the right things, the timing just might be off. Pick up some more healthy calories, keep up with the high water intake (you should seriously be peeing every 10-15 minutes), and consider just doing some cardio you haven't done in a while (upper body cycle or rowing maching or Versa climber) and mixing in the interval with the long slower cardio.
Keep us updated with the progress
Eric
nagel.eric@scrippshealth.org

 

[5ata]

Todays weigh in has me losing another 3 pounds!!! That is 8 so far. Gradual seems to be the ticket. I am now adding on Dynamic apnea with fins at the end of my freedive pool work. And to top it off, it is a new personal best. Yesterday I accomplished a 50 meter dynamic apnea - which has me feeling good about my freedive training program I am doing. The reduced caloric intake (DietPower has me currently on a budget of 2500 calories, and I am only taking in about 2100 on average) is a real help. My weight plateued at 208 for about 3-4 days, but today saw another drop. My primary concern is the fat around my waistline, which seems to be normal for men in their 40's.

To try and help the process of burning calories, I am swimming at an outdoor pool that is only in the mid to high 70's in temp and swimming in swim trunks only. The increased water intake is helping as well - and I drink it ice cold to burn a few extra calories.

Being a freediver means trying not to elevate my metabolism since it burns oxygen faster. So I am doing very specific training to burn calories, yet keep my metabolism at an optimal level - it's a trade off, but the progress being made on both fronts is keeping me motivated.

 

[Niamh]

hi

By the sounds of it, from all that training you are doing, your body is trying to hold onto the fat you have to keep in reserve as you're not taking in enough calories. If you increase your calorie intake from a healthy balanced diet, then your body knows you're going to replenish stocks readily and it'll give up the fat. Thats why experts say to eat small amounts and regularly.

Also you should think about going back to normal pasta,instead of the low carb. you're obviously a good athletic so you need complex carbohydrates to fuel your muscle. As long as you're eating it in the right proportions then you don't need low carb stuff. But hey I'm no expert, I've just found something that works for me.

oh and by the way, try out any exercises (any stablilising and holding ones like pilates) that focus on working the transversus abdominus. Sit ups only strenghten your six pack muscles, where as the transversus muscles flattens your stomach.

 

[freefall2]

Cliff, are you still using the DietPower program? I'm on day 7 of my 15 day free trial and it is my new obsession. I had no clue how many calories I was consuming. It is quite a rude awakening.