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[l0c0ch0c0b0]

I've been working out for about a year now, and I managed to lose 10lbs, but I am aiming for 135lbs..but I can never seem to get there and break my plateau!

I do cardio exercise 4-5 times a week, usually on the treadmill, elliptical, bike, etc. and I do weights/ab workouts 2-3 times a week. I usually try to do something different than I did the previous day to confuse the muscles in my body. My diet is around 1500 calories per day (I aim for 1200 but realistically it's more like 1500, which is still less than my RDI). Foods consist of almond milk, special k/granola cereal, granola/power bars, yogurt, fruit, cottage cheese, salads, 300cal healthy pasta dinners, whole wheat grains, soup, and rice crackers (I would keep a food journal but most of the time it's hard to find and input the exact foods I eat).

Recently I heard of a thing called HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and I started taking spin classes last week as well. I was wondering if it was better for stubborn fat loss than it is for steady state training, and if that is something I should pursue, especially since I have trouble with running at a steady state for long intervals of time.

Please get back to me with any other advice for stubborn fat lost. Thanks!

[Somsai]

Wait, you trained for a whole year and you only lost 10 lbs?

[beelzebobbles]

You seem like you're eating a lot of sugar/carbs (I know special K is marketed to dieters and all, but seriously cereal is like one of the worse foods you can eat) and you don't seem to have a very high protein intake despite working out... Are you vegetarian?

[l0c0ch0c0b0]

@somsai- yeah :/ I did p90x and everything. I was never overweight to begin with though.

@beelzebobbles - nah not vegetarian..I usually dont eat a lot of meat because they take a while to prepare. I do like eggs though.

[Rjr3412]

Originally Posted by l0c0ch0c0b0

@somsai- yeah :/ I did p90x and everything. I was never overweight to begin with though.

@beelzebobbles - nah not vegetarian..I usually dont eat a lot of meat because they take a while to prepare. I do like eggs though.

IIRC P90X calls for a high protein diet. It's set up that way for a reason, it really does make a difference.

If meat is too much trouble make 3-4 days worth at a time. Pick up a package of lean chicken breasts or something, cook it all up and put it in some tupperware. Boom, same amount of work as cooking a single meal and you're set for several.

As far as HIIT vs. Steady State for stubborn fat, there are studies and anecdotal evidence supporting both. I have specifically heard steady state being better as it is more effective at promoting blood flow to the stubborn fat areas.

Personally, I like SS just because HIIT is too exhausting and I don't usually want to work out the next day. Remember, this is a life style, not a quick fix and sustainability is important.

Good luck.

[boshuda]

Based on things I've learned from visual impact and eat stop eat you can try eating 1350 calories and fast for 24 hours one day a week. The 1350 calories comes from 10x your target weight. If you can handle it I would also recommend 15 - 20 minutes hiit followed by 15-30 minutes steady state ( no more than 45 minutes total ) immediately after your resistance training. This, coupled with 4 days a week of resistance training, enabled me to bust through my fat loss plateau. I'm currently burning 2 lbs a week.

[Arti]

Originally Posted by boshuda

Based on things I've learned from visual impact and eat stop eat you can try eating 1350 calories and fast for 24 hours one day a week. The 1350 calories comes from 10x your target weight. If you can handle it I would also recommend 15 - 20 minutes hiit followed by 15-30 minutes steady state ( no more than 45 minutes total ) immediately after your resistance training. This, coupled with 4 days a week of resistance training, enabled me to bust through my fat loss plateau. I'm currently burning 2 lbs a week.

Oh... Intermittent Fasting. To do a 24-hour fast without going crazy the body cannot already be stressed out from the chronic calorie deficit associated with dieting and exercise, as the benefits from fasting is severely hindered. The body has to be "normal" in order to reap its benefits (If I recall, the book only calls for fasting every 2-3 days). Also, 24-hour fasts work best for males than females, mainly due to increased mood swings females have when they fast for more than 14 hours.

I agree among the other people that your diet needs to be checked due to the lack of protein among the list of foods that you eat. Just like exercise, fasting won't reap benefits if diet is poor.

[l0c0ch0c0b0]

Thanks for all the input guys! I've started to make changes to my diet by switching out protein bars for yogurt, cereal for oatmeal with fruit, and eating either chicken/salad/tofu/seafood meals for dinner. I'm currently on the lookout for recipes that are quick and simple, but can get the job done. So far I have chicken tacos/wraps, chicken breasts in lemon sauce, tofu in miso soup, lemon broccoli, avocado omelettes, and crispy catfish. Does that sound like I'd be on the right track?

I will also look into carb cycling a bit.