The Fat Loss TroubleshootThis is your place to troubleshoot your fat loss problems from nutrition to training. This section is led by Leigh Peele, author of "The Fat Loss Troubleshoot," the ultimate fat loss manual. If your results have slowed or stalled this is the place to come for advice for all your fat loss needs.
During my last two workouts, I feel like I have hit a wall in regards to energy and the ability to progress with strength and duration of my workout. I can make it through the workout, but it sucks. I am sore afterwards and tired as all heck.
I am wondering if this could possibly be a sign of a deficit. I honestly cannot remember having these symptoms in forever, maybe not since I began working out eons ago.
I just want to know is this a sign of overtraining or fat loss. There seems to be such a fine line between the symptoms of the two. Nothing I have been experiencing has been too extreme, its just frustrating.
You could just be having a few weak workouts, it happens. Training and fat loss are a tough mix. The key is to look for extended periods of weakness or problems.
If that occurs, take a week off training, throw in a higher eating day or two and then just hop back on.
Don't be afraid of the deficit either, remember a certain degree of fatigue is normal. It is the extremes you need to heed the warning of.
I am going to nix my run tomorrow and aim for some yoga and light stretching. I hope this passes, if not I will definitely need to rest and refeed.
I am not scared of the deficit. It actually makes me feel refreshed not feeling stuffed and full of crappy food. I have been scared of it in the past, but in all honesty I am sick of working my butt off and not seeing results. A deficit is the least of my worries LOL. I just hate feeling weak thats all.
What is your intake looking like right now? Are you timing intake around your workouts?
Calories usually touch around 1,700 on non workout days and 1,900-2,000 on workout days. All is measured and weighed out & I try to stick to the same foods.
AM: Oats w. Natty PB & Sometimes A Banana
SNACK 1: Almonds
LUNCH: 4 Egg White Omlette w. Green Peppers, Slice of Ezeikel Bread or Protein Muffin
OR
Can of Tuna or 16oz Chicken with Green Salad
SNACK 2 (before workout) : Greek Yogurt & Pear
POST WORKOUT: Scoop Pro Powder and Water
DINNER: Chicken Breast with Veggies and a Sweet Pot.
really? 4 whites or can of tuna or a POUND of chicken? or is there a typo
I think if I continue typing at 6am before work I might be writing that I am eating 2lbs of chicken.
I meant 4 whites of egg omlette for lunch or flaked tuna over salad or one chicken breast over lettuce. I weighed the tuna and the chicken, which comes to aprox 150 calories each. The whites, I have a hard time weighing, but one egg white is aprox 10-15calories. Am I clear? I hope I am. Trust me if I ate a lb of chicken for Lunch I might have a bigger issue at hand. lol
Has that been your normal caloric intake? If so then unless you have a pretty demanding daily routine (which you could, not saying you don't) then that isn't likely a really aggressive deficit. I am wondering how long it has been since you took a training break?
In short, give more info if desire. How long training, how long dieting down, etc.
Has that been your normal caloric intake? If so then unless you have a pretty demanding daily routine (which you could, not saying you don't) then that isn't likely a really aggressive deficit. I am wondering how long it has been since you took a training break?
In short, give more info if desire. How long training, how long dieting down, etc.
I took a week off two weeks ago. Did nothing but daily activities and had a huge re-feed on day 1. I was recently sick with an upper respiratory infection about 5days ago, took three days off this week. The recent illness could be my culprit.
I have been training, whether its running/biking or lifting consistently for 6 years. I have always had a pattern of resting 1-3days a week and taking a rest week every 12wks at the most.
There was a period about 5yrs ago where I did diet down too much and didn't rest at all and did too much. I do remeber how I felt then. I was sleeping 10hrs, feeling like I couldn't lift my arms, not hungry, was getting sick all the time and I was down to 120lbs with no muscle. It was sick. I ended up having to slowly reintroduce my calories and take a good 1-2months off from everything to regain some sort of physical stability. I haven't experienced any of those symptoms at all nor have I been exercising that much and not resting at all.
I have been lifting consistently since June 2008. Aproximately 3-4 days a week of NROL4W or NROL routines. I was doing HIIT three weeks ago about 1-2 days a week and steady state 1-2 days (If I did HIIT twice, I do SS once and vice a versa). I will usually have 2 rest days a week. I try to do at least 2-3 NEAT activities around the home and at work. I run up an down stairs at work and stand for most of my day except 2hrs for paperwork or so.
That has been my normal caloric intake. I think, unless I am weighing and measuring wrong (my scale is not the greatest). I have been dieting down since January. Prior to that I was eating at maintence for about 6months and was dieting down before that for 4months. I just started weighing my food in March.
I am 5'8" and weigh in at 140. I did read your book, but its not on me. I think it places me at a Level 3 burn on days I exercise a Level 2 on days I don't. I remeber my maintence being at 2,100 and to diet down I was at 1,600-1,700. I could be wrong and not remembering my numbers or I could have over/underestimated my daily caloric burn. This leaves me with the question with how far will I have to diet down before it becomes a problem and I do end up as sick/tired I was 5yrs ago. I was only eating about 1,300 cal a day. As of now, I am guessing it could be somewhere between 1,400-1,700.
I do understand how this could not be too much of a deficit. I also could see how I might be working out too much. If I am resting and taking rest weeks every 8-12wks, how could this be overexercising?
As for your last question, there's more stress on the body than just diet and exercise. So, if you're in a period of higher mental stress (job, school, life) then that's how something that doesn't seem like overexercising could give the same symptoms of overexercising. Not saying that's your problem.
I would guess that recovering from infection may be the reason for the lackluster feelings during workouts. The body needs a good amount of energy to repair, and that means from injury and illness as well.
Yeah you know nothing stands out as aggressive but that doesn't mean overtime you can't just get a little worn out as well.
If you still want to progress with fat loss you can take a week off of training, maybe throw in a refeed 2 day stint and then just hop back in. Training is hard on the body. Just a day of new training can reduce a 300 pound man to arguing with his toliet sit he can't get off of. It is amazing what you can get used to eh?
Yeah you know nothing stands out as aggressive but that doesn't mean overtime you can't just get a little worn out as well.
If you still want to progress with fat loss you can take a week off of training, maybe throw in a refeed 2 day stint and then just hop back in. Training is hard on the body. Just a day of new training can reduce a 300 pound man to arguing with his toliet sit he can't get off of. It is amazing what you can get used to eh?
LOL I did a refeed yesterday and Friday. Ended up lifting today and came back strong. Would you recommend I refeed weekly or wait until these Symptoms come up again?
You know just feel it out really. I personally guide by that "push it until it push you" notion. It works great if you really push it, but step back when your body asks too.
Symptoms of Fat Loss
Linear Mode
