Calorie Deficit

tobermory

Cathlete
Hi all,

I have lost 10 percent of my body weight and now I have hit a plateau that has lasted a few months. I am wondering if you all think that it might help to decrease my calorie deficit. I need to lose about another 10 percent. Right now I usually have a 750 to 1100 calorie deficit per day. Could it be that my body is now worried that I am starving? Should I lower it to 500 or even less? Or should I have no deficit for a few weeks and then go back to having one? Any suggestions? I have a GWF and burn 2500 - 3000 calories per day -- so I am eating about 1650 per day, sometimes more, sometimes less. It varies day to day.

I am also lifting fairly heavy (just finished the Push section of CLX and will be starting Lean on Monday -- all in preparation for STS). I do intense cardio 3 to 4 days a week. I also walk a lot.

Thanks,
Tobermory
 
tobermory, that's quite a deficit. Can't say for sure that your body is thinking you are starving it, but I can say that if you have hit a plateau has adjusted to this kind of calorie restriction. Now its time to readjust it and tweak some things. First things first, if you are lifting heavy make sure your protein intake is higher than the average woman who doesn't lift. In general, it's good to have a ratio of 40% carbs, 30% fats, and 30% protein. Also, maybe lower your deficit to only 500 below your maintenance level rather than 750-1100 as you will still lose 1lbs a week and not put your body at as much risk of slowing your metabolism putting you at a plateau again. Next try zigzagging your calories and your foods. For example: maybe on monday you eat lower carb and lower calorie, and then on tues you eat higher carbs and higher calories. Vary your foods, like have eggs one day for breakfast, and have oatmeal and blueberries the next day. When you want to see changes, you need to make changes. And make sure you are writing down what you are eating each day so you don't just assume and miscalculate your calories. Another good tweak is making sure you eat every 2-3 hours. Go no longer than 4 for sure so that you keep stoking the fire of metabolism within you. It doesn't have to be a meal each time you eat, but you do want to have a protein at each sitting because muscle is very hungry and needs alot of protein. Make sure you don't skip the veggies too, so that you keep your fiber up and help push out the toxins all in all making you feel and look better inside and out. And as a trainer, I can't stress water enough either.
Hope those ideas help. Our bodies are complex scientific experiments so keep tweaking things and making changes until you see the changes you want!
 

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