Related to jdoll's post - adding meals/calories?

[Joni]

Has anyone broken a fat loss plateau by adding calories? And, if so, how many and how quickly did you add them.

I've been trying to up my calories from 1300/day to about 1800/day by adding more protein and trying to stick to a 40% carb 40% protein and 20% fat ratio - but am still averaging only about 1400 calories a day even though I feel like I'm eating constantly.

I LOVE food - and fantasized about being able to eat more and still lose weight, but now that I keep hearing that too few calories is just as bad as too many -- I'm finding it hard to try and eat more.

If I could just pop a few dozen bags of M&Ms it'd be easy. But I'm sticking to a clean low-fat diet.

But this plateau has gone on for TWO years too long. I thought Cathe workouts would break it with the addition of interval and strength training to my formerly steady-state cardio only routine. But nope, nothing seems to work...

 

[KayLaw]

I haven't. What's worked for me is varying exercise, changing things around when my body's gotten too used to one thing, and carefully weighing and measuring portions to make sure I'm not eating more than I think.

 

[scm]

I have a book from Cliff Sheets, called Lean Bodies. In it, he clearly explains how to (and why) consume 2,000 calories a day AND loose fat. I'm real close to consuming that many.

 

[Joni]

I'll check Lean Bodies out. I have several that explain it too - "Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle", "Leanness Lifestyle", "Everything You Need to Know About Fat Loss" -- and they ALL advise against undereating. Unfortunately none prescribe an oatmeal cookie (my current craving) and cheeseburger diet as a way to get in all the calories needed to maintain a strong metabolism.

I've been afraid to up my calories, but I've tried EVERYTHING else over the past 2 years. No calories, no carbs, no fat, thyroid testing, more cardio, less cardio, etc.

 

[smoogy]

I recommend this book, too. When I followed his plan, I was at my leanest. It's hard for me to eats so frequently at work now. We can't have food in the patient care areas, (nor would we want to!) I remember I would give off so much heat at night, I assume from the revved up metabolism.

Marla

 

[candi]

Joni,

I feel your pain

 

[Joni]

Thanks Candi!

You shoulda seen me rationalizing last night - after doing Imax 2 - about whether a calorie is a calorie and shouldn't I just go get a bag of those oatmeal cookies I've been craving for the sake of my poor suppressed metabolism??

I did a reality check by looking at my abdominal profile in the mirror - boy was that whey shake a tasty treat!!

:9

Then I went online and bought "Lean Bodies" -- to add to my growing collection of Lean Bibles.

If all this doesn't work - warn Ms. Fit that her most fat-loss resistant client is about to come knocking!!!

Joni