Fat loss stalling out

Nutrition Q&A [Moderated]
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Dear BBM Crew –

Love the content and all the work you’re doing!

I’m stalling on my fat loss efforts, and hoping you can advise. Please let me know if this this requires a more formal consult, and we can maybe discuss.

  1. 54 y.o. male
  2. 5’7”
  3. 221 lbs
  4. 42.5” waist
  5. 31% body fat (Navy method) I am a desk jockey at work.

Most recently, I’ve been training 3x/wk using a purchased HLM template from a coach who shall remain nameless, plus an extra day of some GPP upper back work thrown in.
From a longer history perspective, I haven’t missed a single training session since I first started serious barbell training 10 months ago.

My 1RM PR’s (all achieved about 4 months ago):

  1. 395 pounds DL
  2. 365 Squat
  3. 170 Press
  4. 265 Bench At the end of last November (2 months ago), I weighed 232 and embarked on a fat loss effort (unfortunately don’t know what my waist circumference was then). I started with 1,800 calories per day and saw some results. However, the weight loss stalled within about 3 weeks, so I cut back to 1,700 per day. The weight loss resumed, but sure enough I stalled out yet again when I hit 220 lbs ten days ago, so I further cut back to 1,600 …and I’ve GAINED a pound since then. Aaarrrghh! So all told, I’ve lost only a net 11 pounds in 8 weeks and things have bogged down. Am I being too impatient?

On a positive note, my clothes fit a little looser now.

I’m meticulous about measuring and weighing my food, which I’m able to do about 75% of the time during the week. On those occasions when I can’t weigh/measure, I’m very conscious of staying within my parameters. My average macros over the last 7 days were 159g protein, 140g carbs, 48g fat (and 49g fiber).

This week I will start the BBM 3-day GPP Hypertrophy template, but for the last 6 weeks I’ve already been doing a 30 minute LISS 1x/wk, and for the last month also a 6-bout HIIT 1x/wk (20 seconds on, 100 seconds off), both on an Airdyne bike.

I’d want to get my waist well below 40” obviously, and I’d like to get below 20% body fat – I’m thinking that’s probably around 180 lbs, so I’m 41 lbs away from my goal.

Questions: 1. I’m leery of dropping much further below 1,600 calories. Since I started this journey two months ago my energy level has decreased, my e1RM’s are noticeably down, and my libido has tanked. My mental acuity even seems a little fuzzy sometimes. Plus, I’m RAVENOUS most of the day. Should I bite the bullet and go down to 1,500 cal/day? Or even lower?
2. I know from listening to your podcasts that “metabolic damage” isn’t really a “thing”…but I’m worried I’ll be sowing the seeds of an inevitable regain of weight on account of acclimating myself to such a low calorie intake. No-cebo?
3. Starting now, I plan to add a second 30 minute LISS session per week in addition to the one I’m already doing. Good idea? Or a second HIIT session? Or maybe both?
4. Any advice on the waning energy and libido?
5. Since I suspect this may take a while, what do you think if I keep rerunning the GPP-hypertrophy template consecutively until I hit my body fat/weight goals? Thanks for all you’re doing!

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Therjack.

Thanks for the post and I hope you’re doing well.

  1. I wouldn’t put too much stock in absolute calorie levels obtained from tracking, as I expect you’re likely higher than this. I think the energy thing is multifaceted and I wouldn’t expect dieting to have a singly deleterious effect on your training, libido, or cognitive ability. I would expect that weight loss would actually improve the libido and cognitive ability if previously overweight or obese. That said, it’s hard to rule out possible medical pathology like hypothyroidism, sleep apnea, etc. if someone of your size is actually eating what you’re eating and NOT losing weight AND having these subjective symptoms. I think it’s reasonable to recommend seeing a doctor to make sure you’re all good prior to making another calorie drop.

  2. I would expect your maintenance calories to be lower at 180 vs 220, but I don’t think they’ll be unreasonably low. Let’s cross that bridge when we get there.

  3. I would do 1 HIIT and 1 LISS per week and aim to get close to 10K steps/day as well

  4. I think that a medical evaluation is a good idea here to further work up the fatigue and libido issue.

  5. I think that’s a good idea!

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Thanks, Doc!

Your mention of sleep apnea made me realize my weight loss efforts have coincided with some pretty high stress at work, which, when I think about it, has affected my sleep.

That said, the day after my original post, I hopped on the scale and I weighed 218!! Whiskey tango foxtrot?! I don’t know how I could have lost 3lbs in one day. Methinks my digital scale might not be so consistent.

Thanks again, and I’ll keep you posted.