The dreaded plateau :(

This topic contains 56 replies, has 12 voices, and was last updated by Roslarr 9 years, 5 months ago.

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fitnfast

8:35 pm
9 Jun 15
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Diverdog, curious when you lift, do you lift a certain number of reps or do you go until failure? I did Cathe Friedrich STS program for a while, even bought my first barbell set. But never understood which way is best, depending on what kind of results you want.

I just want muscle tone, not muscle growth.

diverdog

9:23 pm
9 Jun 15
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Mmmm, muscle tone is a made up marketing concept that doesn’t mean anything. I’m always surprised when people tell me they don’t want to gain muscle. It’s usually women that think they are going to end up looking like a man. The truth is we all lose muscle as we age unless we work a very physical job of lift weights. The truth is is not easy for older men or women at any age to add a lot on muscle.

Resistance training can be tailored to primarily maintain and grow muscle or to get stronger. In general the main difference is in the rep range and rest between sets. For muscle growth 3-5 sets of 8-12 reps with minimum rest is indicated. For maximum strength 5-8 sets of 3-5 reps with more rest is best.

Doing more reps is a waste of time if the weight is so light that you can do 20 reps you are wasting your time. You need to challenge the big muscles of your body with enough weight so that the last rep or two in a set is very hard. You will get stronger over time and will need to increase the weight you lift

fitnfast

11:42 pm
9 Jun 15
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Thank you for that wonderful explanation! I actually do have a job where I do a lot of lifting (auto parts store..do all the receiving), so that helps, but I do like my muscles, especially now that the layer of fat is gone!

I have 8 lb dumb bells (and lower), and barbell that I usually use with 10 on each side. I had 2 back surgeries so have to watch my form, but I get by.

Thanks again!

Roslarr

8:36 am
10 Jun 15
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-HOW I GOT OUT OF MY PLATEAU –

Hi everyone,

Bit of an overwhelming response on this thread but I thought I’d update you all on my progress!

So after 7 weeks of no change, I changed my diet strictly to a high fat, low carb diet, eating under 20g of carbs a day for 4.5 days a week whilst doing 4:3 (also low carb on these days).

Yes, it may sound extreme but honestly I’ve found it really quite easy.

It’s basically including Atkins, which I’ve had success with in the past – but its relitively unsustainable long term – and I do plan on going back to 5:2 once I’ve settled back into a constant downward slope, but I had to change something drastically I think.
A typical day on a FAST day would be nothing at all except LOTS of water and maybe a black coffee until about 7pm when I might eat 3 chipolata sausages with scrambled egg and maybe a slice of bacon (under 500cal) or I might have what I like to call Pizza Omlette (Pizza Fritatta on Atkins recipe site) which is basically whisked egg fried with passatta, mushrooms, pepperoni and cheese with a bit of oregano. Or I might have chicken and veg (all under 500cal, all very low carb).

On a NON FAST day, I don’t eat breakfast (has never been my thing even as a child – I much prefer my extra sleep) and will either get a salad from Subway for lunch (lettuce, jalapeneos, cucumber, gherkins, onions, lots of grated cheese, chicken or turkey and ham with mayo – which is incredibly tasty and a personal fave) or if I want something a bit more meaty, I go to the local Morrison’s supermarket and get some ready-roasted hot chicken or sausages. For snacks I love my Pepperami sticks, babybels, cathedral city minis, cheesestrings and hartley’s 10cal jelly (all low carb). But honestly sausages have been my favourite thing to eat. Chipolatas, lincolnshire, american style hot dogs (without buns obvs)- I have the lot! Rarely felt hungry as its all got protein in which keeps me full.

I’ve also been doing more exercise and got into a routine with that which I do 3-4x a week, which I will mention below if anyone is interested…

-I do 10 mins non-stop jogging, followed by 2 mins run 2 mins walk for another 10 mins on the treadmill. Then I do 10 mins on the bike, followed by 60x leg presses on 60lbs, followed by 60x sit ups and 60x ablique sit ups with a 5kg ball. Then I finish with (on each leg) 60x back leg lifts, 60x side lef lifts, 60x doggy lifts (led cocked to the side like a dog peeing lol) and 60x lef pulses.-

So after 2 weeks on this high fat, low carb diet (whilst doing 4:3) and incorporating more exercise – I have lost 1lb last week and 2 lbs this week already (and its only Wednesday, I weigh on fridays).

It should also be beared in mind that I eat whatever I want (and I mean whatever I want) Friday night-Sunday night. Which normally consist of takeaways, lots of wine and unlimited snacks… I could never be fully restricted as I would just give up in a heartbeat.

I hope this helps some of you struggling.

-Stats-
Female
5ft 10ins
Current weight: 12st 1lb
Starting weight: 13st 0lb
Target weight: 11st 0lb

fitnfast

9:31 am
10 Jun 15
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Very good, Roslarr! And thank you! That is the exact plan I am now following (except yesterday…we’ll just forget about yesterday!).

I can already feel more weight gone..large slab of it from back of thighs, literally!

milena

9:33 am
10 Jun 15
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Hi Roslarr

Blummin’ beck! I’m exhausted reading this. But you’ve given me a push, Think I’m doing 4:3 – I say think cos I go off piste a lot, but eating one meal a day, intentions are one day under 373, one day under 1500, that gets me under target tdee, and puts me into 19:5, meal around eight, warm milk before bed. Doing this until Friday. First two days 350 and 400, so pretty much two fast days, but fasting today. Easier than I thought, snacking is my downfall. Did a gym workout, if you can call prancing about and trying to blend into the wall a workout, but I got to 10k steps, though it took a third walk around the street before bed to get there.

Dunno what I’m going to do at the weekend, depends if I succumb to the chocolate covered scabby horse before then or if I’ve stayed on course.

If God is a woman, well both be 11stone before we know it, as God loves a trier!!!

Will have to think of a workout strategy now though, but I’m not pondering too much about what I eat. Small brain, I don’t like to tax it.

Roslarr

9:47 am
10 Jun 15
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Hi Fitnfast and Milena!

Glad I could help!

I know all too well the frustration of the same number on the scales for weeks on end (mine was 12st 4lbs – which I have happily given the finger and determined to never see again) – So I just wanted to share some tips that seem to have worked for me.

If you look up Ketosis (if you don’t already know about it), it explains why high fat low carb is so effective in losing weight and I must say I’m loving it. Sausage and eggs for tea – can’t really complain.

Moral of the story – carbs are lethal (but great fun at the weekend)

Have a good Wednesday!