6 months out and stalled

I have had stalls along the way before, usually only lasting a couple weeks but this one is frustrating me.  The scale and my belt size haven't changed in quite some time.  I went back to the basics which has always worked before but this time not so much.  How many others here hit a 6 month wall and what did you do to punch through?

When I stalled around that time, I increased my calorie intake a little bit with extra lean protein and upped the cardio. If you're 6 months out and still only getting 1000 or so calories a day, you may be starving yourself and that causes your metabolism to slow down to the point where it will store any available fat, not burn it. Trick your body into thinking it's not starving, and it will give up the goods. Involuntary restriction should prevent you from getting too many calories in, and if it's dense protein, (meat, eggs, etc.) a little bit should go a long way. Try to break a sweat once a day, even if it's only for a couple of minutes. And good luc****ep us posted

Just sayin'

Tim T.

Will do, thanks Tim

I am 6 months out right now {10-23} and was in a stall, did exactly what Tim said and down 2 lbs last week. I am also actively building upper body muscle and ramping up my cardio so the increased protein and calories was indicated anyway for my increased activity in the gym. I am pretty sure if you do the same you will see movement. Good luck!

Andrew,

I believe Tim and Brian are spot on.  As you drop the weight as you have your BMR drops accordingly.  So, you have to keep finding the "sweet" spot (that combo of exercise, food caloric intake, & BMR that results in sustained weight loss).  Rule of thumb is 3500 cal = 1 lb - so if you have a 500 cal/day deficit then you should lose 1 lb in 1 week.  The trick in finding your "sweet" spot is making sure that you take in enough calories to keep your BMR in the "normal" range i.e. not starvation mode.  Also, consuming enough quality protein ensures you have the amino acids & building blocks to rebuild & grow muscle.  Consuming enough complex carbs before exercise ensures your muscles have been refueled with enough glycogen to power you through your workouts.

Good luck!