A guy that hasn't lost (enough)

This is my first ever post in the forums, but I thought I might get some advice. I am currently 6', 275lbs. At the beginning of the year I was somewhere in the 300-320 range. I started exercising fairly regularly, about 2-3x a week. Didn't really change the diet at all. Was feeling good, losing inches, never really paid attention to the pounds. About a month ago I was diagnosed w/ plantar fasciitis (my feet had been killing me for about 3 months,  but I just put it off). Since running was now out, I decided to start counting calories along with my gym workout. I weighed in at 280 1 month ago.

Since that time I have been faithful about tracking my calories. I have averaged 2165 in & 3222 out. I lift weights 3x a week (with 20-40min of cardio after), swim 2x a week, play full court basketball for about 3 hours 1x a week, and try to remain generally active other than when I'm at work (attorney so deskbound all day).

The problem is I have stayed at 275-280 since then. My goal (before the foot diagnosis) was to be at 245 by Dec. 31. I understood not running might slow me down on that, but I seem to have stopped. Any thoughts?

Well you are either over estimating how much you are burning at the moment, or under estimating how much you are consuming.

UD

there could be many different factors. People seems to think it can only mean one thing.. but every body is made up differently. How many calories are you intaking and how many are you burning? If you are burning too many calories in a day it can stop weight loss. Or, maybe you are gaining some muscle which makes it seem like you are gaining weight but its replacing fat. Water retension maybe... it could be the running... we can't really answer that question.. it could be any of those reasons.

Article on Plantar Fasciitis

Stretches for Plantar Fasciitis

Read these, they have some useful info on how to help the condition.  Also, consider non-impact exercise such as recumbent biking or water aerobics if your doctor approves.

Assuming you are counting your calories accurately (measuring and/or weighing EVERYTHING?) and you've got your setting right to estimate your burn as accurately as possible (are you listed as sedentary and log exercise, did you just pick an activity level that looked right and leave it alone, or did you pick an activity level AND you log exercise, in which case you might be double dipping)...

You are averaging over the max recommended 1000 cal deficit, and I'm guessing on days with 3hr of basketball, you might be going too far over, and could try eating more. That's assuming you don't think you are misjudging your intake or burn.

I doubt it's the lack of running that's the problem - weight training is great for fat loss, assuming you are doing good weight training, not just bicep curls and other mirror-friendly exercises that are inferior to compound exercises. Check out http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/s ports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding/ the_hierarchy_of_fat_loss

The only other thing I can suggest is looking at your proportions - getting enough protein, fat, and carbs?

Good luck.

Well, it does seem coincidental that you stalled after you quit running. While lifting weights is great for fat loss over a period of time, aerobic exercise is what's going to slim you down faster. And running is super aerobic. Have you tried the elliptical trainer? With enough resistance, it's just as good at burning calories as running is. Only, your feet stay pretty still the whole time.

Hope you figure it out!

:)

That aerobic exercise is at all helpful for fat loss is a total myth, both according to all the research* and this triathlete. (I wish people would stop buying into that particularly pernicious myth). So when you stopped running and started doing effective workouts instead, you should have seen increased fat loss.

 Stop guessing and measure everything - just your AMR at sedentary is 2717 calories, add exercise on top of that and your daily calorie burn will easily clear 3500-4000. So either you're not measuring your intake correctly, or your energy output is so high that your body has turned down your metabolic furnace in self-preservation leading to a reduced calorie burn outside of exercise.

 You probably need to eat more - either that, or you're not tracking your intake correctly and you're actually not operating at a deficit.

*Eg. Fat Loss Depends on Energy Deficit Only, Independently of the Method for Weight Loss
Strasser et.al.Ann Nutr Metab 2007;51:428-432 (DOI: 10.1159/000111162)