Stuck on a Plateau
 

I've been cutting weight and fat since January. I've lost 50 lbs so far but have not lost a pound since June 10th. I cut my calories by 500 from my bmr and that, combined with aerobics and weight workouts helped me lose the 50 lbs. I know that I'm not adding much in the way of muscle weight because I'm 54 with low T. I also don't eat any carbs after 3 pm and my % breakdown is generally 40% P. 40% C and 20% fat. Most days however the fat is lower. I eat as cleanly as possible. My body fat is 22-24% depending on my measurement. I'd like to get it to 12% or better. I'm really at a loss here! HELP!!!

You might want to check with your doctor about medication options for the low-T, I know a couple of guys that take meds for it and wouldn't have it any other way. But it's a personal decision. You also might consider a cardio workout like running, biking and/or swimming a couple times/week. Sometimes your body just gets comfortable at a certain weight and you have to give it a kick in a new direction and shake things up a bit. When I need to break through a plateau I try and push the proteins as high as possible for 2-3 days, sometimes that kicks it back into gear. Another thing that helps is to up your water intake, baseline of 64 ounces of water per day, plus another 8 ounces for every 10 pounds you want to lose. And if you've hit a plateau throw on another 24 ounces just for good measure.

I'm going to start Testosterone therapy next week. I didn't think of the water increase. Sounds good. I do cardio 6 days a week now.. elliptical, treadmill, walking, plus weight work 4 days. I try to mix up the cardio to keep things interesting and so my body doesn't get too used to it.

It's been so hot here, I've had to up my water just to stay hydrated, and I was already at 96 ounces! Yikes. Another thing you might try is to eat a big pile of protein immediately following your workout (shakes, eggs, meat, tuna, cheese, etc), that's when your body needs it the most. I'm female, so naturally live in a state of no-T, and that extra protein boost has made a huge difference in my muscle tone. And the more muscle tone you have, the easier your body burns fat. Also since you've lost 50 pounds you may want to look at how many calories you should be getting, the smaller you are the fewer calories you burn in your workout, so you may need to cut back your intake by a couple of hundred calories, or up your workout time, just to keep the loss going in the right direction.

I agree with almeeker, If you haven't re-calculated your BMR since you started you may not be at the 500 calorie deficit you think you are. Good luck.