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Looking for advice with something I'm trying to get my head round...
The background is that I've lost 36.6 pounds of body fat (just over 2 stone 8 pounds) in 11 weeks with my local wellness club and 43 pounds (just over 3 stone) since April 17th. The club uses a very good body composition scale and there was only one week when I lost a bit of muscle, and that was when I cut my protein intake by mistake. I avoid weight-loss products, preferring instead a diet of whole, healthy foods, daily exercise, plenty of fluids and sleep.
Obviously the goal is to lose body fat, rather than muscle or anything else, so I eat 125g of protein a day. That's deliberately more than the 115g RDI for my current weight of 240lbs because, 6 days a week, I do two x 30 minutes on a cross-trainer (moderate to fast, in the morning), which has built-in random resistance levels. In between the two workouts, I do 15-20 mins of strength-training exercises and stretches. I also have a 30-45 min walk before dinner, and various other exercise like an hour's Pilates class a week, other walking, housework and yardwork.
*So here's my problem.* Over the last two weeks, my metabolic rate has been dropping, which suggests that I'm burning calories more slowly despite the exercise. So, although I'm still losing body fat rather than muscle, I'm having to work harder for it. I have a daily max of 1450 calories and am eating lots of "good" things, with absolutely minimal "bad". So I wonder if perhaps eating more calories would help increase my metabolic rate.
What I've done so far is working really well, but I'd still welcome constructive advice, especially about the relationship between metabolic rates and calories, and if you've found things that have been successful for you. My diet and exercise info is open to all so please feel free to respond, either with a post or a private message.
Thanks for any help you can offer!
Diet Calendar Entries for 13 July 2013:
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1371 kcal
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Fat: 39.02g | Prot: 119.32g | Carb: 126.01g.
Breakfast: Oats, Morliny Sopocka, Alpro Almond unsweetened, Scallions or Spring Onions, Cottage Cheese (Lowfat 2% Milkfat), Egg White. Lunch: Great Value Sliced Pickled Beets, Artichoke Hearts in Oil, Lettuce Salad with Assorted Vegetables (Including Tomatoes and/or Carrots), Skinless Chicken Breast. Dinner: Asda Fat Free Greek Style Yoghurt, Mixed Salad Greens, Lettuce, Asda Borlotti Beans, Artichoke Hearts in Oil, Baked Potato (Peel Eaten), Bell Peppers, Salmon. Snacks/Other: 2% Fat Milk, Green Tea, Water, Muller Muller light fat free yoghurt, Sliced Ham (Extra Lean), Philadelphia 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese, Ryvita Dark Rye Crackers, Tomatoes, Carrots, Cucumber (with Peel), Kirkland Signature Atlantic Salmon Canned, Asda Fat Free Greek Style Yoghurt. more...
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3848 kcal
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Activities & Exercise:
Desk Work - 2 hours, Calisthenics (light, e.g. home exercise) - 15 minutes, Exercise machine (moderate) - 5 minutes, Exercise machine (fast) - 55 minutes, Resting - 12 hours and 45 minutes, Sleeping - 8 hours. more...
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