Quote (carteblanche @ Apr 17 2013 12:44pm)

you've said calories we need are on a daily basis, eg 24 hours. so if we calculated how many calories we need for a 24 hour period and ate that many every 23 hours, we'd slowly gain weight? and if we ate that every 25 hours, we'd slowly lose weight? is it just a coincidence that our digestion system completes in the amount of time it takes the earth to rotate exactly once? or is that evolutionary?

Quote (SKCRaynor @ Apr 17 2013 02:34pm)

Many reasons.

1. As you lose body fat, your deficit changes. You need to reduce calories more as your weight decreases to achieve the same deficit.

2. Certain body types are predisposed to a certain BF %, ie: mesomorphs, endomorphs, ectomorphs, and combinations thereof. Some body types are genetically resistant to fat loss past a certain point (this is most likely survival based).

3. As body fat and total weight decreases, assuming you reduce calories further, and keep exercise levels the same, fat loss can also stall from body adaptation. The only solution to this is shocking the system either with a re-feed and followed up with much larger deficit/exercise routine.

4. Past a certain percentage, somewhere between 8-12%, the human body tends to try to hold onto fat for insulation and shock absorption, as well as backup energy source in time of fasting. This, like #2, is biological, and can not be "changed" per se.

5. Body chemical/hormonal balances play a huge role in this - too much estrogen can easily cause fat loss to stall. Too much testosterone can cause other adverse effects, however, fat loss will be easier.

Quote (ForbiddenOath606 @ Apr 17 2013 03:18pm)

Interesting.. so does that mean not everyone is capable of achieving movie star abs? Or is everyone able to at least get to 8-9%

Quote (TempoONE @ Apr 17 2013 03:15pm)

Raynor,

Recently, I have had trouble sleeping.  Not the initial sleeping part, but once I do fall asleep, I find myself awake in the middle of the night about 4-5 hours into my sleep without being able to fall back asleep for 3 days now.

Can you possibly diagnose a reason?

My diet has been the consistent thus far without trouble in the past. 

The only thing new that I can recall is introducing brown sugar (from sugar cane and water) into my oatmeals in the morning and into my cottage cheese right before bed.  Do you think this could be the reason?  If you need to know anything else please let me know.

Quote (ForbiddenOath606 @ Apr 17 2013 11:08pm)

Does it matter if you take BCAA with your post shake? Or is it best to take by itself?

Quote (SKCRaynor @ Apr 18 2013 01:40am)

Discontinue the cottage cheese before bed. Instead, replace it with a fast acting protein like whey isolate. See if this helps the situation. Is there anything else going on in your life? Any additional stress or things on your mind? Anything else that could be causing your mind to be more awake than usual? Are you working out later at night?

Quote (TempoONE @ Apr 18 2013 06:11am)

Workout's have been consistent as well.

As for the additional stress, yea possibly.  I have to secure a co-op placement before the beginning of June and I haven't done so yet.  I do admit I do find it stressful, but it hasn't bothered me in the past.

I get this weird sensation around my chest area that prevents me from sleeping.  It's not a painful sensation but it doesn't feel relaxed...

Just trying to give you as much detail as possible to see if it can help you help me better.

I currently don't have any whey isolate, should I just not eat anything before bed then?