Long fat loss routine (over a year) = bad idea?

[kungfool]

For the past 8.5 months, I've been trying to shed bodyfat, improve my cardio (AAARRRGH), stamina, strength, etc.

I started at around 320lbs and I'm down to 255. My question is - do I keep going with the low calories (bodyweight x 10) until I hit my goal (185lbs) or do I take a break from caloric restriction and bump my calories up (increase by 200 cals per week ) for a month or two, then reduce my calories to the bodyweight x 10 number again?

Some articles I've read recently (cen't remember where I found them) say that long periods of fat loss may not be so good for your metabolism. I figured you guys would know, but my search brough up nothing on this subject.

Another reason for bumping up my calories - I think the amount of food I'm eating is hindering my strength gains. I just can't seem to get past the low 400s in the deadlift. My last deadlift max PR was only a 5lb gain over the previous one (which was set during my last cycle 10 weeks ago)

If it matters, I'm not using any supps except MSM, Chondotrin, Glucosamine, and Fish Oil - all for my poor, abused knees. Can't afford anything else now that school's started anyway.

I figure getting to 185lbs should take maybe another year.

 

[kungfool]

Oh and incase it matters, my diet -

Meal 1 - preworkout
1 scoop whey
1/3 scoop casein
1 grapefruit
1 orange
1 serving of veggies
1/4 cup almonds

Meal 2 - postworkout or cardio
1 scoop whey
1/3 scoop casein
if postworkout, I add 1/2 scoop of gatorade

Meal 3
1 salmon filet
1 serving of veggies
1 grapefruit
1/4 cup almonds

Meal 4
1 tilapia filet (it's cheap!)
1 serving of veggies
1 grapefruit (as you can tell by now I loves me some citrus fruit)
1 tbsp olive oil

Meal 5
1 serving of fish, chicken, or turkey
1 serving of veggies
1 apple
1 tbsp natural PB

Meal 6 - before bedtime
1 scoop whey
1/3 scoop casein

Some things get switched around depending on my budget for the week or when I can work out but that's pretty much it.

 

[Madmick]

Here, I'll give you the word, then you can research some on your own: your body is entering a state called "ketosis." If your deadlift is going down, that's your signal it's time to stop restricting your calories. Your muscles are breaking down- your body is eating them.

 

[Duncon76]

Loosing it slow is the best way. I hope your putting Butter on your Veg? You need the fat with veg. Example, carrots have beta carotene only. It needs fat soluable nutrients in order to convert the BC to Vit A.

 

[kuroMaguro]

Here, I'll give you the word, then you can research some on your own: your body is entering a state called "ketosis." If your deadlift is going down, that's your signal it's time to stop restricting your calories. Your muscles are breaking down- your body is eating them.

I dont know too much about ketosis, but I though you body goes through this from lack of carbs and eating all protein. Isn't he getting enough carbs from eating fruit with almost every meal?

 

[Madmick]

I dont know too much about ketosis, but I though you body goes through this from lack of carbs and eating all protein. Isn't he getting enough carbs from eating fruit with almost every meal?

Yes, this is true, but the fact is if you lose weight consistently over a long enough period of time, your body is going to become carbohydrate-deprived. This is why it's recommended to take a couple weeks off from weight-loss dieting every couple months.
http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/en.asp?TopicID=274

The nature of ketosis is the conversion of fat to energy, and the nature of fat loss is...you guessed it.

 

[kungfool]

Yes, this is true, but the fact is if you lose weight consistently over a long enough period of time, your body is going to become carbohydrate-deprived. This is why it's recommended to take a couple weeks off from weight-loss dieting every couple months.

Well I started added some extra oatmeal (1 cup) to my diet - also I forgot to put in the brown rice with meal 3. I also occasionally eat some whole wheat bread.

So yeah, I keep adding carbs until I'm making gains again and then maintain that amount of calories for a while?

 

[Madmick]

Well I started added some extra oatmeal (1 cup) to my diet - also I forgot to put in the brown rice with meal 3. I also occasionally eat some whole wheat bread.

So yeah, I keep adding carbs until I'm making gains again and then maintain that amount of calories for a while?

Just watch your caloric intake. It wouldn't matter if your entire diet came from carbs, if your chronically falling short your BMR, you're going to enter ketosis.

So yeah. keep adding calories, primarily carbs (~70%) until you make gains again- or at least maintain your weight.