Trouble Starting Out

[PBateman]

Hey all,

I'm posting for my girlfriend, whose sitting with me; she's getting frustrated with starting out on a program. Her original goal was mainly improved health, but she'd also like to see some body fat loss. She's happy with the improvements in her running and lifting, but no difference on the scale. She can tell she's gaining muscle, which may account for the lack of change, but her clothes fit the same and her problem areas haven't changed (her words).

Current routine: running, 5x5 lifting (6-7 days a week as outlined below)

Running: couch to 5k program that gradually increased over past 8 weeks. She's running for 30 minutes at about 5 mph right now. (3-4 days a week)

-Intervals next?

Lifting: 5x5 for the past 3 weeks (3 days a week)

Day one:
Squats
Overhead press
Deadlifts
+calf raises

Day three:
Squats
Bench press
Bar rows
+dips

Day five:
repeats day one


Current diet: 40/30/30 protein/carbs/fat tracking every day. Eating 1,200 calories a day.

-May be room for improvement here, not a written out, consistent set of meals. But tracked for macros, calories, and low on simple carbs. Water intake is pretty low (my words on the water...)

4'11"
99 lbs

Basic question: has anyone had trouble in the beginning, and perhaps seen faster fat loss once they got to more of a base level of fitness? She's really killing it in the gym -- went from some elliptical type cardio at the beginning to seeing great improvements in running and lifting now. Just a bit frustrated on the above mentioned parts.

Thanks for any input!

[Adore]

This might help: What's her BF? Also can you include pictures?

99lbs is very light. With all that lifting she could possbily be gaining as much muscle as she is losing fat.

[Kemo1990]

so shes 8 weeks in? in the grand scheme of things thats not very long...
-tell her to double check her macros
-i may be confused but is that program supposed to be SS? if so the days are backwards
-tell her to take progress pics

[TpthaBurdmane]

Hmmmmm 99 pounds is very light, i say she should stick to it because the plan looks fine to me. the number one downfall to anybody is lack of dedication and patience. At 99 pounds she should stick with a program that may take even year and some change, because I would not suggest losing more pounds, and i'm sure she doesnt want to go into an all out bulk lol. The process she will have to do is losing fat while putting on muscle, which will take a longer period of time than doing one or the other, but her stats fit this type of plan. She should expect to keep at it for a long time and see the scale increase in weight but her "problem spots" falling away, as muscle weighs more than fat(iand im sure we all know this)and muscle helps the process of fat burning.