Less talking and more lifting - starting with Strong Lifts 5x5

[BerlinByrd]

Hi

I've decided to stop talking about lifting weights and actual start lifting weights - Monday morning i'm so in the weights room!
I've been in and out of gyms for probably around 10 years but never really stuck to a program or seen results (probably because i didn't stick to the programs lol)

I'm really not into cardio, i can managed 5 mins on the rowers as a warmup and then i'm over it. So i thought weight training might be the way to shift the fat and get some muscle.

I basically want to stand in one place and lift something heavy and i thought the Strong Lifts 5x5 seemed like a good option, really simple, not too time consuming and no cardio.

I looked around on here and on think i've worked out some starting figures but to be honest i got confused if the amount of protein was supposed to be total weight or target weight ( saw confusing info)

On a 2000cal i've worked it out to
pro 128g
fat 80g
carbs 192g

Pro = .8g per body weight
Fat = .5g per body weight

I'm 5ft 7 and currently weighing in at a disappointing out of shape 160lbs with a body fat % of 31.3 and a BMI of 24.3

I'd love to hear your thoughts on:
My figures - (i would have thought the protein would be higher and the carbs lower?)
Starting strength - what you think of the program, how you liked it, results you got etc

Thanks x

[Millz12323]

Make sure you download the free app. I always run stronglifts after a long break from the gym. It helps to get me from fat out of shape slob to pretty lean and athletic within a few months but that's mostly due to muscle memory.

If you're planning on cutting though the program is going to get brutally frustrating with frequent resets.

[BerlinByrd]

Make sure you download the free app. I always run stronglifts after a long break from the gym. It helps to get me from fat out of shape slob to pretty lean and athletic within a few months but that's mostly due to muscle memory.

If you're planning on cutting though the program is going to get brutally frustrating with frequent resets.

Not sure i can think about cutting right now, think i need to just get into a routine going to the gym and eat roughly 2000cals. To be honest, i find the whole food/macro thing a bit of a stress, too much tracking and logging etc Don't want to get overwhelmed with it and then ditch the gym

[mavd]

Not sure i can think about cutting right now, think i need to just get into a routine going to the gym and eat roughly 2000cals. To be honest, i find the whole food/macro thing a bit of a stress, too much tracking and logging etc Don't want to get overwhelmed with it and then ditch the gym

I think that with your stats and "newbie" status, running this program and eating around TDEE is a great idea! Don't be surprised if you end up losing a bit of weight if you eat strictly 2k though. Good luck and feel free to start a journal so myself and others can follow along and give support!

[BerlinByrd]

I think that with your stats and "newbie" status, running this program and eating around TDEE is a great idea! Don't be surprised if you end up losing a bit of weight if you eat strictly 2k though. Good luck and feel free to start a journal so myself and others can follow along and give support!

I could do with losing a bit of weight from my mid section - so no tears from me if i lose some weight :-)
Thanks for the post

[KyleAaron]

As you are in the healthy BMI range you should definitely not think of cutting. In fact if you are in the "overweight" range of 25-30 but you are active and have no family history of things like heart disease and diabetes, then I wouldn't be worried about your health. Under 18.5 or over 30 is another matter, but you're far from either. So I would advise not worrying about your weight at all.

SL or SS or whatever is not that important. So long as you have a routine with compound lifts (2 or more joints moving at once) and progression, good things will happen. If you're eating good food, even better things will happen.

I don't prescribe exact calories and macros to people, I take a different approach, nonetheless your suggested numbers seem like a good start. Give it a month, then steer as you go. Speaking generally, if -

- you are feeling good
- you are getting stronger and fitter, and
- if you want your body to change, it's changing the way you want it to

then your diet is perfect, whatever it is. If one of those 3 things is not true, then reassess. So long as nothing drastic happens like getting constipated or something, reassessing once a month is enough. Over time you will probably find the total calories need to go up - heavy weights take a lot out of you. It won't be heavy in the first month or two, since you're not male and thus won't vastly overestimate yourself. The eating is like the weights - start easy and build up gradually.

Properly-done, nothing will as quickly and profoundly change how you look, feel and perform as your first 3-6 months of progressive resistance training using barbells. Good luck.

[BerlinByrd]

Hey
Thanks for the feedback and suggestions.

All appreciated ! x