On January 22 I began a 5x5 weightlifting program, 3x/week, after only doing calisthenics during 2019, so I'm totally a newbie. I would ideally like to weigh 175-185lbs and be somewhere around 12-15% bodyfat. Currently I weigh 167 lbs/19.1%BF at 33 years old. I have been stalling at this weight/BF% for about 12 weeks, watching it fluctuate about 1-2 lbs/0.5%BF up and down. Two questions:
1) Should I start seeing this BF% drop now that I am lifting and will continue lifting heavier each session?
2) Would you suggest increasing calories/macros to help put on size? Or is what I'm doing correct and I just need to be patient with it?
Current avg. daily intake (based off one week of meals tracked in MyFitnessPal): 2500 calories | 314g carbs | 72.5g fats | 153g protein
5x5 record (start weight/current weight):
Squat: 85lb / 125lb
Bench: 75lb / 100lb
DL: 115lb / 145lb
OHP: 65llb / 80lb
BB Row: 75lb / 95lb
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Thread: stalling at same weight/BF%
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02-14-2020, 11:49 AM #1
stalling at same weight/BF%
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02-14-2020, 02:05 PM #2
Gaining weight while dropping body fat is nearly impossible, even as a newbie. Achieving your goal will best be accomplished in multiple steps. Losing body fat will only happen if you’re consuming less calories than your body is burning. However, you will only gain weight by consuming more calories than you’re burning. Just pick a direction you first want to take. Some will tell you to first cut some fat then work on gaining muscle. My opinion is to first work on gaining muscle (best gauged by your lifts going up) while minimizing any fat gain. Look to gain about 1-2 pounds per month. After gaining about 10-15 pounds then switch gears, cut off the fat and show off the muscle you built.
How are you coming up with your body fat percentage? Body fat scales are wildly inaccurate, start using the mirror and progress pics instead.S: 375 pounds x 1 - 168-pound bodyweight 5/2019
B: 300 pounds x 1 - 177-pound bodyweight 7/2019
D: 405 pounds x 1 - 168-pound bodyweight 5/2019
OHP: 180 pounds x 1 - 168-pound bodyweight 5/2019
A great guide to nutrition: https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=173439001&p=1481919401&viewfull=1#post1481919401
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02-14-2020, 06:17 PM #3
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02-15-2020, 06:58 AM #4
Those macros are fine. You really don’t even need that much protein. It’s not bad to eat extra protein, but you’re safe at about 130g of protein per day. Below is a great link about nutrition -
https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...post1481919401S: 375 pounds x 1 - 168-pound bodyweight 5/2019
B: 300 pounds x 1 - 177-pound bodyweight 7/2019
D: 405 pounds x 1 - 168-pound bodyweight 5/2019
OHP: 180 pounds x 1 - 168-pound bodyweight 5/2019
A great guide to nutrition: https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=173439001&p=1481919401&viewfull=1#post1481919401
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02-15-2020, 07:13 AM #5
- Join Date: Feb 2007
- Location: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Age: 35
- Posts: 6,090
- Rep Power: 10205
I would advise against eating in a surplus when you are 19% body fat. That as a blanket recommendation instead of analyzing on a case by case basis is a bit silly.
Fierce 5 novice routine: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=159678631
All Pros beginner routine: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=169172473
Calculating calories and macros: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=173439001
Multivitamin Creatine Monohydrate
Fish Oil Whey
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02-15-2020, 07:18 AM #6
My opinion to first focus on gaining muscle was due to the amount of weight he lifts. Right now he doesn’t have much muscle and would look small if he were to cut. One negative I see when people who don’t have much muscle cut first is they then fear putting on any fat and won’t eat enough to add muscle.
Without seeing a pic I feel either direction is fine for him, but my statement was specific to his situation and not a blanket statement.S: 375 pounds x 1 - 168-pound bodyweight 5/2019
B: 300 pounds x 1 - 177-pound bodyweight 7/2019
D: 405 pounds x 1 - 168-pound bodyweight 5/2019
OHP: 180 pounds x 1 - 168-pound bodyweight 5/2019
A great guide to nutrition: https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=173439001&p=1481919401&viewfull=1#post1481919401
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02-15-2020, 07:22 AM #7
Sounds like you found your maintenance calories - if you increase them I'd do it in a couple of steps so you can see how your body reacts. If you chuck another 500 calories in and it's too much you'll become a bloat lord quickly whereas if you do it in steps you can see how you respond and dial it in.
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02-15-2020, 07:28 AM #8
- Join Date: Feb 2007
- Location: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Age: 35
- Posts: 6,090
- Rep Power: 10205
Fierce 5 novice routine: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=159678631
All Pros beginner routine: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=169172473
Calculating calories and macros: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=173439001
Multivitamin Creatine Monohydrate
Fish Oil Whey
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02-15-2020, 09:10 AM #9S: 375 pounds x 1 - 168-pound bodyweight 5/2019
B: 300 pounds x 1 - 177-pound bodyweight 7/2019
D: 405 pounds x 1 - 168-pound bodyweight 5/2019
OHP: 180 pounds x 1 - 168-pound bodyweight 5/2019
A great guide to nutrition: https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=173439001&p=1481919401&viewfull=1#post1481919401
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02-15-2020, 03:59 PM #10
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02-15-2020, 04:26 PM #11
- Join Date: Feb 2007
- Location: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Age: 35
- Posts: 6,090
- Rep Power: 10205
Fierce 5 novice routine: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=159678631
All Pros beginner routine: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=169172473
Calculating calories and macros: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=173439001
Multivitamin Creatine Monohydrate
Fish Oil Whey
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