Stronglifts Folks: I'm 5'6" & 140 pounds. How long until you saw results?

aliciamarieUF

Hey everyone. I've been eating at a deficit (Maintain 1200 calories a day and eat back my calories) and started the strong lifts 5x5 program a few weeks ago. The weight I'm lifting has been going up steadily. I seemed to have lost a pound after a week and a half of doing this but then within a few days I went up to 142 and was hoping it was just a crazy fluctuation and that it would go back down. It went down to 141.8 and I'm hoping my weight will continue to go down but I'm starting to get a little worried because I'm not seeing much of a change. Here is my schedule. Is there anything else you all would recommend for me to drop the pounds while maintaining muscle? Am I not eating enough? When I initially lost the first 20 pounds I was eating at 1200 and exercising for an hour, 5 or 6 days a week.

Monday: Stronglifts, 30 min cardio, 10 minutes ab work
Tuesday: 1 hour cardio
Wednesday: Stronglifts, 30 min cardio, 10 minutes ab work
Thursday: 1 hour cardio
Friday: Stronglifts, 30 min cardio, 10 minutes ab work
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Leg extensions, glute machine, 10 minutes ab work, 1 hour cardio

I've been eating as cleanly as possible (lots of chicken, fish, veggies and fruit) and staying away from junk. I lost 27 pounds in the past but these last 15 are horrible. Thank you for any advice!

MargueriteMuguet

hi, I'm F, 25, 5'6, now I'm also at 140lbs. Started SL in December 2014. I did not do any cardio and was lifting 3x a week. I saw results after the 4th week. But mind you, I had never saw such brilliant changes before.

Ate at a deficit (small) I was around 153 pounds back then and lost slowly each week.
I also lost inches slowly but surely!

Hope you'll get to your goal ;-)

3laine75

Although I also did a beginner programme (starting strength, similar) at 1200 net, making good strength gains, I'd probably say now it's not to be recommended. Try working out your TDEE and going for -10% so you have the energy to fuel your workouts.

In saying that, if you're not losing at 1200 then you're eating more than you think(could also be water fluctuations). If I stall out when I should be losing then I know it's time to go on lockdown - get the kitchen scales back out of the cupboard, don't eyeball that spoonful of peanut butter etc.

Take photos and measurements too as these will be better indicators of progress than the scale, at this point.

SezxyStef

I started with SL 5x5 in Sept of 2013....40 at the time, 5'6 I ate 1600 calories a day in total (TDEE)...

First I would suggest netting more than 1200 if you are serious about lifting that will hinder you eventually.

2nd the calories shown as burned from lifting are so off that's why those that lift typically go to TDEE.

3rd lifting isn't for losing, calorie deficit is...lifting is to keep what muscle you can while losing mainly fat.

If you have 15lbs to lose you should be aiming for 3/4 to 1/2 lb a week.

"Clean" eating is not required but getting in adequate protein is....for me it is 120-130 grams of protein a day...I still lift, eat fast food, French fries, chocolate etc. And don't forgets carbs to fuel your workouts...I made that mistake and when I started eating more I noticed my lifts go up.

The ups and downs in your weight are normal esp when lifting...water and glycogen stores make it appear that you are gaining then losing etc. Don't just rely on the scale use a tape measure, scale, how your cloths fit and most of all if the plates are increasing...that's the key for lifting.

ETA I don't use the scale much at all any more...I've been lifting for 18months and weigh 148lbs currently and wear a size 4...

aliciamarieUF

Thank you for all of the suggestions. I actually log the stronglifts exercises under strength training so they don't account for any of my calories burned anyway. This morning I was back up to 142 after being at 140 last week so I am hoping it is in fact a water fluctuation and that I will see some weight loss soon.

domenic17

Hey alicia
are you weighing yourself the same time every week ?
also look in the mirror could be you have put muscle on

AllanMisner

Weight is a single data point. Total body composition is what you should focus on. Try taking measurements (neck, chest, stomach, waist, hips, upper arms and upper legs). If you got down to a size 2, and still weighed 142lbs, would you care about your weight? Don’t let short-term results derail you from your long-term goals.

LyuboslavZdravkov

Stronglifts 5x5 is for strength, therefore muscle, therefore food. I also used to SL 5x5, but back in the day I was bulking, which, IMO, is better while working on strength. Eventually you get fats around the belly, but your strength sky rockets. It's up to you to choose what you need.

So, you can't do the same thing every day and expect changes. If you insist on muscle preserving switch the back squat with front squat, include power clean or clean/press. You may even change your conventional deadlift with sumo one. If you want to lose any weight, you can change the workout plan and train for hypertrophy (10-15 reps) and isolation movements. You can be creative.
Anyway, just make sure you get enough proteins. I'd suggest refeed days every once in a while and probably carb cycling. Try HIIT type cardio instead of normal.

Morgaath

Also, note that on many days your fitbit is adjusting your calories in negative numbers (meaning that it thinks you burnt fewer cals than expected/entered)
Look at March 10:
Elliptical Trainer 62min 625cals
Running (jogging), 5 mph (12 min mile) 12min 100cals
Fitbit calorie adjustment N/A mins -142cals

This gives you a total of: (625+100-142=583cals)

Not sure at what time it makes those adjustments...and not that 142cals, or the 311 you went over on that date, are enough for you to add any substantial weight.

aliciamarieUF

domenic17 wrote: »

Hey alicia
are you weighing yourself the same time every week ?
also look in the mirror could be you have put muscle on

Yes, I am. I weigh in the mornings only. It could very well be. I will try taking me measurements again in a month.

aliciamarieUF

AllanMisner wrote: »

Weight is a single data point. Total body composition is what you should focus on. Try taking measurements (neck, chest, stomach, waist, hips, upper arms and upper legs). If you got down to a size 2, and still weighed 142lbs, would you care about your weight? Don’t let short-term results derail you from your long-term goals.

Thanks. I just took them last week. Will try again same time next month and see if there are any changes.

aliciamarieUF

LyuboslavZdravkov wrote: »

Stronglifts 5x5 is for strength, therefore muscle, therefore food. I also used to SL 5x5, but back in the day I was bulking, which, IMO, is better while working on strength. Eventually you get fats around the belly, but your strength sky rockets. It's up to you to choose what you need.

So, you can't do the same thing every day and expect changes. If you insist on muscle preserving switch the back squat with front squat, include power clean or clean/press. You may even change your conventional deadlift with sumo one. If you want to lose any weight, you can change the workout plan and train for hypertrophy (10-15 reps) and isolation movements. You can be creative.
Anyway, just make sure you get enough proteins. I'd suggest refeed days every once in a while and probably carb cycling. Try HIIT type cardio instead of normal.

Thank you for the suggestions. I will look into all of this.

aliciamarieUF

Morgaath wrote: »

Also, note that on many days your fitbit is adjusting your calories in negative numbers (meaning that it thinks you burnt fewer cals than expected/entered)
Look at March 10:
Elliptical Trainer 62min 625cals
Running (jogging), 5 mph (12 min mile) 12min 100cals
Fitbit calorie adjustment N/A mins -142cals

This gives you a total of: (625+100-142=583cals)

Not sure at what time it makes those adjustments...and not that 142cals, or the 311 you went over on that date, are enough for you to add any substantial weight.

Yes, I also noticed that but have no idea how to adjust it.