seeking intake & lifting routine advice
wendyapple
Posts: 323 Member
hi Sara and SideSteel,
i'm seeking your expert opinions on my intake and a lifting program. thank you so much for your insight and help
Provide your stats (height/weight/age/bodyfat% if you know it/etc)
height: 5'8.5
weight: 140-145
age: 35.75
bodyfat: my scale at home says 29%, online calculators say 22-25%
What's your current gross intake of calories, on average?
on average 1650/day
What's your current average intake of protein, carbs, and fats, in grams? (GRAMS, not percent!)
protein: 115g
carbs: 120g
fats: 50g
Do you use a food scale and measure everything?
everything i eat at home is measured on the scale, which is 95% of my intake.
Do you track all of your intake, daily? (Everything?)
no. i take days off from tracking but usually stick to my plan.
Do you take cheat days or days off?
a party here or there, less than once every two months.
How much weight have you lost so far and over what time period?
from 2011-2012 i lost 35lbs. since then i've been +/- 10.
Describe your activity (exercise and non exercise) and did you change that activity within the last couple of months?
i do 35-55 minutes of cardio (elliptical machine) at the gym 3-5 times a week. i change up between intervals and "random" setting. i have been trying to find a lifting program that i can make progress on and not feel is too difficult. i started with nrolw two summers ago, transitioned to sl5x5 last summer, started some iso strength with dumbells at home last winter, this summer tried to get started again with 5x5 but really can't seem to progress beyond a 75lb squat. i suspect my body doesn't like squatting so many reps 3x a week. i'm curious about 5/3/1 but can't seem to figure out how to split the lifts up to fit 2-3 days a week in the gym. non-exercise activity, i walk at least a mile or two most days, and ride my bike to and from work (9 miles rt) from sept through june.
How long have you been stalled and if it is not a complete stall please be very specific as to how much you have lost over the stalled period.
i'm not particularly interested in scale weight loss, only bodyfat loss, which seems to have ceased since i dropped the initial 35lbs two summers ago.
Are you breastfeeding?
no
Do you have thyroid issues/risks or PCOS?
no
thanks you guys. i've been independently trying to figure this out from reading the posts in this forum and i just feel stuck. i'm looking forward to hearing back.
i'm seeking your expert opinions on my intake and a lifting program. thank you so much for your insight and help
Provide your stats (height/weight/age/bodyfat% if you know it/etc)
height: 5'8.5
weight: 140-145
age: 35.75
bodyfat: my scale at home says 29%, online calculators say 22-25%
What's your current gross intake of calories, on average?
on average 1650/day
What's your current average intake of protein, carbs, and fats, in grams? (GRAMS, not percent!)
protein: 115g
carbs: 120g
fats: 50g
Do you use a food scale and measure everything?
everything i eat at home is measured on the scale, which is 95% of my intake.
Do you track all of your intake, daily? (Everything?)
no. i take days off from tracking but usually stick to my plan.
Do you take cheat days or days off?
a party here or there, less than once every two months.
How much weight have you lost so far and over what time period?
from 2011-2012 i lost 35lbs. since then i've been +/- 10.
Describe your activity (exercise and non exercise) and did you change that activity within the last couple of months?
i do 35-55 minutes of cardio (elliptical machine) at the gym 3-5 times a week. i change up between intervals and "random" setting. i have been trying to find a lifting program that i can make progress on and not feel is too difficult. i started with nrolw two summers ago, transitioned to sl5x5 last summer, started some iso strength with dumbells at home last winter, this summer tried to get started again with 5x5 but really can't seem to progress beyond a 75lb squat. i suspect my body doesn't like squatting so many reps 3x a week. i'm curious about 5/3/1 but can't seem to figure out how to split the lifts up to fit 2-3 days a week in the gym. non-exercise activity, i walk at least a mile or two most days, and ride my bike to and from work (9 miles rt) from sept through june.
How long have you been stalled and if it is not a complete stall please be very specific as to how much you have lost over the stalled period.
i'm not particularly interested in scale weight loss, only bodyfat loss, which seems to have ceased since i dropped the initial 35lbs two summers ago.
Are you breastfeeding?
no
Do you have thyroid issues/risks or PCOS?
no
thanks you guys. i've been independently trying to figure this out from reading the posts in this forum and i just feel stuck. i'm looking forward to hearing back.
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Replies
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Tagging0
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With regards to your squats:
- have you tried going to 3 x 5?
- it could be a form issue. You can post a video in the firm critique thread if you want input
- how are your other lifts progressing?0 -
With regards to your squats:
- have you tried going to 3 x 5?
- it could be a form issue. You can post a video in the firm critique thread if you want input
- how are your other lifts progressing?
i haven't tried 5x3 with squats yet. my understanding is that it's similar to 5x5 in that it's a 4 week cycle, but still 5 sets, with the 4th set only 3 reps and the last set is as many as possible. is that correct? i've read a lot of conflicting information.
it could be form, though i have watched rippetoe videos and tweaked form multiple times. i have always had lower back problems and typically find as soon as i add weight to squats i have soreness/stiffness in my lower back the following days. i threw my back out about 10 years ago and ever since then i am pretty cautious and tend to baby it. i'm planning to squat today so will try to film and post in the critique thread.
other lifts are progressing very very slowly, though i expect that at a deficit. i've progressed at bench, deads, and rows, but not ohp which i attribute to shoulder surgery 4 years back.
i was thinking about alternating my squats with leg press and hamstring curls. do you think that would be beneficial?0 -
Bumping to the first page for when SideSteel and I chat this weekend.0
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Hi!
We want to discuss a couple of things with you so that we can give the best advice we can.
- you say that your scale gives you a BF of 29% and the online calculators give you 22 - 25%, however, from your pictures (bearing in mind that this is a very inaccurate way to assess someone) and your form video I have a feeling that you are lower (you are definitely lower than 29%). Are you comfortable posting BF estimation pics either in the thread we have in this group for that or via PM so we can get a better idea of where you really are?
- with the above comment in mind, do you have body fat to lose that you can visually see (ignoring the calculators and scales), or do you want to increase LBM?
- gaining strength (and gaining mass) and losing fat are generally not congruent. Is your focus on gaining strength and/or muscle mass, or losing BF? While you can gain strength on a deficit, it becomes very hard at a certain calorie level and a certain leanness (individuals differ as to the extent).0 -
Hi!
We want to discuss a couple of things with you so that we can give the best advice we can.
- you say that your scale gives you a BF of 29% and the online calculators give you 22 - 25%, however, from your pictures (bearing in mind that this is a very inaccurate way to assess someone) and your form video I have a feeling that you are lower (you are definitely lower than 29%). Are you comfortable posting BF estimation pics either in the thread we have in this group for that or via PM so we can get a better idea of where you really are?
- with the above comment in mind, do you have body fat to lose that you can visually see (ignoring the calculators and scales), or do you want to increase LBM?
- gaining strength (and gaining mass) and losing fat are generally not congruent. Is your focus on gaining strength and/or muscle mass, or losing BF? While you can gain strength on a deficit, it becomes very hard at a certain calorie level and a certain leanness (individuals differ as to the extent).
thanks for the clarifying questions. i'll try to answer as best i can.
i will take and post bf estimation pics in the thread this week. i'm very curious to hear your estimate. i have some fat to lose, nearly all of it contained around my belly and hips. it isn't much, but two winters back i was much leaner than i am now, but i also had less muscle mass at the time.
ideally i'd like to lose the fat and maintain the mass i have. i have no desire to gain mass, mostly because i am not comfortable with the idea of eating at a surplus until i can figure out where maintenance is for me.0 -
Sorry! SideSteel and I have been a bit busy recently and a few responses fell through the gaps. Bumping this.0
