Im a Newb

MassiveDelta

Several times over the past 4 years I've attempted to lift weights. I've never been successful until recently when trying strong lifts 5X5. It did two things for me. It was SO simple an IDIOT could do it and I never wondered what I was supposed to do nor did I have to try and figure out what a flying reverse Lateral twisting Dolphin dumbell lift looked like. The lifts were simple and straightforward and for the first time ever I was excited to be making progress. I was 6 weeks into it probably the longest Id ever made a weight lifting program.

Unfortunately I've been down sick for about 3 weeks with back to back bouts of severe chest congestion colds and lastly a full blown case of bronchitis unable to do cardio or Lift and just feeling mostly weak.

I'm getting to the point I'm about ready to pick back up but I have some questions about diet. I wasn't concerned with diet before I wanted to create habit and learn. So 2 things...If I'm eating at deficit how am I still progressing and adding strength? 2 is lifting helping with my fat loss since I am eating a deficit and not building muscle?

Im sure I have all kinds of wrong here. remember I'm a lifting newb

Ashes_To_Beast

I can't give you a scientific answer but I can tell you this. When I first started lifting about 8 months ago I weighed 190Lbs with 0 muscle. Now I weigh 160 and I'm close to my 6 pack. I don't do cardio and until last month I was always eating at a deficit so you can gain muscle and strenght at a deficit I don't care what anyone says because I lived it. I kept a high protein/fat diet with maybe 20% carbs(that I ate most of post-workout).

So in conclusion. Your strength gains/hypertrophy will not be as impressive as someone at a surpluss but it will happen, and if you put in enough intensity fat loss is inevitable!!!

Hope this helps
Cheers

MrGonzo05

Neural adaptation only lasts a few weeks once the workouts get challenging. If you continue gaining strength, it is due to hypertrophy.

MercenaryNoetic26

I've been in a deficit since November and still maintaining strength. It's only 300-500 deficit tops. But this has been enough to see what I want and maintain. I don't really do cardio. I was lifting 5 days a week and cut down recently to 3 and still maintaining.

There have been a few times when I did more weight/reps lol. So just go as heavy as possible always.

FormerMarine1

Since you are a newbie to sticking with a weight training routine, your body is ultra-sensitive to building muscle/strength. Being in a deficit won't affect you so much at this stage. Once you've lifted for more than a year, your progress will be limited after large gains initially. The MOST important thing is not letting the negative caloric balance drop too low. Protein consumption is critical to holding on to your lean body mass. 5 by 5 is a great training tool to stimulate gains in muscle. Don't forget drop sets or super sets to increase fat loss. It sounds like you are on your way! Best of luck!