Should I wait?

admmommy

I still want to start the program, but I have somewhere between 70 - 100 lbs to lose after having my baby almost 3 months ago. Should I lose the pounds then start the program?

nexangelus

It is up to you...you can weight/strength train and lose weight at the same time...in fact it is probably better to be building some lean mass as you go...

tameko2

I don't think there's any reason NOT to do strength/resistance training right away and a lot of reasons TO do it.

The only reasons I could think you might hang back a bit is 1) if you want to lose some of the early weight very fast, like you want to drop the first 20 lbs pretty quick, then you might want to eat a bigger deficit while your extra mass can support it, and this kind of training doesn't sustain itself very well on a high deficit 2) if your weight is distributed in a way that makes it very difficult to do some of the movements you might want to do something else until you reshape a little.

Its really a personal choice. I love compound barbell lifts and I loathe circuit training and body weight stuff. Personal preferences, I just find anything remotely high rep strenuous and unpleasant (squatting heavy is kind of strenuous and unpleasant but only for like 2 seconds and then you feel GOOD for the next few hours).

Anyway the only things I'd say you must do are:
1) any kind of resistance training from the start
2) eat adequate protein to prevent muscle loss on your diet (.8grams per kg of body weight).

And I wouldn't wait until you are at your 'goal' weight to start stronglifts. But like I detailed above I could imagine why someone might want to wait until they lose the first chunk of weight. Although....if you're breast feeding at least some of that baby weight is just gonna drop off without any real effort on your part. Breast feeding alone burns a lot of calories.

Martucha123

From what I've seen on forums before, pendaly rows might be tricky if your belly is big enough.
But if that's the case, you can modify this exercise.
IMO you should start lifting ASAP.
You will keep all the extra muscles you have gained while pregnant and once you trim the fat you will probably end up looking more muscular (and by muscular I don't mean bulky, I mean "toned") then you were before the baby.